NBL1 West Recap | Friday Night Women's Round 1

History was made on Friday night with the first ever action in the NBL1 West competition as the 2021 Women's season got underway with wins for the Joondalup Wolves, Mandurah Magic, Cockburn Cougars and Perth Redbacks.

Following 30 years of the State Basketball League in Western Australia and then thanks to COVID-19, the West Coast Classic that took its place in 2020, the first ever NBL1 West competition under the NBL banner is now in operation throughout WA in 2021.

The first ever action in the Women's NBL1 West competition got underway on Friday night at HBF Arena with the reigning West Coast Classic champions the Joondalup Wolves making a winning start, beating the East Perth Eagles 76-55.

The Mandurah Magic also made a winning start on their home floor defeating their southern rivals the South West Slammers 100-49 at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre.

Two more relatively nearby rivals did battle in the closest contest of the opening night with the Cockburn Cougars scoring an 85-78 victory against the Rockingham Flames at Wally Hagan Stadium.

Then last up on Friday night it was the Perth Redbacks opening their life in NBL1 West in impressive fashion on the road beating the Warwick Senators 95-78 at Warwick Stadium.

The opening round of the Women's NBL1 West competition continues on Saturday with the South West Slammers hosting the Warwick Senators with the East Perth Eagles at home to the Mandurah Magic, and the Willetton Tigers facing the Lakeside Lightning at Willetton Basketball Stadium.

NBL1 WEST – 2021 WOMEN'S SEASON
ROUND 1 – FRIDAY NIGHT

JOONDALUP WOLVES 76 defeated EAST PERTH EAGLES 55

The Joondalup Wolves proved the standout team of the West Coast Classic in 2020 and there was little to suggest anything will change in NBL1 West in 2021 after their season-opening win over the East Perth Eagles on Friday night.

The Lady Wolfpack turned out the dominant force in that shortened and delayed West Coast Classic season in 2020 that still ensured some basketball action took place in WA in place of the SBL, and they were mighty impressive on their way to claiming the championship.

They have been able to keep the majority of that squad together for NBL1 West under coach Charles Nix in 2021 as well while even welcoming back captain Amy Kidner from a knee reconstruction, and they proved too strong for the Eagles on their home HBF Arena floor on Friday night.

The Wolves got on top early to start the new season and were up 27-18 by quarter-time on the back of returning captain Amy Kidner scoring the last two baskets of that opening period.

Joondalup then held East Perth to just the eight points in the second quarter and went into the half-time break in control leading 44-26 on the back of an 8-0 run.

That lead did grow out to 23 points by three quarter-time before the Wolves settled on the 21-point win to be impressive enough but there was enough to be encouraged about from an East Perth perspective at the same time.

While the Wolves still have Kayla Steindl and Isabelle Miotti to come into the line-up, Nes'eya Williams was impressive on the back of her season in the WNBL at the Perth Lynx to top-score with 17 points and six rebounds on 8/12 shooting from the floor.

Chelsea Belcher might have only shot 4/14 from the field and 1/6 from deep, but put up 16 points, three rebounds and three steals for Joondalup while Amber Land contributed 12 points and 10 boards, Amy Kidner 10 points and seven rebounds, and Georgia Denehey nine points and seven boards.

Despite the 21-point loss, there was a lot to like from the improved competitiveness from East Perth and their charge was led by 25 points, eight rebounds and three steals from Mary Teresa Goulding. She did that in just over 21 minutes of court time.

Cameron Flynn added seven points, three rebounds and two steals for the Eagles, Tahlia Fejo six points and two rebounds, and Hannah-Rose Gillis five points.

 

MANDURAH MAGIC 100 defeated SOUTH WEST SLAMMERS 49

South-west rivals Mandurah and South West are both vastly new-looking outfits in 2021 on and off the court for the NBL1 West Women's competition, and it was the Magic who got a first up win at home on Friday night.

It was always going to be fascinating to see how the Magic and Slammers were coming together for the NBL1 West competition under new coaches, and after each fielded largely youthful line-ups last year for the West Coast Classic.

Time will tell how much of a reflection Friday night at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre will be on how the season ends up unfolding, but for a start it was an impressive 51-point triumph for the Magic on their home court.

It was an especially impressive start from Mandurah who put up 26 points in the opening quarter and held the Slammers to just the seven points.

Mandurah continued to be dominant and impressive at both ends of the court in the second period. They would go on to score another 25 points and held South West to just the 14 to head into the half-time interval in control 51-21. 

That was despite the Slammers closing the half on a 6-3 run.

If the Slammers thought there would be any reprieve in the third term it wasn’t go happen with Mandurah enjoying their start to the NBL1 West season. 

The Magic put up another 29 points to 11 in the third quarter, and then it was a relatively even final term with Mandurah going on to win 100-49 to make a nice statement to start the new season that with their blend of youth and experience, they could still be around the mark in 2021.

It was an efficient shooting night from the Magic who went at 38/71 at 53.5 per cent from the field and 8/21 at 38.1 per cent from three while raking in 59 rebounds, dishing out 33 assists and forcing the Slammers into 20 turnovers.

South West would go on to shoot just 24.6 from the field and 29.6 per cent from beyond the arc.

New Magic signing Bronte Corke top-scored for Mandurah with 22 points and six assists including shooting 4/8 from three-point range while also having three rebounds and two steals.

Emma Klasztorny has returned after not being in town for the West Coast Classic and was a dominant force for the Magic with 29 points, 10 rebounds and four assists while 489-game legend Casey Mihovilovich had 11 points, six rebounds and six assists in just over 20 minutes.

