NBL1 West Recap | WA Day Round 10

The Mandurah Magic men have opened their account for the 2023 NBL1 West season with a big win over the East Perth Eagles at home on the WA Day holiday Monday on the back of their women’s team also hitting back emphatically.

Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre saw Round 10 in the NBL1 West come to an end on Monday with the Magic women beating the Eagles 95-56 before their men also prevailed 100-76.

NBL1 WEST RECAP | SUNDAY ROUND 10

NBL1 WEST RECAP | ROUND 10 SATURDAY

GARBIN'S FAIRYTALE, EMOTIONAL RETURN TO KALGOORLIE

NBL1 WEST RECAP | FRIDAY ROUND 10

WOMEN

Tudor inspires Magic to bounce back win

The Mandurah Magic responded in the best way possible to a disappointing loss on Friday night to score the emphatic 95-56 victory against the East Perth Eagles at home on Monday.

Mandurah suffered its third defeat of the season on Friday on their home floor against the on fire Rockingham Flames while East Perth also suffered a defeat to the Lakeside Lightning to lose their place in the top eight.

So it shaped as a fascinating match up on the WA Day public holiday in Mandurah and the Magic started the game strongly and by quarter-time were already leading by 14 points.

Mandurah continued to dominate the contest from there and would lead by as much as 29 points in the second quarter, then it got out to a 41-point margin in the third stanza, and finally 45 in the fourth before the Magic claimed the 39-point victory.

The win improves the Magic to a 9-3 record on the season to consolidate themselves in a top four position while the Eagles remain outside the top eight now at 5-10 having lost three in-a-row.

Kat Tudor put together another standout performance for Mandurah in her first season at the club after spending last year playing at the Cockburn Cougars.

She put up 31 points to go with three rebounds, three assists and three steals on the back of 10/17 shooting from the floor, 4/10 from three-point range and 7/8 from the free-throw line.

New import Hannah Hank also had 18 points and eight rebounds for Mandurah with Sarah Toeaina 13 points, three boards, two assists and two steals, Carly Boag eight points and six rebounds, and 354-game captain Rachel Halleen seven points, three boards and two assists.

Madison Torresin put up 13 points and four rebounds for East Perth with Sarah Allen continuing her career-best form with another 10 points on 4/7 shooting.

Sylwia Bujniak added nine points and four rebounds, and Maddie Allen four points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.

MEN

Magic breakthrough in style at home to Eagles

After some heartbreaking losses through the first 12 games of the season, the Mandurah Magic broke through for a first win of the NBL1 West season at home on Monday with the 100-76 victory against the East Perth Eagles.

The Magic suffered a 12th consecutive defeat this season going down to the Rockingham Flames on Friday night while the Eagles couldn’t back up last week’s win over Mandurah with a loss to Lakeside also on Friday night.

East Perth started the game well on Monday to lead by two at quarter-time, but Mandurah then turned on what could have been its best quarter of the season in the second stanza with 35 points to head into the interval leading 55-38.

The Magic went on with the job from there with the lead growing to as much as 25 points in the third quarter. They would go on to win by 24 to break the drought that stretched back to their last win on August 12 last year over the South West Slammers.

Mandurah might have lost all 12 games this season with Mark Utley back in charge as coach, but there were plenty of close calls especially away to the Slammers, at home to the Redbacks, away to the Lightning, and then three nail-biters in-a-row to the Tigers, Slammers and Eagles which meant Monday’s win a massive sigh of relief.

Dequan Abrom has been in a rich vein of form for Mandurah and kept that going to be instrumental in the win delivering 29 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals while shooting 11/19 from the floor, 4/10 from three-point range and 3/3 at the foul line.

Former league MVP Ray Turner had a big night too in a fascinating battle with former Grand Final MVP Lee Roberts, and produced 24 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks on 9/12 shooting.

Celneque Bobbitt II also had 23 points and six rebounds, Cousteau Kyle 10 points and three assists, and Isaac Abergut 10 points and two boards.

East Perth was still without starting guards Sebit Reath and Jerami Grace with Taylor Young stepping up once more for 22 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Jarrad Anastasio also had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Eagles, Lee Roberts 12 points and 11 boards, Noah Straatsma eight points, five rebounds and two steals.