Redemption Beckons for Ruthless Bearcats
West Adelaide 91 defeated Central Districts 76
After falling agonisingly short to Forestville in last year’s CABL Grand Final, West Adelaide showcased their intentions, with a fifteen-point win over Central Districts on Saturday night.
While Centrals made light work of the Bearcats in their two regular season matchups, West seemed determined to prevent history from repeating itself.
With curtains calling for the loser, neither team was able to establish a serious lead, trading baskets for the entirety of the first quarter. Even two of the competitions leading scorers, Jason Dawson (21 points, 7 assists) and Kyle Miller (21 points, 8 assists) weren’t able to separate the two sides.
While the scoreboard reflected the tight tussle of the elimination final, each team had a game style that they embraced in an effort to keep their season alive. Centrals seemed reliant on the 3 point shooting of Miller and fellow guard Jordan Centernera, who combined for 18 shots beyond the arc, while West looked to penetrate the paint and capitalise on big men Kurtis Phillips and Blake Truslove, who showcased their strength with 34 points and 28 boards.
In an effort to change the flow of the game, Centrals looked to limit the output of the West big men, forcing them out of the paint and beyond the arc. The switch saw the Bearcats trail by six going into the final break.
In what was a physical scrap, West remarkably gave minutes to just two players outside of their starting line-up, opting to play with seven as opposed to Central Districts’ eleven.
Remarkably, the fate of the Lions’ season was sealed in a single quarter. With nine minutes to play, West Adelaide trailed by nine points and looked as if their lack of rotations may get the better of them.
After scoring the first two points of the quarter, Centrals were only able to score 6 points for the quarter, as West ran over the top with a 24 point turnaround, ultimately winning the game from the free throw line.
West will now take on Norwood in another do or die final, while Centrals’ season has come to an untimely end.
By Samuel Hussey
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