VETERAN big man Daniel Johnson turned back the clock with a vintage performance to lead the Forestville Eagles to a preliminary final win over the Sturt Sabres in the National Basketball League (NBL)1 Central Men’s over the weekend.

The two sides locked horns at State Basketball Centre (Wayville) on Saturday night for a spot in the Grand Final for the 2024 season. They actually went head to head in the first week of finals, and the Eagles claimed a convincing win to go directly to the prelims. The Sabres advanced past the semi-finals to get their shot at redemption this past weekend.

The Sabres started the game stronger than the last matchup between the two, although Forestville still held a three-point lead at the first change. The Eagles looked to repeat history with a dominant second term, taking a 20-point buffer into half time and all of the momentum.

Remarkably, Sturt produced a tremendous defensive showing in the third quarter, restricting the opposition to just nine points to trail by just three at the final break, but as both sides traded blows in the last, it was the Eagles that held on for a seven-point victory.

Johnson was the man of the moment in the win, putting his side on his back to lead them to the deciding clash.

Forestville Eagles (91) def. Sturt Sabres (84)

Daniel Johnson – 25 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, one steal

Having been a dominant figure in the NBL and the NBL1 at various stages throughout the last decade, Johnson again showed his capabilities over the weekend.

With Forestville’s season on the line, the big man was electric in the match against Sturt over the weekend, playing a crucial role to keep his team alive in 2024.

He scored a game-high 25 points, doing most of his damage close to the basket and producing consistent scores inside the paint. Although he looked to stretch the floor, the three pointers were not falling so he looked to push the ball inside.

Of his eight makes from the field, seven came from inside the arc, showcasing his post moves and his class as a player overall. The defence tried to put body pressure on him and send double teams, but to no avail.

As expected, he was a critical figure on the glass, pulling down 11 rebounds for the match (10 defensive) as he threw his frame around in the paint to get best position after an opposition miss. Attempts from the opposition to box out were futile, as Johnson controlled the skies with ease.

His basketball IQ came to the fore when it came to passing as well, finding teammates with excellent dish-off passes when Sturt sent double teams. Seven assists was an equal game-high figure, and demonstrated his feel for the game.

Johnson was a class above in the win over the Sabres, with the Eagles not advancing if not for his towering performance.