West Adelaide Bearcats clinch NBL1 Central title

The Men’s Grand Final of the Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central Finals Series was full of several stars at play as Sixers, Wildcats, Lions and Bearcats took the Adelaide Entertainment Centre floor. The super coach once again engineered the fifth to title run as the West Adelaide Bearcats took out their 17th state title over the Central Districts Lions. The West Adelaide Bearcats have once again risen to the challenge of an extended finals run to end the Central Districts Lions drought ending run 83-73 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. For the second time in the NBL1 Central Era - supercoach Dean Nyberg took his side from the jaws of elimination to the savours of victory from fifth to the title. Efemena Abogidi got the Lions rolling early with an early make but the Woolacott Medallist got the red and black going himself with a few early points. Magok Manyang (206-F-2002, college: MACU) leveled things up with some powerful paint work then slamming one down in the process. Koen Sapwell (193-G-1999, college: CS Monterey) (18 points, 11 rebounds with seven assists) and Spencer Gaze found some hot touch but a gamebreaker was needed early. Enter Clayton Jewell (16 points and 14 rebounds) who produced a gem of a spell with multiple takes to the rack and tip-ins above the rim to rattle it out to 26-19. Gamebreakers were the theme of the night as the Bearcats found one of their own as Cameron Huefner (203-F-2001, college: SHSU) after a quiet first term decided to take over the game literally. His presence inside insatiable and outside but had the thunderous point put on it with one of the loudest sounding hammer finishes on a body you’ve seen - as the cry of “Huef” rang out across the AEC. The Bearcats took the lead into the half off the back of their new Wildcat 43-36. The start to the third brought it to the Lions side again with Jack Stanwix emerging as a potential game changer getting on his left hand, making tough finishes at the cup and heads up defensive plays to get it back to 49-43. Rasmussen (19 points, seven rebounds and five assists) solid throughout the night swung momentum right back the way of the Bearcats with yet another strong finish as Rupert Sapwell (197-F-1972) and the Lions called the AAMI timeout. While largely flying under the radar throughout the night Jacob Tryon (211-C-1998, college: Samford) one of the saviest recruits of the season blocked an oncoming Lion to the basket - with Lat Mayen (206-F-1998, college: Nebraska) putting the finishing touches on a Jimma Dau (201-F, agency: Crossover Management) miss with tip in jam on his birthday three quarter time and it was all flowing the way of West 59-50 with one to play out. Mayen continued the mayhem of his play but Stanwix struck back again for the Lions with some key and1s and baskets to put them in touch 59-66. Enter Mayen again with the triple put the Lions had one last roar left in them with Stanwix (17 points, eight rebounds, three assists and steals) finishing then Abogidi throwing down a reverse one hander of his own. The Bearcats kept their heads however as Nyberg out of the AAMI Timeout rallied his team to take the game by the scruff of the neck as their experience and understanding of game pace situations were sealed with a Tryon dagger (Eight points, nine rebounds and four blocks) and Mayen (Game high 26 points with four triples, 10 rebounds and three assists) from the free throw line to earn them their third title in the last decade and seventeenth in their illustrious club history 83-73. Super coach Dean Nyberg grabbed his fifth title to be now one behind fellow super coach Andy Simons with six - “They're all special for different reasons but this one was really backs against the wall.” Dean shared. “Of all of them this one had the most doubt throughout the year as there were some really good teams - we had to do it the hard way coming from fifth but this last month has been really special with these guys.” Dean remarked on the journey the Bearcats had been on. “There were guys like Joel Spear and Jimma Dau that had to sacrifice that are well credentialled players in this league that accepted a lesser role to be a part of this team.” “With Jacob Tryon having the series he did - getting the Lions into the halfcourt we were a good chance but if it turned into a full court game they were able to outrun Forestville out of the gym and we were determined to not let that happen to us. It wasn’t an easy task they are very skilled and athletic and quick but fortunately after the first quarter we were able to get on top of that.” Cameron Huefner was the MVP with 22 points at 52.9 percent with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals and although not the games top scorer - his influence in the contest in the second term kept the Bearcats in touch then swung the momentum their way in the lynchpin moment of the final. His arrival at the Bearcats was exactly what they needed but the mindset was already in place when he arrived mid-season. “The guys embraced me. There's no ego on the team - it doesn’t matter how much NBL talent there is on any team or what someone else has if you come with the right mindset you can win any game.” “Deano brings a winning culture - we have amazing people and basketball players so it doesn’t matter who scores as long as we get the win.” Huefner reiterated postgame. “He’s fantastic coming in halfway through, never easy for a new player to integrate in - was fortunate to coach him obviously with the state team and kept in contact - he’s a great young man with no ego and just works hard.” Dean added about Huefner. The West Adelaide Bearcats the most succesful team in terms of titles with now 17 and three in the past decade will be singing long and hard down at Bearcat-land - while their Wildcats pair heads West and the Woollacott medallist hits the floor for the Adelaide 36ers to take on a new challenege in NBL26.
Courtesy of: nbl1.com.au