Round 13 Eagles Wrap – Women/Men

The East Perth Eagles couldn’t quite keep their winning form going on Friday night but the men did prevail against the Lakeside Lightning to make it four straight wins with a decidedly big line-up.

Both East Perth teams came into Friday night's Round 13 match ups against the Lakeside Lightning on Peter Campbell Basketball Arena at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre on three-game winning steaks.

They would end up splitting the match ups with Lakeside's women prevailing 80-74 before the East Perth men were victorious 93-80 ahead of remaining at home this coming Friday night against the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

WOMEN

The East Perth Eagles women had the chance to break into the top eight of the NBL1 West with a fourth straight win on Friday night, but it wasn’t quite to be against the Lakeside Lightning at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre.

The Eagles came into the match up at Peter Campbell Basketball Arena in their best patch of form of the season having scored last up wins against the Joondalup Wolves, Mandurah Magic and South West Slammers.

That had them knocking on the door of a top eight position and with a full squad available as well with Mary Goulding back into the line-up and Sam Lubcke taking part in her second game of the season after making her return the week before against the Slammers.

While East Perth was trying to break into the top eight, Lakeside needed a win to stay in touch for a top four position despite still being without dynamic captain Caitie Jones.

The Lightning started strongly to be leading by as much as 12 points in the opening period before going into quarter-time on top 23-16.

Lakeside were back out to a 12-point lead in the second quarter as well but East Perth hit back with an 8-0 scoring run to cut the Lightning advantage to 48-38 at half-time.

The Eagles were eventually able to go on a 10-0 scoring run as well in the second half which saw the home team grab the momentum, and the lead, when the returning Sam Lubcke hit the go ahead bucket early in the final term.

However, Lakeside responded with a three-pointer to Marnelle Garraud and the Lightning never looked back from there to end up winning by six points.

East Perth remain outside the top eight with the defeat that sees them slip to a 5-10 record on the season with Laci Hawthorne playing against her former team for the first time and having 17 points, eight rebounds and two assists.

Mary Baskerville added 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks, Bri Bailey 12 points and three assists, Tessa Morrison 11 points, five steals and three assists, and Sam Lubcke nine points, four rebounds and three assists.

Taylor Robets also finished with six points, two rebounds and two assists for the Eagles, Mary Goulding six points, four boards, three assists and two steals, and Sarah Allen had two assists.

MEN

The East Perth Eagles men went back and in the end produced another strong performance to make it four consecutive wins with the 93-80 victory to improve to fourth position in the NBL1 West.

The Eagles were not only coming into the Friday night match up having won their past three matches against the Joondalup Wolves, Mandurah Magic and South West Slammers, but nine of 11 overall to have been in a sustained strong run of form.

That had East Perth closing in on a top four spot coming into the contest with the Lightning at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre, and in the absence of soon-to-be Olympian Sunday Dech, the Eagles went big with the starting five.

It was a starting five with plenty of size with Sebit Reath, Lukas Millner, Lee Roberts and David Okwera out there with point guard Taylor Young, and they helped the Eagles to a fast start to be up still 24-18 by quarter-time.

East Perth would lead the rest of the way and by seven points at half-time, nine at three quarter-time and by as much as 13 by the final buzzer, but the Eagles certainly didn’t have it all their own way.

Lakeside had got back within three points with just three minutes to play following an and-one from Mike Adewunmi, but David Okwera responded with a bucket for the Eagles which was the start of a run of 10 straight points to close the game for the home team.

East Perth would end up winning by 13 points as a result to improve to 11-6 on the season with four straight wins with Taylor Young brilliant finishing with 24 points and six assists on 9/10 field goal shooting.

David Okwera also had 21 points and six rebounds, Lee Roberts 15 points and five boards, Sebit Reath 13 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, Sharif Watson nine points and eight boards, and Lukas Milner six points, 10 rebounds and three assists.

Nick Filpo also contributed three points and five assists while Elijah Pawson had two points in his 12 minutes of court time to continue to play an important role in the back court without Sunday Dech and Jerami Grace.