NBL1 West Recap | Sunday Women's Round 5

The East Perth Eagles were able to make it a double win weekend with Jorjah Smith and Tahlia Kelly returning to their old home floor on Sunday to help them score the win over the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

Round 5 in the NBL1 West Women's competition began back on Friday night with the East Perth Eagles defeating the Perth Redbacks 76-59 and the Rockingham Flames beating the South West Slammers 76-69.

It was then a big win to open up the Saturday evening action for the Joondalup Wolves beating the Lakeside Lightning 115-69 at HBF Arena while the Willetton Tigers stormed home to beat the Warwick Senators 81-76.

The Cockburn Cougars also kept their impressive form going beating the Mandurah Magic 105-93 while the Perry Lakes Hawks defeated the South West Slammers 102-73, and the Rockingham Flames beat the Kalamunda Eastern Suns 104-82.

That led into Sunday's clash at Ray Owen Sports Centre with the East Perth Eagles winning the thriller 71-69 against the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

That means that after five rounds of the 2022 NBL1 West Women's season, the last remaining undefeated team is the Joondalup Wolves at 5-0.

The Cockburn Cougars, Willetton Tigers and Mandurah Magic are all 4-1 while the Perry Lakes Hawks and Warwick Senators are 3-2.

The Rockingham Flames and East Perth Eagles both sit on 3-3 records while the Lakeside Lightning are 2-3 with the Perth Redbacks 2-4, the Goldfields Giants 1-3, Kalamunda Eastern Suns 1-6 and South West Slammers 0-6.

NBL1 WEST – 2022 WOMEN'S SEASON
ROUND 5 – SUNDAY

KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 69 lost to EAST PERTH EAGLES 71
The Kalamunda Eastern Suns and East Perth Eagles were both playing their second games of Round 5 when they did battle at Ray Owen Sports Centre on Sunday afternoon.

The Eastern Suns lost on Saturday night to the Rockingham Flames while the Eagles defeated the Perth Redbacks on Friday night setting up Sunday's battle up at the hill.

Precious little separated the two teams all afternoon and it felt destined to go down to the wire right from the outset.

Kalamunda led 18-15 at the end of the first quarter before then going into half-time with the narrowest of advantages at 32-31.

East Perth managed to take over the lead in the third quarter with 22 points to 17, but it was the Eastern Suns that made a break in the fourth term going up six on a Marissa Pangalos layup with just under five minutes remaining.

East Perth responded out of a timeout with the next six points to tie scores up before Lexie Bland again put Kalamunda back on top.

It was then Jorjah Smith's time to deliver for East Perth back against her original club. She nailed two three-pointers on consecutive possessions, and that proved the difference in the game with the Eagles holding on to win 71-69.

On top of hitting those two massive late threes for East Perth, Jorjah Smith delivered 20 points, five rebounds and three assists on 6/15 shooting from three-point land.

Maria Blazejewski also put up 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists for the Eagles, Kyana Weir eight points and two boards, and Kelsey DeWit seven points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

Marissa Pangalos delivered 21 points, five rebounds and three assists for Kalamunda with Lexie Bland contributing 19 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Eleanor Hartill added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Eastern Suns, Georgia Denehey nine points and three assists, and Ella Thornton-Elliott eight points, five boards and two steals.