Carly Boag also had 14 points, 20 rebounds and seven assists, Rachel Pettit 12 points and six boards, and Rachel Halleen eight points and four assists in a showing with plenty to like from the Magic.

Adele East top-scored for the Slammers with 17 points, three assists, three steals and three rebounds with Zaya Black adding 13 points.

 

COCKBURN COUGARS 85 defeated ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 78

The Cockburn Cougars opened their life in NBL1 West with a tight win at home over the Rockingham Flames by seven points on Friday night.

There are great expectations over the Cougars and Flames in the inaugural NBL1 West season, and while the Flames still have some key WNBL players to welcome back, there was plenty of talent out there on either side at Wally Hagan Stadium on Friday night to open the new season.

In the end it was the Cougars who came away with the 85-78 victory and it's something they will look to build on under coach, and club GM Tyrone Thwaites, while Rockingham begins life under new Tom Knowles who replaced championship winning mentor Keegan Crawford in the off-season.

Cockburn started off strongly on their home floor with new recruit Jessie Edwards opening up life at her new club well to help the Cougars to a 23-17 quarter-time advantage.

The impressive Rockingham backcourt of Tayah Burrows and Alex Ciabattoni helped the Flames worked their way back in front by midway in the second quarter, but this is a Cougars team with plenty of depth and weapons already and they steadied to be up 48-40 by half-time.

The game was still close, though, by three quarter-time with Cockburn's lead back to just four heading into the fourth after Ciabattoni knocked down a triple for the Flames after a steal and pass from Burrows as that combination kept Rockingham in the contest.

The Flames were still always just about in striking distance throughout the final term but the Cougars still held them at arm's length to hold on for the strong seven-point win to open the NBL1 West season.

The signing of Jessie Edwards always had the potential to be a significant one for the Cougars and the reality of it on Friday night was exciting as she delivered 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots in the win.

Haylee De Sousa was impressive for Cockburn too with 18 points and six assists on the back of knocking down 5/10 from three-point territory.

Molly Mathews added 16 points and six rebounds, Taylah Simmons nine points, five rebounds and five assists, and Kahlia Morgan seven points.

The WNBL backcourt of Alex Ciabattoni and Tayah Burrows is going to be exciting for Rockingham this season. 

They couldn’t quite get the Flames over the line on Friday but Ciabattoni had 32 points, three rebounds and two steals with 5/9 shooting from deep while Burrows delivered 22 points, eight boards, four assists and two steals.

Christina Boag also had 12 points and six rebounds for Rockingham, and Zoe Richards six points and eight rebounds.

 

WARWICK SENATORS 78 lost to PERTH REDBACKS 95

The Perth Redbacks opened their life in NBL1 West in exciting fashion on the road on Friday night with a 17-point win against the Warwick Senators.

There was plenty of intrigue coming into this contest if not to see how the backcourt match up of Stacey Barr and Makailah Dyer would play out. 

The pair finished one and two as leading scorer and MVP back in the 2019 SBL season with Barr with the Senators and Dyer at the South West Slammers. They had then both committed to play together in 2020 until the SBL season never eventuated. 

Barr went on to have another terrific season in the West Coast Classic while Dyer sat out a year of basketball, was focused on setting up Her Hoops AU business, and signed for the Redbacks in 2021 to return where she started her basketball career down under back in 2018.

That all set the stage for a fascinating match up on Friday at Warwick Stadium to open up NBL1 West and by the end of the evening it was Dyer and the Redbacks who had signalled their intentions of what they are capable of with the 95-78 triumph.

It was an entertaining opening quarter with the Redbacks only ending up leading 22-21 by quarter-time following a late triple for the Senators from Caitlyn Jones.

But the Redbacks began to pull away to open the second quarter coming out and scoring the opening nine points to lead 31-21 before a couple of steadying free-throws for Warwick from Stacey Barr.

The Senators were then back within four points with a triple from Mackenzie Clinch-Hoycard who has returned after gaining WNBL experience at the Perth Lynx, but a couple of buckets for Perth before half-time from Bri Bailey and Denielle Ashworth had the visitors up 44-36 at the break.

A three-point play from Makailah Dyer saw the Redbacks open up the second half strongly and their advantage soon grew to double-figures, and was out to 16 by the time Dyer hit a three ball, Ashworth hit a jumper and Dyer converted two free-throws.

The lead was as much as 18 for the Redbacks late in the third period and they held on to that advantage through the fourth and closed off the eventual 17-point win with a three ball fittingly from Dyer in the dying stages after Shenae Hartree forced the turnover.

Makailah Dyer showed just how ready she is to tear things up in 2021 for the Redbacks by marking the start of the season with 30 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals on the back of hitting 4/8 from three-point territory.

Maddie Allen was impressive inside too with another complete performance consisting of 11 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots. 

Her frontcourt partner Jess Jakens also had eight points and four rebounds on 4/5 shooting even though she fouled out frustratingly in less than 11 minutes of court time.

Bri Bailey was another to standout for the Redbacks in the backcourt with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists while nailing 3/6 from downtown with the team ending up knocking down 20/40 from beyond the three-point arc on the night.

Shenae Hartree also finished 11 points and nine rebounds for Perth and Raya Thompson two points, two rebounds, two assists and a block.

Mackenzie Clinch-Hoycard top-scored for Warwick with 21 points, three blocks and two rebounds with Stacey Barr contributing 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Chloe Forster also had 18 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Senators, and Tayla Hepburn 14 points and eight boards.