NBL1 Central, formerly the Premier League, is a semi-professional basketball league in South Australia, comprising both a men's and women's competition. In 2020, Basketball South Australia partnered with the National Basketball League (NBL) to bring NBL1 to South Australia. NBL1 replaced the former Premier League to create more professional pathways and opportunities for males and females playing basketball in South Australia. As a result, the Premier League became the central conference of NBL1.
History The South Australian Metropolitan Basketball Association was founded in 1936. This organisation later became known as the Basketball Association of South Australia (BASA). The sport of basketball in the state of South Australia was boosted after World War II by the influx of emigrants from Europe especially from the Baltic countries. In 2006, Basketball South Australia was formed following the dissolution of BASA.
The first official South Australian State Basketball League season took place in 1957. At the time, there was a summer season and a winter season. The winter season soon took pre-eminence and was eventually referred to as the State Championship season. During the 1990s, the league was known under sponsor names "State Bank League" and "BankSA League".
In 1998, the SA State League joined the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) as the association's Central Conference. In 1999, the CBA was restructured as the Australian Basketball Association (ABA). The ABA would not allow South Australia maintaining its competition as a "state league" and required two alterations: a name change and some representation in the competition from outside Adelaide. The competition was initially titled Central Conference of the Australian Basketball Association and later the Central Australian Basketball League (Central ABL) name was adopted and remained in place until 2014, despite the ABA folding in 2008.
The league was rebranded as Premier League in 2015.
In February 2020, Basketball South Australia and the National Basketball League (NBL) announced a new partnership to bring NBL1 to South Australia, with the Premier League being renamed NBL1 Central and becoming the central conference of the NBL1. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was cancelled. The NBL1 Central debuted in the 2021 season.
Current clubs ClubCityStateArenaJoined NBL1 CentralCentral Districts LionsAdelaide South AustraliaSTARplex2020Eastern MavericksMount Barker South AustraliaSt Francis de Sales Community Sports Centre2020Forestville EaglesAdelaide South AustraliaState Basketball Centre2020North Adelaide RocketsAdelaide South AustraliaThe Lights Community and Sports Centre2020Norwood FlamesAdelaide South AustraliaThe ARC2020South Adelaide PanthersAdelaide South AustraliaMarion Basketball Stadium2020Southern TigersAdelaide South AustraliaMorphett Vale Stadium2020Sturt SabresAdelaide South AustraliaSpringbank Secondary College2020West Adelaide BearcatsAdelaide South AustraliaPort Adelaide Recreation Centre2020Woodville WarriorsAdelaide South AustraliaSt Clair Recreation Centre2020
Season by Season Results +YearLeagueChampionsResultRunner UpsGrand Final MVPMinor Premier2026WomenSturt Sabres76-70West Adelaide BearcatsNicola Mathews - Sturt SabresWest Adelaide BearcatsMenForestville Eagles77-58South Adelaide PanthersAlex Starling - Forestville EaglesForestville Eagles2025WomenWoodville Warriors73-65Sturt SabresLaura Erikstrup - Woodville WarriorsForestville EaglesMen West Adelaide Bearcats83-73Central District LionsCameron Huefner - West Adelaide BearcatsForestville Eagles2024WomenCentral District Lions79-67Forestville EaglesTaylah Levy - Central District LionsSturt SabresMen Forestville Eagles92-90South Adelaide PanthersGreg Mays - Forestville EaglesSouth Adelaide Panthers2023WomenNorwood Flames80-65Sturt SabresAlex Wilson - Norwood FlamesSturt SabresMen West Adelaide Bearcats106-95Forestville EaglesLachlan Olbrich - West Adelaide BearcatsWest Adelaide Bearcats2022WomenWest Adelaide Bearcats82-75Sturt SabresMadelynn Utti - West Adelaide BearcatsWest Adelaide BearcatsMen South Adelaide Panthers88-58Woodville WarriorsAlex Starling - South Adelaide PanthersWoodville Warriors2021WomenSouthern Tigers87-77North Adelaide RocketsTeige Morrel - Southern TigersSouthern TigersMen North Adelaide Rockets87-72Norwood FlamesSunday Dech - North Adelaide RocketsSturt Sabres
League Awards +YearLeagueLorraine Eiler (Halls) and Wollacott MedalistLeague MVPBest Defensive PlayerAll Star 5Coach of the YearMerv Harris and Frank Angrove Medalist2026WomenCali Clark - Norwood FlamesTayla Brazel - Sturt SabresChloe Hodges - West Adelaide BearcatsAllysyn Becki - Norwood Flames Morgan Yaeger - West Adelaide Bearcats Tayla Brazel - Sturt Sabres Chloe Hodges - West Adelaide Bearcats Cali Clark - Norwood FlamesMatthew Clarke - West Adelaide BearcatsTayla Brazel - Sturt SabresMenJeremy Smith - South Adelaide PanthersJeremy Smith - South Adelaide PanthersAlex Starling - Forestville EaglesJordan Forbes - Forestville Eagles Jeremy Smith - South Adelaide Panthers Lloyd McVeigh - South Adelaide Panthers Thomas Kurowski - Norwood Flames Daniel Johnson - Forestville EaglesJakob Dorricott - Sturt SabresOskar