Norwood Flames (15-3, 1st) v Forestville Eagles (13-5, 2nd)
03/09/11, 8.15 pm @ Adelaide Arena

Forestville will need to break a five game losing streak in finals against Norwood in order to win its first premiership since 2006.

The Flames started their run with an 89-88 victory in the 2008 Grand Final, after Andrew Webber banked a floater going sideline, from just inside of halfway on the buzzer.

Perhaps fortunately for the Eagles, the Flames are the hosts this time, which means the teams will start and finish at opposite ends of the court to last time.

Since then, every finals win for Norwood has increased in margin, capped off by a 104-85 scoreline in this year’s Second Semi Final.

That is the only final the Flames have participated in this season, while the Eagles have played three.

After beating Sturt and losing to Norwood, Forestville scored a 95-85 win over a foul-prone West Adelaide team in the Preliminary Final.

Trent Fildes was inserted into the starting line-up and had an impact at both ends of the floor, finishing with 26 points and 7 rebounds.

He was one of four Eagles to score in double figures, alongside Brad Haydon (17 points), Neil Mottram (12 points) and John Wernham (11 points).

Rashad Tucker fouled out with 9 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists, while Brad Sullivan was also disqualified after just 7 points.

Tucker is averaging a mere 12.3 ppg in the finals, after posting 20.1 ppg in 18 regular season games, so he is due for a big one.

He has been to the foul-line just four times and has fouled out in his last two games.

After exploding for 29 points against the Sabres, Sullivan (19 ppg in the regular season) has scored just 23 points the last two games.

In contrast, Fildes is averaging 16.3 ppg and 7.7 rpg in the finals, up from 9.6 ppg and 4.9 rpg in the regular season.

For Forestville to get up over its arch rivals, it will need to find a way to quell David Cooper.

Cooper is averaging 21 ppg, 15.3 rpg, 3.7 apg and a staggering 5 bpg against the Eagles, well above his season averages of 13.1 rpg, 10.3 rpg, 2.4 apg and 2.7 bpg.

Wernham has struggled against Cooper and Majok Deng has had mixed success, but ex-36er Neil Mottram is yet to have a crack at his former NBL teammate.

Sullivan will have his hands full guarding Andrew Webber, while Adam Doyle has the difficult task of containing Norwood playmaker Todd Matthews.

Andrew Webber has averaged 20.7 ppg against the Eagles this season, while Todd Matthews has improved numbers of 17.7 ppg, 8 rpg, 5.7 apg and 3.3 spg against Forestville.

Nick Hambour and Keith Krause could cause the Eagles frontline further trouble, after each playing well in the semis.

Starting small forward Corey Ottey has spent much of his court time guarding Tucker, who has averaged just 16.3 ppg against the Flames this season.

Tucker’s assists to turnover ratio is 4: 4.7 versus Norwood, and he has also committed 14 fouls.

Daniel Webber, Robin Eley and Ben Howell can each provide some scoring off the bench.

The player that the Flames need to restrict is Nic Blair.

Blair is averaging 13.7 ppg in the finals, 3.9 ppg higher than his season average.

He has also played some of his best basketball against Norwood, averaging 13.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 5 apg, all above his regular season totals.

The last time they met, the Flames were able to stop the Eagles’ running game and dictate the match with their size.

Mottram’s inclusion should help Forestville limit some of Norwood’s interior dominance, but it likely will not be enough to stop the Flames from winning a third title in four years.

By James Woite