Eagles Recap | Round 12 Men

Image credit: Mark Filpo (@codexdesignstudio)

It was a mixed Round 12 double for the East Perth Eagles men starting with a dominant 28-point win at home on Friday against the Perth Redbacks before a disappointing 15-point loss away to the Cockburn Cougars on Saturday who had been on an eight-game losing run.

The Eagles had the chance to break into the top eight with a double win weekend and they made the perfect start in that quest even in the absence of Jonah Antonio who is with the Australian Gangurrus team for the 3x3 FIBA World Cup in Mongolia.

East Perth were dominant at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre on Friday night beating the Redbacks 105-77 but then it was the Cougars winning 122-107 on Saturday at Wally Hagan Stadium.

The Eagles remain in ninth position by the end of Round 12 before another double-header in Round 13 at home to the Perry Lakes Hawks on Friday and then away to the Lakeside Lightning on Saturday.

EAGLES RD 12 PREVIEW | FRIDAY, SATURDAY DOUBLE

FILPO'S FAITH IN COVERING FOR ANTONIO ABSENCE

FRIDAY

East Perth produced their most complete performance of the season on Friday night for the 105-77 win against the Perth Redbacks at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre.

The Eagles were back at Peter Campbell Basketball Arena for the first time since beating the Goldfields Giants back on Sunday June 1 and had revenge on their mind for the loss to the Redbacks at Belmont Oasis the night before that.

With both teams on the outside of the top eight, it was a crucial game for each of them to stay in the playoff race and by quarter-time it was the Eagles leading narrowly 26-25.

It was in the second quarter when East Perth took control with 23 points while holding the Redbacks to nine on 4/13 shooting which saw the home team in control leading 49-34 by half-time.

The Eagles then put the result to bed early in the third quarter by scoring the first 13 points coming out of the break including a pair of three balls that are undefendable coming out of the hands of the 7'2 Ioannis Dimakopoulos.

That blew the East Perth advantage out to 28 points and it would grow to as much 33 during the second half before the Eagles cruised to the 28-point victory.

The Eagles knocked down 13/30 from behind the arc opposed to the 5/14 from the Redbacks while also able to force Perth into 19 turnovers and limit them to three offensive rebounds as East Perth ended up attempting 21 extra field goals in the game.

Max Rice continues to show what a lethal scorer he is the longer the season goes finishing with 34 points and five assists with 6/10 shooting from behind the three-point arc.

Chier Maker also knocked down 4/8 from deep for 23 points and three rebounds with Lee Roberts contributing 10 points, five boards and five assists, Sharif Watson eight points and eight rebounds, and Ioannis Dimakopoulos eight points, five boards, five assists and two steals.

SATURDAY

The Eagles deserved to head to Wally Hagan Stadium on Saturday night feeling good about their prospects against the Cockburn Cougars but it proved a tough outing with the home team catching fire for most of the 40 minutes to win 122-107.

The two teams couldn’t have had more contrasting form on the Friday night with the Eagles dominating at home to the Redbacks with the 28-point win while the Cougars went down to Eaton Recreation Centre and became the first team in 2025 to lose to the South West Slammers.

It was a big start from both teams with a combined 63 points in the first quarter but it was the Cougars leading 33-30 by the end of the opening 10 minutes.

Cockburn then opened up a 10-point lead during the second quarter but the Eagles did stay in touch and cut that lead for the Cougars to 60-54 by the half-time break.

After the Cougars got up eight again to start the second half, the Eagles went on an impressive 8-0 run to tie scores up, and when Chier Maker scored shortly after they were even in front.

Marker knocked down a three-pointer to put his team up four shortly after as well, and when Lee Roberts and Max Rice scored as well the Eagles did have the momentum and a five-point lead halfway through the third quarter.

However, by three quarter-time and Cockburn had pushed back out to a five-point lead of their own and then the Cougars dominated the fourth term with 37 points to 27 to score the 15-point win and snap their losing streak.

There was plenty to like from what East Perth did at the offensive end with the 107 points on 52 per cent field goal hooting and hitting 11/24 from three-point range and 28/35 at the foul line, but they just couldn’t stop the Cougars who put up 122 points.

Chier Maker had his best performance of the season with the Eagles putting up 28 points to go with five assists and four rebounds on 5/6 three-point shooting.

Max Rice added 27 points, four rebounds and four assists, Lee Roberts 25 points, 12 boards and four assists, Ioannis Dimakopoulos 12 points and two rebounds, and Nick Filpo four points, five assists, two boards and two steals.

Lieb Yat added four points and two rebounds, Fabian Johnson three points, Sharif Watson two points, two rebounds and two assists, and Kai Kabugua three points.