Round 16 Spotlight | Fast Redbacks start sets up win v Suns

The Perth Redbacks got the win they needed over the Kalamunda Eastern Suns on Friday night but coach CJ Jackson wants to see a better performance in the return encounter on Saturday.

The Redbacks and Eastern Suns are scheduled to face off with each other twice in Round 16 of the NBL1 West Men's Division and it got underway on Friday night at Belmont Oasis.

While the Redbacks have just about locked in a playoff berth and continue to be fighting to break into the top four and the Eastern Suns are out of the finals race, that didn’t mean anything would be guaranteed coming into Friday night's encounter.

However, the Redbacks got off to a fast start and were able to maintain that advantage the rest of the way even though the Eastern Suns continued to battle on the back of another standout performance from newly arrived guard Joe Cook-Green.

But the Redbacks had a few too many weapons and with ex-Sun Louis Timms having a good night, it was the Redbacks who came away with the 100-89 victory.

The Redbacks were high on motivation to keep their top four prospects in the NBL1 West Men's Division alive on the back of a shock loss on the buzzer in Geraldton against the Buccs last Saturday night.

The Redbacks are taking on the Eastern Suns twice in 24 hours this weekend and even with Kalamunda out of the playoff race, they were still going to need to play well with the wins they craved.

For the first time the Eastern Suns had their new Kiwi guard Joe Cook-Green to play alongside import big Chris Johnson as well to help their cause against a Redbacks team welcoming back Marshall Nelson who continues to battle a hand complaint.

Spurred on by the loss in Geraldton, the Redbacks came out on fire against the Suns scoring the game's opening seven points with five of those coming from Louis Timms in his first time playing in red against Kalamunda.

Marshall Nelson then hit four quick points to help the Redbacks out to an 11-3 edge, and then heading towards quarter-time the home really blew things out. 

When Denzel Jackson came on and scored, it was a 29-13 edge and really for most of the rest of the game the lead for the Redbacks was somewhere around that mark.

The Eastern Suns did take some momentum into quarter-time after import Chris Johnson hit a half-court prayer on the buzzer, but the Redbacks still led 29-16.

Kalamunda had come to compete, though, and it was game on at half-time with Perth only clinging to a 45-38 advantage.

It was hard work for the Redbacks through the second half and credit to the Eastern Suns for making it that way. On several occasions they threatened to build some momentum for a big fightback and it was the aggressiveness of Cook-Green at the centre of everything they did.

Even though the Redbacks did enough for the eventual 100-89 win, there was enough for the Suns to take out of it to think they could turn the result around on their home floor now on Saturday night.

The Redbacks did have a size and athletic advantage which saw them outrebound the Eastern Suns by 11, and while Perth shot well overall at 48.3 per from the field, they only went at 6/32 at 18.8 per cent from three-point range.

The Suns went at 43.8 per cent from the floor and 37.5 from deep, but it was Cook-Green getting to the foul line 12 times and then the entire team getting there 28 times to just 11 from the Redbacks that helped keep Kalamunda in it.

Louis Timms enjoyed things in his first appearance for the Redbacks against the Eastern Suns ending the night with 27 points, 10 rebounds and three assists despite going 1/8 from three-point range.

Marshall Nelson also only went 1/7 from deep with his lone make coming as a steadying basket late with him returning for the Redbacks with 22 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Tevin Jackson also put up 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the team in red, Zac Gattorna 16 points and 11 boards, Joel Wagner nine points and eight assists, and Kyden Edman seven points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Joe Cook-Green only arrived from New Zealand last Wednesday to join the Eastern Suns, but in his third game he was extremely impressive especially with his aggressiveness to attack the basket.

The Kiwi guard delivered 35 points, four assists and three rebounds while shooting 12/19 from the field, 4/5 from three-point range and 7/12 at the foul line.

Jermaine Malie impressed too for the Suns with 20 points and eight rebounds with Cooper Lowe contributing 12 points and three boards, and returning import Chris Johnson 10 points and nine rebounds after a forced two weeks in quarantine.

Looking back on the game and Redbacks coach CJ Jackson was thankful for the first quarter performance from his team which gave them the edge they were able to keep throughout the evening.

"I think it was that buffer that we started with that probably helped us control the pace of the game for most of the game," Jackson said.

"I do feel that we got away from doing some of the things we did in the first quarter that had we continued to do I feel we really would have had a better outcome as far as a more impressive win. 

"It was a pretty good win but I do feel like if we were to play at our maximum potential and to do that for four quarters that we are probably 20 points better than them."

The two teams now do it all again at Ray Owen Sports Centre on Saturday night and Jackson is expecting a better all-round performance from the Redbacks.

"I think one of the things that I feel like we need to make adjustments on is that I think we need to find a way to get more fast break points," Jackson said.

"I really do think that the fast break points that we created in the first quarter were the ones that got us going and held us in good stead. 

"We got away from creating those and I think that's an adjustment that we need to make. We need to run harder in the lanes and try to create more easier shots because once the hole dries up, we need to find another way to get some points and that's where I think it will come from."

NBL1 WEST MEN'S DIVISION 2021
ROUND 16

THURSDAY
Warwick Senators 86 lost to Rockingham Flames 88

FRIDAY
Perth Redbacks 100 defeated Kalamunda Eastern Suns 89
East Perth Eagles 66 lost to Rockingham Flames 77
Lakeside Lightning 78 lost to Mandurah Magic 94

SATURDAY
Geraldton Buccaneers v Warwick Senators – Active West Stadium 7pm
Goldfields Giants v South West Slammers – Niels Hansen Basketball Stadium 7pm
Joondalup Wolves v Willetton Tigers – HBF Arena 7pm
Cockburn Cougars v Lakeside Lightning – Wally Hagan Stadium 7pm
Perry Lakes Hawks v East Perth Eagles – Bendat Basketball Centre 8pm
Kalamunda Eastern Suns v Perth Redbacks – Ray Owen Sports Centre 8.30pm