Round 1 Eagles Wrap – Dech, Goulding star to open season

It might not have been a winning start for either East Perth Eagles team on Thursday night, but with plenty of troops still to arrive, there were encouraging signs especially with the performances from Mary Goulding and Sunday Dech.

The Goulding story is one of the more inspirational ones you'll ever see when only 10 months ago she was involved in a horrific accident so to be back on the court and playing so well less than a year later is remarkable.

Then Dech serves as an inspiration to every young East Perth player in the zone showing what's possible coming through the ranks as he comes back to the Eagles a genuine NBL star who is about to go to the Olympic Games.

While East Perth did lose both games at Warwick Stadium on Thursday night to open the season with the Warwick Senators winning the women's contest 96-81 and men's 97-83, there was a lot to be encouraged about for the Eagles.

WOMEN

Mary Goulding was back in inspirational fashion, Laci Hawthorne looked impressive and the signs were encouraging for the East Perth Eagles despite the first up loss to the Warwick Senators on Thursday night.

It was an Easter Thursday start to the NBL1 West season for the Eagles at Warwick Stadium up against a Senators team who has great experience and talent in the form of Nat Burton, Stacey Barr, Nicole Jorre de St Jorre and Chloe Forster under the coaching of Brad Robbins.

There's a lot to like, though, in the team East Perth has built with Craig Allen back for a second season as coach highlighted by the return of Goulding who was All-First Team in her last stint at the Eagles back in 2021.

She has been through an enormous amount since including rupturing an Achilles and playing basketball again was a long way off with a horrible accident back in New Zealand she was involved in just in May last year.

However, you wouldn’t have known she had been through anything based on how she looked on Thursday night for East Perth as part of a team including the signing of new import Laci Hawthorne along with Tessa Morrison and Sarah Allen back, and Bri Bailey and Mary Baskerville on deck.

It was Barr who set the tone in the first half with the Senators leading the Eagles 55-48 at half-time, and then outscoring East Perth 21 points to 14 in the final period on the way to the 15-point win.

Despite the final scoreline, there was a lot shown by East Perth to be built upon including the fact that Goulding was able to get out there to play more than 27 minutes with 14 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.

Hawthorne played with the Lakeside Lightning last NBL1 West season but has joined East Perth in 2024 and was impressive too on Thursday night with 16 points and nine rebounds in 29 minutes of court time.

Tessa Morrison also battled hard all evening for the Eagles as captain to finish with 15 points, four steals and three assists while Bri Bailey has made the move from the Perth Redbacks and after playing in Ireland, and hit 14 points with three triples.

Taylor Roberts showed her experience too with 12 points and two assists for the Eagles while Sarah Allen is fresh off a season at the Perth Lynx as a WNBL development player and had seven points, three assists and two rebounds.

Ella Dimanlig also completed a three-point play for her three points for the Eagles while Mary Baskerville pulled down four rebounds.

MEN

The Warwick Senators might have shown their championship credentials on Thursday night to open the NBL1 West season, but Sunday Dech starred for the East Perth Eagles with plenty of signs to like moving forward.

It was always going to be a challenging start to the season for the Eagles with them currently without Jerami Grace, Lee Roberts, Lukas Milner and David Okwera, and taking on a supremely talented Senators team was always going to be a tough.

It's a new-look Warwick team under coach Andrew Cooper with the inclusions of NBL experienced pair Michael Harris and Todd Withers as well who the Eagles faced on Thursday night.

Warwick blew the game open in the first quarter with 27 points to 14 and were never really headed going on to win by 14 points with Harris producing 42 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals fresh off his NBL season at the Perth Wildcats.

Former Adelaide 36ers import Withers was a standout too with 31 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks and some rim-rocking finishes at the rack.

However, the signs were encouraging for the Eagles especially considering the players receiving increased opportunities right now which will only hold them in good stead once Grace, Roberts, Milner and Okwera come into the line-up.

Adelaide 36ers guard Sunday Dech has returned to the club he started playing with and won a championship at back in 2014, and had 30 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals for East Perth.

Taylor Young added 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Elijah Pawson 12 points and three assists.

Sebit Reath had his work cut out but still ended up with eight points, eight rebounds and two assists for East Perth with Noah Straatsma contributing nine points, five boards and four assists, Sharif Watson seven points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks, and Michael Clare two points and two rebounds.