AS was the case with most of the other states, the NBL1 Central Women’s competition wrapped its 2023 regular season fixture over the weekend, and one of the games of the round saw the South Adelaide Panthers defeat the Woodville Warriors.

The match took place at Mitchell Park Sports and Community Centre on Saturday night, and although the Warriors had far less on the line, still had a fair bit of consequence resting on the result. Woodville had won just four games on the season coming into Round 15’s game, but were looking to cause a bit of havoc in the final weekend. The Panthers were aiming to lock in their spot in the elimination final the following week, but would need to down the Warriors to do so.

The match had plenty of momentum swings, with Woodville storming out of the gates with a double-digit lead in the first term. The home side simply could not find the bottom of the net, and fell behind on the scoreboard as a result. However, South Adelaide got going in the second and third quarters to take full control of the match and flex its muscles in the process. It was an improved effort from the Warriors in the final term in comparison, but the damage was done as the Panthers claimed an 88-77 win.

The Panthers would not have been able to go on their match-winning run during the middle periods if not for the efforts of Ashleigh Spencer, who was a leading presence.

South Adelaide Panthers (88) def. Woodville Warriors (77)

Ashleigh Spencer – 29 points, seven rebounds, one assist, four steals

Spencer stood up when it mattered most for the home side, getting involved on both ends of the court and providing a serious spark in the process.

South Adelaide turned to her for offensive production, and she rewarded the team with a game-high 29 points on 9/20 shooting. The Panthers tried to get the ball in her hands as much as possible, and she had her best success putting up a shot close to the hoop.

As a result of her desire to conjure field goal attempts close to the hoop, Spencer drew plenty of contact and made a lot of trips to the free throw line. From there, she showed terrific composure and nailed 10 shots on 11 attempts.

Spencer’s hands were just as active on the defensive end as well, putting plenty of pressure on Woodville’s offensive sets. She caused plenty of havoc with her four steals, another game-high figure.

Spencer was an undeniable factor in the Panthers’ vital win, and will be looking to carry this sort of form into the elimination final.