Eagles Recap | Round 9 Men

Image credit: Mark Filpo (@codexdesignstudio)

The fourth quarter from the East Perth Eagles men on Sunday to beat the Goldfields Giants could well be their best 10 minutes of basketball all season and could very well be what ignites their NBL1 West campaign.

The Eagles came into their first double-header weekend of the season with the chance to get two important wins, but seven quarters into it after a loss to the Perth Redbacks, and being down double-figures to the Giants, and it had certainly not gone to plan.

However, East Perth then produced a 29-14 fourth quarter on Sunday to beat the Giants and now steady their season with a 4-6 record ahead of a clash this Saturday night with the league-leading Warwick Senators at Warwick Stadium.

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EAGLES RD 9 PREVIEW | FRIDAY, SUNDAY DOUBLE

FRIDAY

The double-header weekend for the Eagles started on Friday night with an away clash to the Perth Redbacks at Belmont Oasis.

The Redbacks came into the contest having lost seven of their past eight matches, and still being without Joe Cook-Green, Jacob Formosa, Callan McDonald and 2014 East Perth championship winner Mathiang Muo.

However, right from the outset and the Redbacks did play like a team on a mission on their home floor with the Eagles forced to play catch up throughout the evening.

The Redbacks opened up a nine-point lead in the first quarter and were still on top 26-23 by quarter-time after the Eagles had gone on a 6-0 scoring run.

Perth then added another 24 points to 15 in the second quarter to be leading 50-38 at half-time and the Redbacks were still on top by 14 points heading into the fourth period.

Both teams combined for 62 points in that final quarter including East Perth scoring 32 on the back of shooting 9/18 from the floor and 11/15 at the foul line, but the Redbacks still ended up prevailing 100-88.

Jonah Antonio finished the night with 28 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals on the back of 4/11 three-point shooting for the Eagles.

Max Rice also hit 3/7 from downtown for 18 points and three assists with Lee Roberts contributing 14 points, eight rebounds and two assists.

Chier Maker added seven points, Ioannis Dimakopoulos six points, seven rebounds and three blocks, Sharif Watson five points, nine boards and two assists, Matthew Lang four points and five rebounds, Nick Filpo four points, two boards and two assists, and Lieb Yat two points.

SUNDAY

The Eagles had to shake off that disappointing loss on Friday night to prepare to play a top four opponents in the Goldfields Giants at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre on Sunday afternoon.

The Giants started their double-header weekend with a narrow loss the previous night to the Warwick Senators at Herb Graham Recreation Centre with both teams looking to respond on Sunday at Peter Campbell Basketball Arena.

It was Goldfields who got the better of the start opening up an eight-point lead in the first quarter before still leading the Eagles 24-19 by quarter-time.

The visitors pushed that advantage out to 10 points in the second term and were still on top 43-35 by half-time, and then were still leading 60-50 by three quarter-time.

That meant East Perth had their work cut out to avoid a horror weekend that could have been potentially disastrous to their aspirations this season.

However, what the Eagles did was respond to the challenge of the hole they found themselves to perhaps deliver their best quarter of the season to close out the game.

In the fourth quarter, East Perth put up 29 points to just 14 from Goldfields on the back of shooting 11/18 from the field and 4/4 at the foul line while holding the Giants to 6/15 shooting.

That saw the Eagles turn that 11-point deficit into the 79-74 victory that sees them improve to a 4-6 record on the season to be banging on the door of a position inside the top eight.

East Perth captain Lee Roberts top-scored in the eventual win with 16 points, 11 rebounds and three assists on 6/10 shooting with 4/4 at the foul line.

Matthew Lang also delivered 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists, Chier Maker 13 points, five boards and three assists, and Jonah Antonio 11 points, four rebounds and four assists.

Max Rice added eight points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals, Ioannis Dimakopoulos seven points, two boards and two assists, Sharif Watson five points, four rebounds and two assists, and Fabian Johnson four points.