Two-time champ wants more success with Eagles

Featured image: Mark Filpo (@codexdesignstudio)

Having almost had an NBL1 West championship snatched from her last year by Stacey Barr, Sarah Mortensen jumped at the chance to play with her at East Perth Eagles and the two-time title winner hopes to keep that run going at her new team.

Mortensen has played two seasons already in the NBL1 West and not only did she win championships both times in 2023 and 2025, but was named to the All First Team on both occasions.

Across her 44 games in those two seasons, Mortensen averaged 23.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.2 steals on the back of shooting 50 per cent from the field, 37 per cent from deep and 90 per cent at the foul line including going 61/62 in 2025.

She wouldn’t have been out of place to have won an MVP award along the way too, but the two championship and two All First Team positions show her quality, and now she joins the Eagles determined to be part of more success.

Mortensen is fresh off putting up 14.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 29 assists and 1.8 steals with Amyntas in Greece.

She also played for Denmark at the European Championships as recently as last month, and as soon as she spoke with new Eagles coach Jonelle Morley about what she wanted to build, she wanted on board.

One of those key pieces was Barr who put the shorthanded Warwick Senators on her back against Mortensen and the Cougars in last year's Grand Final so she knew she'd much rather play with her in 2026 than against her again.

"I mean, she gave me a list of players that she (Morley) wanted on this team and she was very honest about that, and we had a great first conversation," Mortensen said.

"I thought what she wanted to build here was something that I wanted to be a part of and that was pretty much it.

"Even at the first practice I was excited just to be in the gym with her (Barr) and being able to practice with her, and learn from her.

"Then hopefully she can help me grow even more as a player too and that's always a big reason why I wanted to come here and a part of this team."

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Settling in already

Mortensen arrived back in Perth early last week, was on hand for a practice session last Tuesday night, was able to join in on Thursday and then played her first game with the Eagles against the Wolves on Saturday night at Arena Joondalup.

She's now settled in nicely and couldn’t be happier with how her new club and teammates have embraced her, and instantly feels right at home.

"I feel good, the girls are great and have welcomed me really well and I'm excited to be here, and to keep building with this team," Mortensen said.

"I mean, it always takes time to find that connection with one another any time you join a new team, but we keep working and I'm super excited to be a part of this team. I feel that even this week at practice we're getting better."

Coming to NBL1 West for third season

While Mortensen has enjoyed the basketball over her past two times playing in the NBL1 West with the Cougars and that goes without saying considering she won championships both times, but coming back is more than being about just enjoying what happens on the court.

The lifestyle in Australia is something that keeps bringing her back but even more than that it's the way the community either at the Cougars or now the Eagles that fully embrace the players that instantly makes her feel right at home.

"One of the No. 1 things to come back here is because of the people and the way that they make you feel a part of the community," Mortensen said.

"Then the league itself is a super competitive league with a lot of great players here, and I think it's an amazing league to be a part of so it's easy for me to want to keep coming back."

Looking forward to facing Cougars

Mortensen already enjoyed the challenge of playing 2023 Cougars championship teammate Patty Brossmann when she was with the Perth Redbacks in 2025.

She'll get that chance again in 2026 when she arrives but she Mortensen is more looking forward to is getting to play against Cockburn and against a lot of those teammates she won at least once championship with, and two in the case of several of them.

There's no bad blood there, but that doesn’t mean the competitor in Mortensen doesn’t want to beat them and especially so if their undefeated streak that she was a big part of building is still going by the May 15 match up at Wally Hagan Stadium.

"I'm definitely looking forward to those games a lot and we've got Cockburn in a little bit over a month and I'm excited for that," Mortensen said.

"I know a lot of those girls and they are all super competitive and they were always fun to play with so now it's going to be different to play against them, and I can't wait for it. I'm a competitor and it will be fun and I'm looking forward to it."

Playing basketball all year round

Mortensen didn’t come back to Australia in 2024 to defend that NBL1 West championship at Cockburn purely because her mind and body both needed a rest, but that's been the only time she's had much of a break over the past few years now.

Straight after that 2023 championship with the Cougars, Mortensen played in both Spain and Israel/Iceland, and then before returning to Cockburn in 2025, had played in Poland with Torun.

Then straight after that 2025 Grand Final win with the Cougars at RAC Arena, she was off to Greece to play with Amyntas and in between that season, she recently also played for Denmark at the European Championship.

She has settled into a groove of playing basketball all-year round and has no doubt that is helping her get better all the time through a combination of just learning and developing, but also the pure work she's putting in.

"I love it and I can't stop playing. Greece was a great opportunity for me to play there in the best league and it was a great competition so I enjoyed that. I just keep trying to get better every day," Mortensen said.

"I think reading the game is where you get better just by the more and more that you play. Sometimes you can start reading the game better and better so that's pretty much I think what is happening with me.

"And I love to work hard and being in the gym, and keep working on those small details and the part of my game that needs improvement."

First home game

Now after playing her first game with the Eagles last Saturday night away to the Wolves, Mortensen is looking forward to a first home game on Saturday this week to commemorate Anzac Day against the Perry Lakes Hawks at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre.

That's a Hawks team featuring Bridgette Rettstatt who is fresh off 34 points and 32 rebounds in an overtime loss to the Lakeside Lightning last weekend as well so Mortensen knows it's a team that will pose plenty of threats.

"I'm super excited for the first home game and that's always fun, and I hope we get a lot of Eagles fans out here to cheer us on," Mortensen said.

"It's another challenge ahead and we're going to dial in and hopefully get back on a winning streak."