Rasmussen enjoys being back at Sabres

New Adelaide 36ers Development Player Keanu Rasmussen loves being back home and especially playing for his junior club, Sturt Sabres.

Rasmussen, who has played his whole junior career at the Sabres, has slotted back into Sturt’s NBL1 Central men’s side after spending two seasons at California Baptist University.

The 188cm combo guard said there was no other choices than to play for the Sabres when he decided to come back to Adelaide this year.

“I’m a Sturt guy through and through, I’ve grown up playing alongside most of the guys,” Rasmussen said.

“We know how each other plays and what roles we all play, it’s a great team environment.”

Sturt are currently on a six-game winning streak and sit in joint first place in the NBL1 Central men’s standings along with Forestville Eagles and West Adelaide Bearcats with a 9-3 win-loss record.

The Sabres face the Bearcats on Saturday night at Port Adelaide Recreation Centre in arguably the match of the round.

Sturt have not lost a match since April 20, when ironically, they were thrashed by West Adelaide 99-59 on their home court at Springbank.

Recently-signed forward Alex Starling will be looking to get his South Adelaide Panthers back in the winners’ circle when the reigning NBL1 Central champions battle Forestville Eagles at Wayville Sports Centre.

The Panthers, who are coached by newly-signed Adelaide 36ers assistant coach Scott Ninnis, lost their last match 95-82 to West Adelaide Bearcats on their home court at Mitchell Park to fall to an 8-4 record.

With the top four in the standings only split by one match, Saturday night’s encounter looms as a must win for the Panthers if they want to keep in touch with the top three.

“We know what we need to do and we have got a good memory when it comes to Forestville, we owe them one,” Starling said.

South Adelaide lead the Eagles by nine points with just over six minutes left at Mitchell Park in Round Five, but Forestville stormed home late to take home a thrilling 69-68 victory.

The returning Jason Cadee will take the week off in NBL1 North as his second-placed Gold Coast Rollers have a bye.

Cadee, who won another NBL1 North Player of the Week award after his game-high 52 points against Darwin Salties last round, will be looking on as Kyrin Galloway’s Ipswich Force look to close the gap on the Rollers.

Ipswich are currently in third place, two wins behind Gold Coast, but can close the gap to just one win when they battle Cairns Marlins at JBS Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Unfortunately, Nick Marshall will miss Mount Gambier Pioneers NBL1 South road double this weekend against Ringwood Hawks and Ballarat Miners.

Marshall will miss a third week after injuring his ankle at training, but should be back in Pioneers colours next round.