NBL1 West Recap | Friday Women's Round 16

The remarkable charge into the playoffs of the NBL1 West Women's Division continues for the Mandurah Magic and East Perth Eagles on Friday night while the Perth Redbacks scored an important win too.

The Lady Eagles continue to be the fairytale story of the NBL1 West season and they made it seven wins in-a-row on Friday night while the Magic maintained their dramatic turnaround and the Redbacks kept their top four prospects alive.

Round 16 in the NBL1 West Women's Division got underway on Thursday night at Warwick Stadium with the Rockingham Flames impressing with a 103-86 victory against the Warwick Senators.

That led into the three matches on Friday night, beginning with the Perth Redbacks keeping themselves in the top four hunt by beating the Kalamunda Eastern Suns 81-62 at Belmont Oasis.

Makailah Dyer put up 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists to show the way for the Redbacks while Jewel Williams top-scored with 12 points for Kalamunda.

The East Perth Eagles continued their stunning run of form to further close in on a top two position by beating the Rockingham Flames 82-69 at Herb Graham Recreation Centre.

It was a seventh consecutive win for the Lady Eagles with Mary Goulding delivering 32 points and 16 rebounds while Alex Ciabattoni had 18 points for Rockingham.

Speaking of teams in hot form, the Mandurah Magic continued their dramatic turnaround this season to make it four wins in the past five matches to beat the Lakeside Lightning 96-56 at Lakeside Recreation Centre.

Carly Boag had 20 points and 13 rebounds for Mandurah, Casey Mihovilovich 19 points and seven assists, and Emma Klasztorny 17 points and five boards. Jaime Skeggs top-scored for Lakeside with 14 points who were dearly missing Mikayla Pirini and Emma Clarke.

Round 16 in the NBL1 West Women's Division then wraps up with four more big matches on Saturday evening starting with a top-of-the-table clash between the Joondalup Wolves and Willetton Tigers at HBF Arena.

The Cockburn Cougars also take on the Lakeside Lightning at Wally Hagan Stadium while the Perry Lakes Hawks take on the East Perth Eagles at Bendat Basketball Centre, and the Kalamunda Eastern Suns play the Perth Redbacks at Ray Owen Sports Centre.

NBL1 WEST – 2021 WOMEN'S SEASON
ROUND 16 – FRIDAY NIGHT

PERTH REDBACKS 81 defeated KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 62

The Perth Redbacks and Kalamunda Eastern Suns began their Round 16 double-header at Belmont Oasis on Friday night with the home team getting off to a fast start trying to keep their top four hopes alive and playing their first game in two weeks.

The Eastern Suns had lost their previous three matches to slip from the playoff hunt, but still with Jewel Williams and Rebecca Motroni in the back court, and Sam Roscoe and Ellyce Ironmonger up front, and coached by Craig Mansfield, they could never be taken lightly.

However, the Redbacks made a flying start on their home floor with an early triple to Makailah Dyer and then three balls from Denielle Ashworth for the 9-2 opening. 

Jess Jakens and Dyer would soon put the Redbacks up 13-5, and it became a double-digit lead heading towards quarter-time when the Redbacks forced a turnover and Sarah Allen finished on the fast break.

Perth went on to lead 23-16 by quarter-time and maintained a handy edge most of the rest of the way. The Redbacks ended up scoring another 21 points to 18 in the second quarter to go into half-time leading 44-34.

It was more of the same in the second half with the Suns struggling with just eight points in the third quarter and in the end while Kalamunda never stopped trying to mount a fightback, the Redbacks cruised to the important 81-62 victory.

Despite the presence of Roscoe and Ironmonger for Kalamunda, Perth actually dominated on the glass with 52 rebounds to 38 including 16 to nine on the offensive end. The Redbacks also shot the ball at 41.8 per cent to 33.8 from the Suns while getting to the foul line 22 times to just 12.

Makailah Dyer top-scored once again for the Redbacks with 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists while Bri Bailey came up huge knocking down 4/8 from three-point land for 17 points.

Jess Jakens put in a power of work inside as well for the Redbacks with 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals on 8/12 shooting while Maddie Allen delivered three points, 14 rebounds, two steals and two blocks on top of brilliant defence on Ironmonger and Roscoe.

Denielle Ashworth added eight points, five rebounds and four assists for the Redbacks, Sarah Allen seven points and Shenae Hartree five points and five boards.

Jewel Williams top-scored for the Eastern Suns with 12 points, three assists and two rebounds with Mel Moyle adding 11 points, four rebounds and two dimes on 4/6 shooting including 2/3 from the three-point line.

