Marshall wins NBL1 South MVP award

Adelaide 36ers swingman Nick Marshall has capped off a brilliant off-season, winning the NBL1 South MVP last Friday night.

Marshall led the Mount Gambier Pioneers to first place on the conference standings after the regular season, averaging a season-best 23.5 points per game.

The 198cm swingman also took home the NBL1 South leading scorer award, as well as being named the Conference All-Star Five.

Marshall said the MVP honour came as a bit of a shock, after his missed some games late in the season.

“This feels pretty good, it’s great to see my hard work pay off,” Marshall said.

“There are so many other good players in the league.

“This has really been a good boost into pre-season and hope to continue on into the NBL season.”

The Pioneers star, who also took out the Allan Scott Medal as club MVP earlier this month, will be back in Mount Gambier next month when the 36ers play Brisbane Bullets in an NBL pre-season game on Wednesday, September 4.

NBL25 Development Player Fiston Ipassou will be off to the Sunshine Coast this weekend after his Forestville Eagles claimed the NBL1 Central championship last Saturday night at Adelaide 36ers Arena.

The Eagles stormed home, coming back from an eight-point final quarter deficit to defeat South Adelaide Panthers 92-90.

Adelaide 36ers power forward Alex Starling was everywhere for the Panthers, scoring 24 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.

Starling scored 14 points in the opening quarter to keep his side in the contest, before South went into the half-time break with a 45-40 lead.

The game seesawed in the second half, with South Adelaide just keeping the lead before opening a 77-69 advantage with just over five minutes to play.

But Forestville were clutch down the stretch, making all the big shots to earn their place in the NBL1 National Finals, starting this Friday night when the Eagles face NBL1 South champion Eltham Wildcats.