Eagles Recap | Week 1 Finals

Featured image: @codexdesignstudio, Mark Filpo

It wasn't quite to be on the opening weekend of the NBL1 West finals for the East Perth Eagles with the women falling heartbreakingly short against the Rockingham Flames and the men not quite able to pull off a massive comeback against the Willetton Tigers.

For the second straight season both Eagles teams made the finals and the women qualified from third position to be in a qualifying final and in a frantic finish, it was the Rockingham Flames prevailing 86-84.

The men then took part in an elimination final at Willetton Basketball Stadium and the Tigers scored the game's first 10 points on the way to the eventual 96-83 against the Eagles.

Those results mean that the Eagles women are now at home this Friday night in a semi-final against the Goldfields Giants while the season is over for the men.

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WOMEN

The East Perth Eagles sent an almighty scare into the Rockingham Flames late but they were able to hold on for the 86-84 home qualifying final victory to get to remain at home now for a preliminary final.

The Flames and Eagles were locked in a battle over a top two finish through most of the regular season with Rockingham ending up second at 16-4 and East Perth third at 15-5.

They had played one another twice throughout the season with the home team winning on both occasions as well and there's every reason for them each to enter this finals series having championship aspirations.

Amy Atwell was back on the bench with the Flames after winning gold with the Australian Gangurrus at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games but didn't suit up while East Perth were at full strength aside from McKenna Dale with the former Mandurah guard, WNBL player and New Zealand representative out with a knee injury.

With a home preliminary final at stake there was a lot on the line and it was Rockingham who had the better of the start on their home floor to end up leading 23-17 by quarter-time with 10/18 shooting from the floor to the 7/17 from the Eagles.

Rockingham also had four offensive rebounds to one and then had the six-point lead with two-time MVP Teige Morrell showing the way with eight points having not even made one of the All-NBL1 West teams this season despite in many ways, having a better season than 2025.

The Flames then took control in the second quarter with a 13-0 run that saw their lead grow to 16 points and by half-time they were still on top 44-34 with the 51 per cent shooting from the floor to just 32 per cent from the Eagles.

It was a simple equation and it was that shooting percentage that was the major difference with Morrell up to 12 points at half-time for Rockingham with East Perth captain Stacey Barr also up to 12.

East Perth tried to mount a fightback in the third quarter with another 14 points from Barr but couldn’t make any real inroads and the Flames were still leading 71-58 by three quarter-time.

But then the Eagles finally started to see their shots fall in the last quarter and suddenly with just under four minutes to play when Sarah Mortensen scored, it was back to a six-point game.

Mortensen scored with a minute to play on an offensive rebound to bring it back to five before the Eagles forced Rockingham into a shot clock violation and then Mortensen scored again on the break after another turnover.

That made the margin three before Stef Berberabe managed to get to the rack to make a layup for Rockingham that proved enough to secure the eventual two-point win with Jade Williams hitting a three on the buzzer for East Perth that was too late.

Rockingham did end up shooting 46 per cent from the field to 38 from East Perth with 13/33 from the outside to 9/27 while the Eagles went 17/17 at the foul line to 7/11.

The Eagles will now host the Goldfields Giants in a semi-final on Friday night with the winner to take on the Cockburn Cougars at Wally Hagan Stadium in a preliminary final on Sunday.

Captain Stacey Barr put up 34 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals with 5/14 shooting from the outside and 11/11 at the foul line.

Sarah Mortensen also had 15 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and three assists with Sydney Wright contributing 11 points and six assists, Jade Williams 11 points, three boards and two blocks, Brooke Malone nine points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals, and Jo Odude four points and four boards.

MEN

The Willetton Tigers scored first 10 points of their elimination final but still ended up conceding that lead to the East Perth Eagles before hitting back with Taeshon Cherry putting up 29 points in the 96-83 home victory.

The seasons of both teams went on the line at Willetton Basketball Stadium on Saturday night with the Tigers having finished in fifth spot at 13-9 to earn home court advantage while the Eagles were eighth at 10-12.

Both were short of full strength as well with Willetton having lost Tim Ibukunoluwa and Bryce Johnson for the season while East Perth were without Jonah Antonio following the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

It's a fourth straight finals appearance for Willetton and third in-a-row for East Perth as well, but it was the Tigers on their home floor who started on fire racing out to a 10-0 lead after the ball was thrown up.

East Perth did manage to stem the tide and not let things get out of hand but it was still Willetton leading 20-14 by quarter-time.

The Eagles then further worked back into the contest and not only that, even briefly hit the front when Lat Mayen knocked down a three-pointer having returned from a first week of pre-season training with the Brisbane Bullets during the week.

Nick Filpo also hit a three soon after to return East Perth to the lead again but it was Willetton clinging to the 37-35 advantage by half-time even while going 0/9 from the outside.

East Perth were shooting 4/16 from downtown but the Tigers had the narrow lead with 10 points from Tom Gerovich while De'Sean Parsons had nine for East Perth and Lee Roberts seven.

Once again the Tigers worked on top in the third quarter with 10 straight points and this time it would be for good with them opening up a 61-53 lead by three quarter-time.

It was a high scoring affair from both teams in the final quarter but Willetton put up 35 points with 9/18 shooting from the field and 7/9 from downtown while East Perth still had 30 themselves on 11/19 shooting with 7/12 from the outside.

But the Tigers went on to win by 13 points and keep their season alive.

The season is now over for East Perth after a third straight finals appearance with De'Sean Parsons delivering 25 points, five rebounds, five steals and three assists on 10/17 field goal shooting.

Nick Filpo added 16 points and four assists with 4/8 shooting from the outside, Lee Roberts 14 points and two boards, David Okwera 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks, and Ioannis Dimakopoulos nine points and three boards.

Lat Mayen finished with three points, four rebounds and three assists, Bing Huang two points and an assist, Kai Kabugua two points and two rebounds, and Jermaine Malie four assists and two boards.