IT is the time of year where basketball returns around the country. One of the competitions set to come back over the weekend is the National Basketball League (NBL)1 Central league, with some of South Australia’s finest basketball talents on display for another year of action. Always delivering quality action, NBL1 Central is one of the country’s most celebrated state basketball organisations, and after a couple of COVID interrupted seasons, will be hopeful of smooth sailing for the 2022 schedule.

After operating as the Premier League for a number of years, the NBL announced a partnership with Basketball South Australia in 2020 to rebrand the competition and operate at a more national level. It allowed more exposure to some of the talents in the league, with a number of players being picked up by the NBL as a result of the move. The 2020 season was unfortunately cancelled due to nation wide lockdowns. 2021 saw the competition return with a bumper schedule, and there was plenty to take out of a great year of action.

Interestingly, both of the 2021 Most Valuable Players (MVP) have left their respective teams for the upcoming season. Men’s recipient CJ Turnage and women’s recipient Teige Morrell have both headed to the NBL1 West to play for the Joondalup Wolves. Their respective clubs in Norwood and Southern will obviously have gaping holes in their rosters, but crisis creates opportunity. Norwood responded by re-signing plenty of senior players and elevating some of their younger players to the main list, while the Tigers covered the loss of Morrell by acquiring the services of Mollie McKendrick.

Round 1 kicks off on Saturday night, with plenty of double-headers going ahead at some of South Australia’s finest courts. The women’s competition kicks things off with a clash between the Norwood Flames and the South Adelaide Flames and the Men’s competition will follow suit a few hours later. The action will mostly take place on Saturday but also stretch into Sunday, where the Sturt Sabres and the Eastern Mavericks will close out the round with a double-header at Springbank Secondary College. It is a blockbuster opening round schedule, with plenty of action on the cards for both the men’s and women’s competitions. After a couple of seasons that were less than ideal, season 2022 looks set to explode.

Check out the Round 1 fixture below:

Round 1

Norwood Flames vs South Adelaide Panthers, Saturday April 9, Women’s @6pm, Men’s @7:45pm, The Arc Campbelltown

Forestville Eagles vs Southern Tigers, Saturday April 9, Women’s @6:15pm, Men’s @8pm, Wayville Sports Centre

North Adelaide Rockets vs Woodville Warriors, Saturday April 9, Women’s @6:30pm, Men’s @8pm, The Lights Community and Sports Centre

West Adelaide Bearcats vs Central Districts Lions, Saturday April 9, Women’s @6:30pm, Men’s @8:15pm, Port Adelaide Recreation Centre

Sturt Sabres vs Eastern Mavericks, Sunday April 10, Women’s @1:30pm, Men’s @3:15pm, Springbank Secondary College