any estimates on crowd numbers / ticket sales ?

You'd have to favour Sturt after an undefeated season in the women. Forestville with the direct route through to the GF should start favourites in the men. Experience, size and talent. Wouldn’t be surprised if they take it out easier than a fortnight ago.

Crowd - 2500? With cheaper tickets it could have reached greater heights.

No more tickets available online. Is this because they are sold out and it's going to be a full stadium, or did they only release 2000 tickets for an 8000 seat stadium?

I'd suggest the later

$30 for an adult is fair, $20 for a kid, reckon kids free and pack the stadium for atmosphere, kids are free at most if not all minor round games. Think a family was $80, oh and there is some other round ball game that might lessen crowd at beginning of night too!

looking at the seating plan - they have only 3/4 of the grandstand rolled out - no Southern side seating for some reason - most ABL / ABA grand finals pre COVID the Northern and Southern bank of seats would be 8-90% full with the east west end fairly empty.

Plus you can watch on KAYO for free

Well done Bearcats on a great result.
Great result with much work behind the scenes.
Good luck in next few weeks.
Got to feel for Sturt Women after such a dominant year, but well done Norwood- got up when it counted

Great work by West buying in their team. Will be interesting to see how well they do next year without Drimic, Ollbrich and McCarron.
Back to the bottom of the table for the Bearcats next year.
And well done to Spud. He took the spot of a junior all season so he could get to 350 games.
Certainly helps the development of the juniors by him filling that hole that one of them could have had.


Speaking of buying players, Norwood started the year off pretty bad, and then started spending the cash.

Guess it's a case of who can buy the best.

And finally sturt women. My oh my, you choked again.
Tim Short is the Mark Willams of the late 90s early 2000s before 2004.
Somebody call an ambulance, we have some choking happening!!!!

What a pleasant human being

Finally I agree with Sebastian. What an absolute moron of a post by Denny Crane.

You got the chip off your shoulder yet Denny?

Great win by the Norwood Flames led fantastically well by Ally Wilson in ensuring Sturt Sabres suffering their first loss for 2023! Only Williams & Rigoni showed up for the Sabres with the much hyped Brazel having a mare of a game. Norwood Flames not really known for their defense but certainly cranked it up to secure a major upset over the previously undefeated Sturt Sabres in the biggest game of the YEAR!

well attended event - I'd be interested in the crowd number.

I heard 3200 although maybe a bit less for each game with some people only watching one game.

A couple of great games. Ally Wilson super impressive for Norwood overcoming an undefeated Sturt side. The Flames shot well and defended at a high level.

The mens game had plenty of twists and turns but Wests outside shooting was enough to get them the win. Lachlan Olbrich showing he's got an extremely bright future with a dominant inside-outside game. You have to wonder if he’s the best SA prospect for quite some time? Unusual to see such an offensive minded grand final but there was plenty of talent on display.

A great atmosphere last night and I think everyone in attendance would agree it was a great show.

Congratulations to both winning clubs.

shot's didn't drop for Sturt - IMO below season averages - particularly on the 3. Sturt a big injustice not taking out the title after such a good season. Records will show Norwood won and everyone will remember who won the GF. I can't find any records but I reckon they have lost their last 3-4 GFs now - well over due for a win on GF day. Norwood made some key recruiting decisions mid season and brought the talent in and got it done.

Sturt women last won in 2008 when the Bowleys and Summertons were dominant.
Lost in 2014 by 3 points to North (could have won), 2019 by 3 points (should have won) and 2022 by 7 points to West Adelaide (a stacked West womens team like the men this year) and this year by 15 to Norwood (recruited well and had Alex Wilson)
Maybe next year is their year - nearly there entire squad were U18/U20 state players and they had Mikayla Williams (a star) but lacked that second star.
Brazel is great but still very young and while they had the depth the bench was very young.
They did win the ABC (Adelaide Basketball Challenge) in 2020 in the shortened season due to COVID.

