A DAMAGING showing from Morgan Yaeger was the catalyst for a big win for the Southern Tigers over the Central Districts Lions in the NBL1 Central Women’s on the weekend.

The Tigers came into Saturday night’s game at the STARplex as the favourites, given the Lions have notched up just the one win for the 2023 fixture, while the Tigers sat in second place with a spot in the finals well and truly within striking distance.

The visitors produced a dominant display on both ends, bursting out of the gates in the opening quarter and continuing that momentum as the match rolled on. The contest was extremely one-sided over the first three quarters, and although the Lions managed to match the opposition’s output in the fourth, the damage was well and truly done as the Tigers cruised home to a 35-point win on the road.

Yaeger’s performance reflected that of the team as a whole as she proved far too good for the opposition in a standout display.

Central Districts Lions (53) def. by Southern Tigers (87)

Morgan Yaeger – 31 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals

Yaeger came dangerously close to recording a triple-double in a superb all-around display and one that had a massive say in her team’s excellent performance.

The 25-year-old was the match’s leading scorer with 31 points, showing no hesitation in throwing up a shot from a number of positions. She did her best work from behind the arc, draining eight three-pointers from 14 attempts in a reasonably accurate performance from downtown. Although it was not her most efficient performance from two-point territory, her work from long-range played a big role in the team’s offensive success.

Yaeger also pulled down an equal team-high nine rebounds, with seven of those coming on the defensive end. The guard used her smarts in getting to the right position to get first hands on the ball, and not allowing the Lions to generate second-chance opportunities to get their offence going.

The talented backcourt player was also able to inflict pain on Central Districts with her passing, getting her teammates involved with some elite playmaking. Running screen actions to perfection, Yaeger finished the match with nine dimes, showcasing her ability to keep the Tigers’ offence flowing in more ways than one.

It was a powerful performance from Yaeger, who did a fair bit of everything to be the standout in a dominant team display as she led the Tigers to a 10th win on the season.