NBL1 Round 5 Preview – Redbacks looking for bounce back wins vs Eagles

The Perth Redbacks are back to Belmont Oasis tonight for Round 5 NBL1 West action with both the Women's and Men's teams looking to taste victory for the first time on their home floor.

For the second straight week in the inaugural NBL1 West season, the Redbacks will be playing at home at Belmont Oasis and this time it's the first set of Friday night fixtures with the Women's clash beginning at 6.30pm and the Men's contest to follow at 8.30pm.

The opponents for the Perth Redbacks will be the East Perth Eagles and both matches should be fascinating in their own rights.

The Redbacks will be looking to bounce back in the Women's clash following a loss last Saturday night also at home to the Perry Lakes Hawks while the Eagles are the great improvers so far and have won their last two match ups.

Then there is the Men's clash with the Redbacks still hunting that elusive first win in the NBL1 West competition while the Eagles are coming off their own heavy loss against the Lakeside Lightning last Saturday night.

All in all, it shapes as an interesting evening of basketball action.

Starting with the Women's contest, both the Redbacks and Eagles have shown they are capable of impressive basketball so far this season and it should be a tremendous contest.

The Redbacks opened the season back in Round 1 with a win against the Warwick Senators at Warwick Stadium before going down to the Perry Lakes Hawks by four points last Saturday night at Belmont.

Meanwhile, the Eagles have shown rapid improvement after several years in the doldrums and after a Round 1 loss to the Joondalup Wolves, East Perth backed it up with a win over the Mandurah Magic and then defeated the Lakeside Lightning last Saturday evening.

The Redbacks went ever so close to remaining unbeaten this season before the narrow four-point loss to the Hawks last Saturday. But there was a lot to like about the performance with Makailah Dyer again leading the way with 23 points and six assists.

Jess Jakens also had 19 points and 13 rebounds, Raya Thompson 12 points and three steals, Sarah Allen seven points and two assists, and Maddie Allen four points and 11 rebounds.

So there was plenty to be encouraged about with the performance from the Redbacks and they will be hoping a similar showing this Friday night will be enough to bring about the victory against East Perth.

Things won't be easy against the Eagles though. They might have had their struggles in recent years but this team of 2021 appears vastly different and they already have two wins on the board to highlight that.

Just looking at their win over the Lightning last Saturday, there was a lot to like about what East Perth produced led by 26 points from Mary Goulding, 17 from Opal Mader and 14 from Tahlia Fejo.

That then leads into the Men's match up where the Redbacks will be hungry to open their account with a first win in the NBL1 competition.

After a first up loss on the road to the Warwick Senators, the Redbacks also lost at home last Saturday night to the Perry Lakes Hawks by 45 points.

Louis Timms had 15 points and six rebounds, Joel Wagner 12 points and four boards, and Zac Gattorna nine points and five rebounds, but the Redbacks will need plenty more if they want to taste victory on Saturday night against the Eagles.

East Perth started its season in Round 1 with a loss to the Wolfpack and win over the Mandurah Magic before last Saturday night, the Eagles were hammered by the Lakeside Lightning to the tune of 61 points.

So with the Redbacks coming off a 45-point loss and the Eagles having lost last up by 61, one of them is going to be able to bounce back with an important win at Belmont Oasis on Friday night.

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Game preview by Chris Pike for Perth Redbacks