Featured image: Madeleine Clark
The Geraldton Buccaneers just continue to find a way with Robert Griechen completing a career-best NBL1 West weekend as the reigning champs beat the East Perth Eagles 97-76 on Sunday.
RECAP NBL1 WEST | ROUND 9 SATURDAY
NBL1 WEST MID-SEASON SNAPSHOT – MEN
NBL1 WEST MID-SEASON SNAPSHOT – WOMEN
RECAP NBL1 WEST | ROUND 9 FRIDAY
MEN
East Perth Eagles (76) lost to Geraldton Buccaneers (97)
The two teams came into the Sunday match up as two of the form teams of the men's competition but it was the Geraldton Buccaneers who had all the answers to complete the road double beating the East Perth Eagles 97-76.
Both teams played already in Round 9 of the NBL1 West season with the Eagles scoring a terrific road win against the Joondalup Wolves back on Friday night while the Buccaneers started their weekend road double beating the Cockburn Cougars the previous evening.
They backed up on Peter Campbell Basketball Arena at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre in the lone game on Sunday afternoon to wrap up Round 9 and there was plenty to look forward to.
East Perth came into the match having won their past four matches too to be building some ominous momentum which included being the team to end the 19-game home winning streak of the Buccaneers back on May 11.
So it was only two weeks later with the two teams locking horns once more after East Perth beat Geraldton for the first time since 2016, and despite the Buccs still missing Grand Final MVP Johny Narkle and former league MVP Josh Braun, they just keep finding a way.
The Buccs got off to a flying start to the Sunday afternoon contest with their bus awaiting them outside with 11 straight points to go up eight in the opening quarter.
East Perth were able to respond with 10 consecutive points of their own and by quarter-time the Geraldton lead was back to 22-18.
The Buccs took further control in the second quarter with another 29 points to 22 to go into the half-time break with the 51-40 advantage over East Perth.
The Buccaneers remained in control throughout the second half as well in impressive fashion with the lead growing to 17 points in the third period, and 21 in the fourth before they went on to secure the victory by that margin.
Geraldton improves to a 10-1 record on the season with the two wins this weekend and the lone loss for the reigning champions being that home defeat at the expense of East Perth a fortnight ago with Narkle and Braun still to come back into the line-up.
The balance of the Buccaneers team has to be admired with legends Aaron Ralph and Mat Wundenberg still setting the tone, Liam Hunt their heart and soul, new arrivals Nik DeSantis and Joshua Keyes have settled right in, and then the next generation led by Robert Griechen is shining.
On the back of his career-best performance the night before against Cockburn with 23 points, Griechen stepped up for another 17 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals while playing all but two minutes of the game.
Keyes also played almost 35 minutes for 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists on shooting 9/13 from the floor and 3/6 from downtown while DeSantis played over 38 minutes for 21 points and six assists.
Hunt then also delivered 11 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for Geraldton with captain Ralph having 10 points and 10 boards while knocking down another two three-pointers to take him to 1045 on his career as he chases down the 1097 of Ryan Neill.
Former captain Wundenberg produced four points, 10 rebounds and two assists in his 510th appearance with Ryan Blanchett contributing eight points.
The loss sees the winning run of East Perth end at four with the Eagles now sitting on a 6-5 record having split their two games this weekend.
Experienced NBL guard Sunday Dech finished with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Eagles with former Grand Final MVP Lee Roberts contributing 18 points, 10 boards and four assists.
Jerami Grace was back in the line-up and had 17 points on 6/8 shooting with David Okwera adding nine points and two rebounds, and Taylor Young six points, three boards and three assists.
East Perth remains at home to host the Perth Redbacks this Friday night while Geraldton returns home to play host to the Joondalup Wolves.
EAST PERTH EAGLES 76 (Dech 20, Roberts 18, Grace 17)
GERALDTON BUCCANEERS 97 (Keyes 23, DeSantis 21, Griechen 17)
