New signing Starling sizzles in Panthers return

New Adelaide 36ers NBL24 signing Alex Starling returned to NBL1 Central action to immediate effect on Saturday night.

The 198cm forward returned to the South Adelaide line-up after missing the past three games with a calf injury and the Panthers snapped a two-game losing skid.

South Adelaide used a dominate 35-12 third quarter surge to power past Eastern Mavericks 95-63 at Mount Barker.

Starling was at his highlight making best, throwing down a trademark dunk in the paint, on his way to collecting 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Panthers moved to 8-3 for their 2023 campaign.

Mitch McCarron missed West Adelaide Bearcats’ 90-75 success against arch-rival Woodville Warriors at St Clair, but Fraser Roxburgh stood up big time.

Roxburgh was elevated into the starting line-up in McCarron’s absence and the swingman scored 11 points and pulled down seven rebounds as the Bearcats won their eighth match of the season.

At Springbank, Keanu Rasmussen scored five points as the Sturt Sabres continued their winning streak with an 89-78 triumph against Norwood Flames.

The Sabres won every quarter as Sturt also improved to an 8-3 win-loss record and creating a logjam at the top of the NBL1 Central standings.

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The superb season for Jason Cadee in the NBL1 North continued as the Gold Coast Rollers easily accounted for Red City Roar 86-60 on Saturday night on their Carrara home court.

Cadee poured in a game-high 22 points and dished another nine assists as the Rollers ran away with the contest after the main interval.

Kyrin Galloway missed another match due to his thumb surgery and his Ipswich Force lost 104-80 at home against the league leading Logan Thunder.

Mount Gambier Pioneers lost a fifth straight game on Saturday night, going down 77-63 to Knox Raiders on their home court at Wulanda Recreation Centre.

The Pioneers have a long injury list currently, which now includes Nick Marshall, who missed the loss to the Raiders with an ankle concern.