The Panthers showed both dominance and resilience on the opening day of the Footlocker U14 Club Nationals, going 2–0 to set a strong foundation in Willetton.

Game 1: South Adelaide Panthers 68 def. Joondalup Wolves 51

South Adelaide established control early with balanced scoring and disciplined defense.

• Archie Darling powered through with 23 points, finishing relentlessly at the rim.

• Flynn Reid added 16, scoring efficiently in the paint and at the free throw line.

• Lucas Wakelin stretched the floor with 10 points, including two from beyond the arc.

• Darcy Fishpool (7) and Vincent Humar (7) rounded out a well-spread offensive effort.

Game 2: South Adelaide Panthers 56 def. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 55

In a nail-biter, South Adelaide edged Manly by a single point, showing composure under pressure.

• Archie Darling dominated again with 25 points, proving unstoppable in the paint.

• Flynn Reid followed with 15, continuing his consistent inside presence.

• Lucas Wakelin chipped in 6 points, including key free throws.

• Support also came from Mayson Pridham (3), Darcy Fishpool (3), Vincent Humar (2), and Max Bartlett (2).

Game 3: South Adelaide Panthers 62 def. Warragul Warriors 57

The Panthers made it three from three with a gritty win over Warragul, fuelled by contributions across the roster.

• Ethan Natt broke out with a tournament-high 16 points, attacking inside and hitting from deep.

• Archie Darling stayed steady with 15 points, adding a three and going 6/6 at the line.

• Max Hildebrandt provided a spark off the bench with 8 points, including a three and clutch free throws.

• Vincent Humar and Max Bartlett each added 6, the latter connecting from beyond the arc.

• Darcy Fishpool chipped in 5, while Jack John Gennady Bondarenko and Flynn Reid rounded out the scoring with 2 and 4 respectively.

This was a full team performance, with seven different Panthers on the scoresheet and the group showing resilience to close out another tight contest.

Team Insights

Day one highlighted South Adelaide’s offensive depth, anchored by Darling and Reid but supported by key contributions across the roster. Their ability to close tight games, especially from the free throw line, was crucial.

What’s Next

The Panthers take on the Warragul Warriors today at 3:30pm SA time, looking to extend their unbeaten run and build further momentum.