Friday night is alright as Redbacks take double victory over the Eagles at home

It was a Friday night to savour for the Perth Redbacks at Belmont Oasis with both the Women and Men tasting NBL1 West victory at home for the first time.

After falling to Perry Lakes in their first ever home NBL1 fixture, the Perth Redbacks returned to Belmont Oasis last Friday night looking to make amends against the East Perth Eagles. And amends were definitely made with the Women's team winning 82-71 before the Men's team closed the night with a 79-65 triumph.

Things got underway with the Women's clash and East Perth arrived at Belmont Oasis having won two of their opening three games and thus signalling they would be a vastly improved team in 2021.

It was the Redbacks who made the early break, however, going up 10-3 after four minutes with Maddie Allen and Makailah Dyer impressing early.

Tahlia Fejo responded for East Perth with a triple but Dyer immediately hit back with a three of her own and then Sarah Allen did the same to give the Redbacks a 16-6 edge. This became a 26-17 advantage by quarter-time.

The margin stayed around that mark for most of the second quarter until Dyer again hit deep to see Perth's lead grow to 13 points, which soon became 15 thanks to Jess Jakens.

When Ella Thornton-Elliott closed the half with a buzzer-beating three, Redbacks were on top 48-31.

It was a three-point fest to open the second half with Mary Goulding and Fejo connecting for East Perth, and Dyer for Perth all in the opening minute.

The Redbacks were on fire and two more three balls from Hartree and Bri Bailey saw the lead get out to 24 points shortly before three quarter-time.

East Perth kept fighting but couldn’t get closer than nine points in the final term with the Redbacks running out 11-point winners.

Makailah Dyer once again top-scored for the Redbacks with 19 points, five rebounds and three assists while hitting 3/4 from three-point territory.

Maddie Allen had a huge game consisting of 10 points, 18 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots while Shenae Hartree had 16 points, Jess Jakens 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and Raya Thompson 12 points and five assists.

Then the Redbacks Men hit the court hunting their first victory in the NBL1 West competition having lost their first couple of games in NBL1 West away to the Warwick Senators and at home to the Perry Lakes Hawks.

The Redbacks got off to the perfect start in the hunt for that elusive first win by scoring the game's opening six points through Louis Timms, Zac Gattorna and Tevin Jackson before a triple from Kieran Berry got East Perth going.

But Perth continued to pull away and soon led by double-figures with three balls from Kyden Edman and Gattorna, and went into quarter-time leading 29-17.

However, the Eagles weren’t going away and they got the better of the second quarter with 18 points of their own and limiting the Redbacks to just 10. It was a frustrated Redbacks outfit who went into half-time with the narrow 39-35 lead.

But the Redbacks were able to pull away throughout the second half with 21 points to 14 in the third quarter, and 19 to 16 in the fourth to take away the 79-65 victory for their first win of the NBL1 West season and see the Eagles fall to a 1-3 record.

In the end, the fact that the Redbacks forced the Eagles into 23 turnovers and ultimately took 10 extra shots from the field and got to the free-throw line for 30 attempts to 12 were the major differences in the game.

Louis Timms tasted victory for the first time with the Redbacks having crossed over from the Eastern Suns, and he led the way with 22 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

Zac Gattorna also produced 20 points and 10 rebounds for Perth, Tevin Jackson 17 points and nine boards, Lachlan Bertram seven points and five rebounds, and Joel Wagner seven points and seven assists.

This coming weekend is the first Friday/Saturday double-header for both teams. They clash once again with the East Perth Eagles on Friday – this time at the Eagles’ home court. And then head down to Rockingham on Saturday to play the Flames.

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Article by Chris Pike for Perth Redbacks
Photos by Grant Lauterbach