NBL1 West Recap | Friday Men's Round 7

The Joondalup Wolves bounced back from their loss in Kalgoorlie last week to beat the East Perth Eagles in the lone Friday night match in Round 7 of the NBL1 West Men's Division.

The Wolfpack had a mixed start to the season in the NBL1 West Men's Division having won just two of their opening four matches but one of those wins did come against East Perth at HBF Arena back in the opening round.

The two teams did battle once again on Friday night at Herb Graham Recreation Centre, and it was the Wolfpack proving too good beating the Eagles 94-61.

The result sees Joondalup improve to a 3-2 record on the season while East Perth slips to 1-6.

Round 7 of the NBL1 West Men's Division continues on Saturday night with the Geraldton Buccaneers at home to the Perry Lakes Hawks while the Goldfields Giants also remain in Kalgoorlie to play host to the Willetton Tigers.

The Mandurah Magic will also be hosting the Perth Redbacks with the Warwick Senators at home to the Lakeside Lighting with the Rockingham Flames also hosting the Cockburn Cougars and the Kalamunda Eastern Suns taking on the South West Slammers.

The round will then conclude on Tuesday night at Bendat Basketball Centre with the Perry Lakes Hawks at home to the Joondalup Wolves.

NBL1 WEST – 2021 MEN'S SEASON
ROUND 7 – FRIDAY NIGHT

EAST PERTH EAGLES 61 lost to JOONDALUP WOLVES 94

The lone Friday night fixture in Round 7 of the NBL1 West Men's Division pitted the East Perth Eagles up against the Joondalup Wolves at Herb Graham Recreation Centre.

The Eagles were back on their Mirrabooka home floor on the back of a pair of losses back in Round 6 starting at home to the Perth Redbacks on Friday night and then in a double overtime cracker down south in Eaton against the South West Slammers.

The Eagles would have been rocked to drop that game in Eaton on Saturday night as Mark Worthington's Slammers tasted victory for the first time in 2021 while the Wolfpack were also looking to bounce back from a loss in Kalgoorlie to the Goldfields Giants last Saturday night.

It was a high-scoring opening to the contest with both teams combining for 53 points in the first quarter and by quarter-time that saw the Wolfpack hold a 30-23 advantage.

The scoring dried up from both sides during the second term but Joondalup was able to push further ahead on the back of scoring 18 points to just the nine from East Perth to go into half-time leading 48-32.

The Wolfpack pushed further ahead after half-time with another 19 points to 10 in the third quarter, and the Wolves then rammed home their edge in the fourth quarter with another 27 points to 19 to come away with the eventual 94-61 victory over the Eagles.

Jonathan Wade had a huge night for the Wolfpack, indeed his best so far in the NBL1 West competition in his first season out west delivering 34 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals on the back of shooting 14/22 from the floor and 4/7 from three-point territory.

Lochlan Cumming put up 17 points and five assists as well for Joondalup with Joel Vaiangina contributing 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots, Reece Maxwell eight points and four boards, and Rob Huntington seven points and eight rebounds.

Kieran Berry continues to emerge as on the more exciting young guards in the competition with another 20 points and five rebounds for East Perth.

He didn’t quite receive enough help, though, with Matt Vinci adding six points for the Eagles, Junior Tshikele six points and three rebounds, Logan Thwaites five points and two boards, Andrej Donlagic five points and five rebounds, and Jarrad Anastasio five points, nine boards, three assists and three blocked shots.