Jones - North Adelaide Rockets2025WomenOlivia Levicki - West Adelaide BearcatsJasmin Fejo - Woodville WarriorsJasmin Fejo - Woodville WarriorsJasmin Fejo - Woodville Warriors Jordyn Freer - North Adelaide Rockets Samantha Simons - Forestville Eagles Ke'Shunan James - Norwood Flames Olivia Levicki - West Adelaide BearcatsMark Billington - West Adelaide BearcatsKeira Gardiner - South Adelaide PanthersMen Keanu Rasmussen - West Adelaide BearcatsKeanu Rasmussen - West Adelaide BearcatsJoe Jackson - Woodville WarriorsKeanu Rasmussen - West Adelaide Bearcats Sharif Black - Sturt Sabres Christian Brandon - South Adelaide Panthers Daniel Johnson - Forestville Eagles Efemena Abogidi - Central District LionsRupert Sapwell - Central District LionsKeanu Rasmussen - West Adelaide Bearcats2024Women Casey Samuels - Central District LionsBrittany Hodges - South Adelaide PanthersZoe Walker-Roberts - Sturt SabresTaylah Levy - Central District Lions Brooke Basham - North Adelaide Rockets Casey Samuels - Central District Lions Madison Freer - Forestville Eagles Brittany Hodges - South Adelaide PanthersTim Shortt - Sturt SabresMadison Freer - Forestville EaglesMenAlex Starling - South Adelaide PanthersAlex Starling - South Adelaide PanthersAlex Starling - South Adelaide PanthersJordan Forbes - Sturt Sabres Branden Jenkins - Central District Lions Jacob Rigoni - Sturt Sabres Alex Starling - South Adelaide Panthers Greg Mays - Forestville EaglesPaul Rigoni - Sturt SabresAkoldah Gak - West Adelaide Bearcats2023Women Mikayla Williams - Sturt SabresBrooke Basham - North Adelaide RocketsTayla Brazel - Sturt SabresMorgan Yaeger - Southern Tigers Brooke Basham - North Adelaide Rockets Alex Wilson - Norwood Flames Mollie McKendrick - Southern Tigers Mikayla Williams - Sturt SabresTim Shortt - Sturt SabresMadison Freer - Forestville EaglesMenJawan Stepney - Woodville WarriorsJordan Forbes - Sturt SabresAlex Starling - South Adelaide PanthersJordan Forbes - Sturt Sabres Branden Jenkins - Central District Lions Anthony Drmic - West Adelaide Bearcats Alex Starling - South Adelaide Panthers Lachlan Olbrich - West Adelaide BearcatsPaul Rigoni - Sturt SabresLachlan Olbrich - West Adelaide Bearcats2022Women Mikayla Williams - Sturt SabresSam Simons - Forestville EaglesAlex Starling - South Adelaide PanthersJasmin Fejo - West Adelaide Bearcats Brooke Basham - Norwood Flames Alex Wilson - Norwood Flames Sam Simons - Forestville Eagles Mikayla Williams - Sturt SabresTim Shortt - Sturt SabresSam Simons - Forestville EaglesMenJeremy Smith - South Adelaide PanthersJeremy Smith - South Adelaide PanthersJasmine Simmons - West Adelaide BearcatsAdam Doyle - Forestville Eagles Jeremy Smith - South Adelaide Panthers David Humphries - Central District Lions Jack Purchase - Forestville Eagles Lachlan Olbrich - Southern TigersScott Whitmore - Woodville WarriorsLachlan Olbrich - Southern Tigers2021Women Teige Morrell - Southern TigersTeige Morrell - Southern TigersJess Good - North Adelaide RocketsTeige Morrell - Southern Tigers Morgan Yaegar - Southern Tigers Alex Wilson - Norwood Flames Sam Simons - Forestville Eagles Olivia Thompson - South Adelaide PanthersMatthew Clarke - Southern TigersSam Simons - Forestville EaglesMenCJ Turnage - Norwood FlamesCJ Turnage - Norwood FlamesCameron Coleman - Southern TigersCJ Turnage - Norwood Flames Sam Daly - Sturt Sabres Michael Harris - Forestville Eagles Cameron Coleman - Southern Tigers Greg Mays - Forestville EaglesPaul Rigoni - Sturt SabresMichael Harris - Forestville Eagles
List of champions
TeamTotal TitlesMen'sWomen'sNotesTitlesWinning seasonsTitlesWinning seasonsNorth Adelaide Rockets2761957, 1958, 1959, 1983, 2007, 2021211957, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1998, 2004, 2014, 2018Won both inaugural titles in 1957.West Adelaide Bearcats25171967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1988, 1994, 1996, 2017, 2023, 202581968, 1980, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1993, 2007, 2022West Torrens / Forestville Eagles19101974, 1990, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019, 2024, 202691972, 1973, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2019Norwood Flames1341999, 2008, 2009, 201591995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023South Adelaide Panthers12111963, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1973, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 202211958Glenelg / Noarlunga City Tigers1151976, 1977, 1992, 1993, 199861978, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1996Sturt Sabres1151985, 1986, 2001, 2002, 201061974, 1981, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2026Vikings4041959, 1960, 1962, 1963Woodville Warriors432000, 2005, 201412025Southern Tigers422016, 201822017, 2021A.S.K. (Adelaide Giants)221960, 19640Budapest221961, 19620Central Districts Lions21198412024Adelaide1011966Eastern Mavericks1120040
References
External links
2015 Premier League 2015 Premier League Media Guide Premier League awards history (to 2019) "The Renaming of the Halls Medal to the Lorraine Eiler Medal" at nbl1.com.au "Mitsubishi Motors NBL1 Central Grand Finals return to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre in 2026" at nbl1.com.au