Playing at Eagles means everything to Filpo

Pulling on the East Perth Eagles uniform is always special for Nick Filpo given his family's history and connection with the new Peter Campbell Basketball Arena adding to that feeling, but ultimately it's NBL1 West wins he wants more than anything.

The Filpo family and the East Perth Eagles are synonymous with one another and it dates all the way back to Nick's grandparents, and right now their connection to the club is remarkable.

Nick, along with brother Anthony, are playing on the men's team, their dad Carl is the head coach and a former vice president, while mum Mia is a long-term servant and volunteer, and now is the new president with the Eagles.

That's quite the connection to have for one family and Nick is continuing his growth as a young guard in the league with the 23-year-old fresh off a season-high 13 points, six rebounds and two assists last Saturday night against the Willetton Tigers.

How much the club means to your family

Starting with his grandparents and now with his parents, Filpo grew up around the East Perth Eagles and with it such a significant part of his whole life.

While now playing for the club is a dream come true, it's also the lifelong family connections that they have made along the way for decades now that make him proud to be helping carry on that legacy.

"I try to make sure I don't miss a game because of how much it means to us all and you want to do everything to help us do well. It means so much to be part of it and there's a lot of pride and respect that I have pulling on that jersey every week," Filpo said.

"The club means a lot to us all. It's actually how my mum and dad met too back at the club in the days when my grandad used to run the sports centre in Malaga, and it's been instrumental in so much of our lives.

"We've got so many connections from over the years linked to our family with people from America or all over the world who have come to play with the club who my parents and grandparents have looked after.

"My grandparents even looked after Craig Jackson when he first came over so that's an amazing connection. It just means so much inside our family, but also for the people outside who have come in and seeing those connections grow generations on means everything."

Enjoying the new arena

Coming back to the redeveloped Morley Sport and Recreation Centre this year for the first since 2018 and to be playing on the newly named Peter Campbell Basketball Arena is another special moment for Filpo, his whole family and everyone connected to the Eagles.

While Mirrabooka provided a good home the last five years, Morley Sport and Recreation Centre will always be where the heart and soul of the Eagles is, and it's now a nice bonus to have the sparkly new arena for Filpo to walk into every day.

"It's special every time you walk in there now. To know what the meaning behind it is and what it means makes it mean that much more," he said.

"I knew Peter very closely and it's definitely a special feeling walking into that arena now with his name on it, and knowing all the hard work that went into it.

"I still remember the old Morley Rec days and comparing it to the new arena and set up, and it's amazing how much it has changed in six months."

Summing up the season so far

As for this season so far, the Eagles currently sit on a 2-4 record on the back of another heartbreaking loss at the buzzer last Saturday night on the road to the red hot Willetton Tigers.

East Perth has certainly played better basketball than that 2-4 record suggests with the losses at the death especially to the Perth Redbacks and the Tigers tough to take.

But what gives Filpo confidence is how well they are playing, how close they are to getting over that hump and the knowledge that once they figured things out last year, they got on a roll in the back end of the year.

He just hopes that starts earlier in 2024 so they can make a charge to the playoffs starting this Saturday night when hosting the Mandurah Magic.

"From last year as well I think when we won one game, that was all it took and we went on a winning streak," Filpo said.

"That's what we're trying to do earlier this season and we want to try to get ahead of this before it gets too out of hand like it did last year.

"It's a bit reminiscent of last year where we felt like we got the short end of the stick quite a bit in close games.

"But I feel like as a team we're definitely learning and we can definitely feel that something great is going to come from what we're doing, and we're getting better from those games.

"It is frustrating to lose those close games, but we take the lessons from that we can and we always learn from those downfalls in those moment. We always try to bounce back stronger the following week."

Getting to play with Sunday Dech

Another bonus of this season for Filpo is the chance to share the back court for the first time with 2014 championship winner Sunday Dech.

He has returned to the Eagles in 2024 and in between, has put together a championship winning 156-game career in the NBL and is now preparing to play for South Sudan at the Paris Olympic Games.

To play with someone not only of that calibre but who is also an East Perth junior and product has Filpo pinching himself every time he's out there with him.

"I love playing with Sunday. It's incredible and it's not every day you get to play with an Olympic basketball player so I'm really loving the opportunity," he said.

"He's a great leader, I'm learning so much off him and I'm really grateful for that opportunity just to be in training sessions with him. That's incredible enough but to actually be sharing court time with him in games is spectacular."

Continual improvement in back court

Along with Dech, it's quite the impressive back court that the Eagles have put together for the 2024 season with Taylor Young and Jerami Grace both back on deck as well as Dech, and Filpo is enjoying everything about being part of it.

"These are all experienced guys as well who have played not only in this league, but different places all over the world. They know what it takes to play at a high level so right now I'm just sort of acting like a sponge and absorbing as much as I can from each of them," he said.

"With every new team there's always adjustments you need to make and deal with, and accommodate for other players coming in, but once you find your groove and figure out how other guys like to play, you become a lot more comfortable with what your role is.

"Right now I'm very comfortable with my role and I think if it's going to end up helping us win games then that's even better and I'll keep doing whatever I need to do."