The most predictable aspect of the Central ABL is its total lack of predictability.

Who would have put money on South Adelaide’s men going within a whisker of making a Grand Final, after finishing 7th in 2007?

Who would have wagered that Sturt’s women would miss the 2007 Grand Final, after losing just 2 games all season?

Who would have picked the reigning men’s premiers to not make it past the semi finals?

Perhaps Cayla Francis was a lock for the Halls medal but who would have predicted that the top three vote-getters would all be under the age of 20?

It is one of the great features of basketball that outcomes are rarely certain. Upsets are not unique to our sport but the ability for a team to reduce a large gap in a short space of time means that leaving a stadium early is never advised.

Sturt coach Marcus Wong’s roster has varied almost weekly this year. Angela Marino did enough to qualify for finals, but is otherwise occupied in Beijing. Renae Camino took a break after the WNBL season and after a slow introduction to the CABL, has well and truly ramped up for the finals.

The Rockets’ return to the Grand Final is a credit to the improvement of their youngest players. Olympian Jo Hill’s return always helps, but it has been the progress of All-Star 5 point guard Lauren Mansfield and Jamie-Lee Peris that makes the Rockets a better prospect than in previous years.

That Forestville is favoured to win the men’s title is undeniable. Its most recent demolition of Norwood was all the more impressive given that it happened without Pero Vasiljevic. It will be interesting to see how the Eagles handle the stop-start schedule experienced by all minor premiers that progress directly to the grand final. Andy Simons has filled the gaps in his team’s program but nothing simulates a final like a final.

Norwood has been the most consistent of the premier teams in the men’s competition for the last two years. Rupert Sapwell would not have fond memories of the 2007 Grand Final, but the Flames have had enough solid performances against both North Adelaide and Forestville since then to convince us that they are more than capable of winning the premiership. While their most recent game against Forestville would dictate otherwise, their 27 point victory in round 8 paints a different picture.

Whoever you fancy in either game, don’t put your house on it.