2019 loss was to Forestville

so is the benefit worth the expenditure of bigger money recruits ? does the exposure and titleholder rights benefit a club - support and everyone likes a winner and wants in = more interest and pride in the club.
Looking at Forestville's new stadium too - the future looks really bright there - extra courts, more people in the door game days = way more canteen / bar revenue. More teams get to train together = increased team spirit and connection. Benefits of being attached to Adelaide's best stadium = great promoting point for new walk ups. Any national event = will see the Forestville brand. More space for individual trainings and familiarity with Adelaide's best courts. I'm expecting Forestville to get even better - already one of Adelaide's best programs.

For a club that already seems to get plenty of players from other clubs the new courts will be an added attraction I'm guessing. The presence of BSA HP there will also be a factor. Of course this will all be at the expense of the smaller clubs and the uneven competitions will get even more lopsided, particularly for the girls

I don't think winning an NBL1 title adds much value to a junior program.

Also a new stadium doesn't add that much value as most clubs have new stadiums or revamps anyway. Stadium proximity will always be the main draw card, as parents have limited time and money as cost of living goes up so this will be even stronger than before.

+ you mentioned more money from canteen/bar however I would imagine Eagles would have to pay more for court hire than they are currently paying at schools so that could be less money overall. Where they will get money is if they are able run a large domestic competition. Also I don't think it will necessarily mean they will get better (unless their domestic program takes off). They got lucky with North players and a few other clubs players coming across so I think in the future they will stay the same in the boys.

The new State Basketball Centre SBC) at the showgrounds will not be a "Forestville centre"
They will not control signage and sponsors - it is the BSA SBC with the financial and operational benefits being shared by all clubs.
The main benefit Forestville will get is the ability to have their own domestic competition like most of the other clubs.
Having said all of the above - yes, there will be intangible benefits for Forestville being at the SBC (but also some negatives in terms of access and scheduling)
Only time will tell regards Forestville but I am sure all the SA basketball community is delighted we have this new facility.
(and no I don't work for BSA)

I know it's not a Forestville stadium but there will be a perception that it is. And yes some clubs have nice new stadiums but Southern, West and Sturt, even South (Mitchell Park is terrible) would I'm sure like some better facilities

Also for the whole state it would be nice to have a State Basketball Centre that doesn't have to shut for a month while the show is on

Forestville got more than lucky with a few North players, were a few boys from other clubs. More to come this next season too in the girls and boys

Southern and West have revamped stadiums. Pasadena is fine. Why do you say Mitchell Park is terrible? Other than the fact it only has 2 courts it is a quality stadium. The reality is at the end of the day juniors aren't that pedantic.

Port Adelaide is revamped but still really old facilities, Southern is hardly revamped? Not really in the same class overall as Lights, Arc, SBC etc. Not to mention air-conditioned so can play when it's hot

Mitchell Par, players I've spoken to don't like playing there, so perhaps they are pedantic. Flooring is hard and slippery, same as St Clair.

Will West & Norwood have all players available for this weekend?
Any idea about interstate champion teams?

Most NBL players are not attending I've been told. Definitely no Sobey or Gallaways for Ipswich

Good to see Nyberg buy another win. Another notch on his resume. What are your thoughts on him trying to get an assistance NBL coach assignment? I bet he was upset when Ninnis was given the job at the 36ers.

At the end of the day Bearcats overall played better. Definitely not out coached cause Bearcats players are pretty much directed to go out and do your thing and that's what they did.

Norwood - well what can you say about Wilson - she's a gun and a major team leader. Overall the Flames played a ripper of a game. Something was off with the Sturt girls. Not sure what but they just weren't in sync.

Nationals is just a joke - after a long season and winning their own conference - who wants to play and potentially risk getting hurt. NBL teams won't let their players play. What's the point of having NBL players and win the finals and then not play Nationals if you're going to have them.

Bearcats had no chance without Drmic, McCarron and Olbrich. They got belted.

Norwood - when Wilson can drop 45 points in the first game and they still lose - I would put it just down to fatigue.

I thought Olbrich and McCarron played well in the men's grand final, however DeSantis was to dark horse and provided some killer shots to stab Forestville in the heart and close the game out. The kid can play, and probably deserves more credit.