DESPITE being in the twilight of his career, experienced forward Daniel Johnson delivered a huge performance as the Forestville Eagles defeated the Eastern Mavericks by seven points in Round 1 of the 2026 NBL1 Central Men’s season.

The season began over the weekend, with the Central division starting a week before other states to get the basketball action underway for another year. Both the Mavericks and the Eagles were looking to get off to a strong start, with Forestville in particular eager to make amends for a disappointing finish to the year, which resulted in the title favourites missing the grand final.

At 37 years of age, Johnson showed that he is still one of the most skilled players in the Central Men’s competition, getting off the chain once again and proving an integral factor in the Eagles’ perfect start to 2026.

Eastern Mavericks (87) def. by Forestville Eagles (94)

Daniel Johnson – 25 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals

Almost recording a triple-double despite being past the peak of his powers, one of the stalwarts of South Australian basketball was back at it again as the Eagles held on against a fast-finishing Mavericks team on the road over the weekend.

Although his shot was not falling from the field in the opening frame, Johnson was still able to hit the scoreboard, using his smarts to draw contact and earn trips to the charity stripe, where he showed plenty of composure and class.

He began to find his rhythm from the field in the second period, showing off his craft inside to have some nice finishes in the paint, while also knocking down his first jumpshot of the game in an ominous sign for the opposition as the Eagles jumped out to a big lead on the back of his work.

The veteran began to use his experience as a weapon in his playmaking game, setting up teammates on multiple occasions in the third quarter as Forestville kept the opposition at arm’s length. He also had an important and-one finish through contact to help the Eagles’ lead stretch out to double-digits, still showing plenty of strength.

Johnson stepped up for some crucial baskets down the stretch to help seal the game for his side too, nailing a pair of fadeaway jumpers to give the visitors breathing space, before helping cement the result with some excellent work on the glass.

He finished with 25 points on 8/16 shooting from the field and 8/10 shooting from the charity stripe, while also pulling down nine boards and dishing out nine assists in a terrific all-around performance, with Johnson clearly demonstrating he has plenty left in the tank.