NBL1 West Recap | Friday Women's Round 5

There were two matches on Friday night to open Round 5 in the NBL1 West Women's competition with wins for the East Perth Eagles and Rockingham Flames.

The Eagles notched their second win of the season on their home floor on Friday night to begin the Round 5 NBL1 West Women's action while the Flames had to fight hard to overcome a strengthened South West Slammers.

The East Perth Eagles came away with the 76-59 win on Friday night against the Perth Redbacks at Herb Graham Recreation Centre.

Jorjah Smith hit seven threes on her way to 25 points for East Perth with Maria Blazejewski adding 24 points. Makailah Dyer put up 25 points for the Redbacks.

Then at Eaton Recreation Centre, the South West Slammers put up a strong fight with Tylinn Carter and Alex Ciabattoni in the line-up but the Rockingham Flames ended up prevailing 76-69.

Mehryn Kraker delivered 24 points, eight assists, six rebounds and five steals for the Flames while Carter and Ciabattoni combined for 44 points and 22 rebounds for the Slammers.

Round 5 in the NBL1 West Women's competition continues on Saturday evening with the Joondalup Wolves at home to the Lakeside Lightning with the Warwick Senators hosting the Willetton Tigers, and the Cockburn Cougars taking on the Mandurah Magic.

The Perry Lakes Hawks will also be hosting the South West Slammers with the Rockingham Flames also at home to the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

The round will then wrap on Sunday afternoon at Ray Owen Sports Centre with the Eastern Suns at home to the East Perth Eagles.

NBL1 WEST – 2022 WOMEN'S SEASON
ROUND 5 – FRIDAY NIGHT

EAST PERTH EAGLES 76 defeated PERTH REDBACKS 59

The two-pronged attack of Jorjah Smith and Maria Blazejewski helped the East Perth Eagles overcome Makailah Dyer and the Perth Redbacks on Friday night.

The Eagles were back on their home floor at Herb Graham Recreation Centre on Friday night to open Round 5 of the 2022 NBL1 West Women's season hosting a Redbacks team in a similar boat.

It's been a frustrating start to the new season for both teams under new coaches after they were both part of finals action in 2021, so there was plenty on the line when they hit the Mirrabooka floor.

The Eagles started well enough with 17 points to 14 in the opening quarter but little separated the two teams throughout the first half.

The Redbacks outscored the Eagles in the second quarter and that saw the Eagles holding only the narrowest of leads at the main break, 31-30.

East Perth was able to pull away the longer the game went, though, and scored 22 points to 14 in the third quarter, and another 23 to 15 in the fourth to come away with the 76-59 victory.

The result improves the Eagles to a 2-3 record on the season while the Redbacks slip to 2-4.

Jorjah Smit has never been shy of putting up three-point shots in her time with the Eastern Suns or Flames, and she jacked up 15 attempts on Friday night for East Perth. She knocked down seven of them on the way to 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Maria Blazejewski also had 24 points, nine rebounds, six steals and five assists with Tahlia Kelly contributing 11 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists, and point guard BJ Moyes eight points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Makailah Dyer finished the night with 25 points and four rebounds with captain Jess Jakens putting up 12 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Kayonna Lee also delivered seven points and 14 rebounds for Perth but shot 3/19 from the floor.

SOUTH WEST SLAMMERS 69 lost to ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 76

The South West Slammers put in a vastly improved performance but it was the Rockingham Flames who came away from Eaton Recreation Centre with the Friday night victory.

The Slammers have opened the 2022 season losing to the Perth Redbacks by 37 points, the Rockingham Flames by 64 points, the Cockburn Cougars by 89 points and the Willetton Tigers by 63 points.

However, they welcomed Alex Ciabattoni and Tylinn Carter into the line-up on Friday night and they made the world of difference against Rockingham.

Ciabattoni is no stranger to the Flames and she was coming up against her former team fresh off playing a key role in the WNBL Grand Final run of the Perth Lynx while Carter is freshly into the country and was ready to make an immediate impact.

Rockingham, though, was determined to make up for a shaky start to the season setting the scene for a terrific contest.

The Slammers produced their best quarter of basketball this season in the second period putting up 27 points and that had them leading Rockingham 41-37 at the major break.

South West was still leading 57-55 by three quarter-time, but the Flames were able to dig deep in the finish with another 21 points to 12 to end up winning 76-69.

Mehryn Kraker was also making her first appearance of the season with the Flames and she delivered 24 points, eight assists, six rebounds and five steals on the back of shooting 10/20 from the floor.

Taylor Ortlepp added 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and three steals for Rockingham, Patty Brossmann 14 points and nine rebounds, and Christina Boag 12 points and 10 boards.

Alex Ciabattoni produced 26 points and six rebounds for the Slammers on shooting 11/20 from the field and 4/8 from three-point land. Tylinn Carter added 18 points, 16 rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Karinda Farrant added seven points, Abbey Hall seven points, and Javene Fitch six points.