Sam Roscoe finished with nine points and eight rebounds, Mia Jacobs nine points and five boards, Ellyce Ironmonger eight points and eight rebounds, and Rebecca Motroni six points and four assists.

EAST PERTH EAGLES 82 defeated ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 69

The Rockingham Flames showed some ominous signs on Thursday night but the East Perth Eagles just can't be stopped right now and handed them a 13-point defeat on Friday.

With Tayah Burrows back in the line-up and joining Alex Ciabattoni in quite the impressive back court for the Flames, they opened up Round 16 at Warwick Stadium on Thursday night with a strong win over the Warwick Senators.

But the Eagles came into Round 16 on their own six-game winning streak in what has been a remarkable resurgence after several years in the wilderness, and they were able to continue that form at home to the Flames on Friday.

With Mary Goulding continuing her dominant form for the Eagles with support from Opal Mader, the home team was able to get on top by quarter-time to lead 26-22 at Herb Graham Recreation Centre.

East Perth extended that advantage further in the second term with another 20 points to 11 to head into half-time in control 46-33.

The Lady Eagles closed the deal in the second half as well maintaining that edge to go on and win 82-69 to make it seven wins in-a-row to further close in on a top two finish while the top four hopes of the Flames took a hit with the defeat.

Ultimately the major difference between the teams on the night was the shooting. East Perth hit 33/75 at 44.0 per cent and 10/29 at 34.5 per cent from deep while the Flames managed just 22/78 at 28.2 per cent from the floor and 12/28 at 31.6 per cent from the three-point line.

Mary Goulding was in unstoppable and imposing form once again for East Perth finishing the night with 32 points, 16 rebounds, four steals and three assists on 13/27 shooting from the field.

Opal Mader had a strong showing for the Eagles too with 18 points, six rebounds and two assists with Bree Fisher adding 11 points, and Eryn Fisher eight points, five rbeounds, four assists, three blocked shots and two steals.

The Flames couldn’t quite back up their strong showing in the win over the Senators just down the road from Mirrabooka the previous night to split their weekend in Round 16.

Alex Ciabattoni top-scored once more with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists while Christina Boag had another 10 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, five steals and two blocked shots, and Tayah Burrows nine points, six boards and four assists.

LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 56 lost to MANDURAH MAGIC 96

The Mandurah Magic took full advantage of a shorthanded Lakeside Lightning on Friday but played brilliantly in their own right for a 40-point victory.

The Lightning came into the contest locked in a battle over eighth spot with the Magic with Lakeside holding a 5-9 record coming into Round 16 and Mandurah 5-8.

Despite being at home at Lakeside Recreation Centre on Friday night, though, the Lightning were missing two WNBL-calibre talents in Mikayla Pirini and Emma Clarke and it cost them dearly against a Magic team in hot form.

It was a rough start to the new season for Mandurah under new coach Vlad Alava with them losing seven of their opening nine matches to just about see their playoff hopes gone already.

However, they have since turned it around and had won three of the last four entering Friday night against Lakeside and then continued on with that momentum by really putting the Lightning to the sword.

Mandurah came out on fire despite being away from home and put up 30 points to 13 in the opening quarter. It was the exact same scoreline in the second term and as a result of those 30 points to 13, the game was virtually over as a contest by half-time.

The Magic were leading emphatically 60-26 at the half-time break and would go on to cruise to the 96-56 win that gives them four wins in their past five matches to strengthen their hold on eighth position.

The win improves Mandurah to 6-8 on the while Lakeside slips to 5-10 ahead of backing up on Saturday night away to the Cockburn Cougars.

It was as dominant a performance as you are likely to see from Mandurah with the Magic raking in 53 rebounds to 31 while shooting 52.2 per cent from the field opposed to 33.3 and forcing Lakeside into 20 turnovers.

Carly Boag was a dominant force for the Magic with 20 points, 13 rebounds and five assists while Casey Mihovilovich keeps delivering beyond her 500-game milestone with another 19 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals on hitting 5/9 from three-point range.

Emma Klasztorny added 17 points and five rebounds for Mandurah, Rachel Halleen 11 points and three boards, and older sister Bree Mullenax seven points and four rebounds in her first appearance of the season as a wife and mother now.

Jaime Skeggs stepped up to top-scored for the Lightning with 14 points and two assists while Ash Isenbarger had 11 points, four rebounds and three steals. Kyrah Daniels added nine points and four assists, and Savannah Coleman seven points and eight rebounds.