NBL1 West Recap | Women's Friday Round 6

The Lakeside Lightning and Willetton Tigers both produced impressive second half performances to record Friday night wins to start Round 6 in the NBL1 West Women's competition. 

There were the two matches on Friday night to open Round 6 of the 2022 season and both were fascinating contests.

At Herb Graham Recreation Centre, the Lakeside Lightning overcame an eight-point deficit away to the East Perth Eagles early in the third quarter to outscore their opponents 44 points to 26 the rest of the way on the way to the eventual 81-71 victory.

Caitie Jones was the star for Lakeside with 24 points and eight rebounds while Mia Jacobs added 21 points and 14 boards. Maria Blazejewski put up 26 points, eight rebounds and three assists for Eat Perth.

Then at Bendat Basketball Centre, the Perry Lakes Hawks threw down the gauntlet at home to the Willetton Tigers leading by eight points with 11 minutes on the clock.

However, the defending champions responded impressively once more to outscore the Hawks 25 points to 10 the rest of the way to end up winning 69-62.

Reigning MVP Alex Sharp delivered 17 points and 14 rebounds for Willetton and Desiree Kelley 15 points, seven boards and seven steals while Mia Satie had 16 points for Perry Lakes, Emma Clarke 14 points and 11 boards, and Sara Loomis 14 points, five rebounds and six blocks.

Round 6 in the NBL1 West Women's competition for 2022 will now continue on Saturday evening with the Joondalup Wolves hosting the South West Slammers while the Mandurah Magic take on the Kalamunda Eastern Suns, and the Perth Redbacks play the Cockburn Cougars.

The Goldfields Giants are also at home to the Warwick Senators to close out the round's action.

NBL1 WEST – 2022 WOMEN'S SEASON
ROUND 6 – FRIDAY NIGHT

EAST PERTH EAGLES 71 lost to LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 81

It was Blake Srdarev's first chance to coach against his former side and he was able to lead the Lakeside Lightning to a Friday night win over the East Perth Eagles.

Srdarev did an outstanding job with the Eagles last year helping them out of the doldrums to a top four finish and rightfully he was named Coach of the Year as a result, but in the off-season he made the move to take over the Lightning.

Friday night then presented his return visit to take on East Perth at his old home floor at Herb Graham Recreation Centre but the Eagles were full of confidence following wins against the Perth Redbacks and Kalamunda Eastern Suns last weekend.

Lakeside suffered a rough loss by 46 points to Joondalup at HBF Arena last Saturday but they were determined to bounce back on Friday at Mirrabooka to lead by a point at quarter-time.

East Perth was able to hit back in the second quarter with 23 points to 16 to go into the half-time break leading 43-37.

Lakeside took over completely in the third quarter piling on 27 points to nine points from the Eagles to turn a six-point half-time deficit into a 12-point advantage by three quarter-time.

The Lightning were able to dig in and end up winning 81-71 to improve to a 3-3 record on the season while East Perth is now 3-4.

The shooting was ultimately the difference between the two teams with the Lightning going at 44.3 per cent from the field and getting to the line was key with them going 21/28 at the charity stripe.

East Perth went 32.1 per cent from the floor and 9/35 from three-point land, but they only got to the foul line 10 times of which they made all of them.

Caitie Jones has proven to be a masterful signing for Lakeside this year to get her out of Warwick and she was huge in the Friday night win with 24 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Mia Jacobs was impressive as well for the Lightning with 21 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks, Sara Dickey 11 points and eight rebounds, and Opal Mader 11 points and two blocked shots.

Maria Blazejewski continued her superb form for East Perth with another 26 points, eight rebounds and three assists with Jorjah Smith scoring 17 points on the back of shooting 5/14 from three-point land.

Tahlia Kelly finished with nine points, nine steals, six rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots, and Kyana Weir seven points and two assists.

PERRY LAKES HAWKS 62 lost to WILLETTON TIGERS 69

The defending champion Willetton Tigers again showed their quality to fight back from a deficit much of the game to overrun the Perry Lakes Hawks for a Friday night win at Bendat Basketball Centre.

It was the first chance for championship winning coaches Simon Parker and Craig Mansfield to lock horns this season since Mansfield took over the helm at Perry Lakes.

They did battle at Bendat Basketball Centre and there was plenty of exciting talent on display including Emma Clarke, Mia Satie, Emma Gandini and Alex Sharp from the recent Perth Lynx WNBL Grand Final season.

Perry Lakes was out to make a statement of their intentions for this season now that Sara Loomis is in the line-up. She had a significant impact early too especially with her defensive presence around the rim.

The Hawks were able to lead by three points at quarter-time and then to go into the half-time break on top 39-33.

Perry Lakes still led by six at three quarter-time and the challenge was ahead of Willetton to respond, but they once again showed their quality and ability to turn the tide overpower their opposition.

Not for the first time this season, Willetton came back from trailing most of the game to dominate the last quarter with 23 points to 10 to end up winning 69-62 to improve to 5-1 on the season while the Hawks are now 3-3.

Reigning MVP and Grand Final MVP Alex Sharp finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and two steals even though she just shot 5/18 and 7/7 at the free-throw line.

Desiree Kelley also delivered 15 points, seven rebounds, seven steals, two assists and two blocked shots while Emma Gandini added 11 points and five boards, Sophie Doran eight points, and Imogen Ayliffe seven points and five rebounds.

Mia Satie finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists for Perry Lakes, Emma Clarke 14 points and 11 boards, Sara Loomis 14 points, six blocked shots and five rebounds, and Morgan Ballantyne seven points, five boards, four assists and two steals.