12-1 Girls – Olivia Weddikara (sponsored by Visa4You Migration Agency)
Lost against Wolves 25-57
Coach comments
- Definitely one of our best games we have played as a team. Our 5-out offence was really coming together, and the girls were actively looking for the open player.
- Our defence was also improved this week, and we communicated a lot better, which resulted in positive outcomes during the game.
- Lilah Ratajewski was given a couple of tasks today and completed them all with 100% effort. Her speed and IQ as a guard really showed today.
- Amelia Smith’s speed and desire for the ball were amazing today and really showed in her defence.
- Niyala Sakala is growing in confidence each week, learning to use her height and strength to her advantage. Really proud of her!
12-2 Girls – Dave Power (sponsored by RocketDNA)
Won against Wolves 22-20
Coach comments
- After a good start, leading 14-5 in the first quarter, we struggled over the next three quarters to convert good opportunities and at times turned the ball over, which made it hard to break free.
- After Joondalup clawed their way back, we had possession with 10 seconds on the clock. Out of our time out, the girls executed a final play with poise and we got a clean look at the rim taking away a hard fought win in Joondalup.
- Alannah Murphy made some good plays, providing stability in the middle third, contesting shots and grabbing rebounds.
- India Mascurine has really taken hold of her role adjustment, playing quality minutes with high energy, defensive steals, and making shots on balance.
- Narayana Daley, made big plays when we needed it. Narayana is developing as a true point guard with 2 crucial assists for a go ahead score in transition and the final play of the game driving, drawing defenders, finding Claire and clearing space for Claire’s shot with a shallow cut. Mature play in a clutch moment.
12-3 Girls – Paul Philpott (sponsored byInternational Commissioning Solutions Group Pty Ltd)
Won against Suns 28-50
Coach comments
- Whoop whoop! Another splendid day in the Redbacks neighbourhood from our Redbacks Stars.
- A well fought game with clear on court fatigue, but with three players down our girls pulled something special from their reserves. While the Suns appeared an unlikely threat, they were fierce in defence, producing incredible pressure. However, without pressure there are no diamonds, and today was a diamond level performance.
- Today Champions were made both on the court and in the heart with stellar performances from Ava Horsten who through excellent positioning and creating space seemed to always have the ball, and dropped a couple of dimes.
- Matilda Marsland also continued to create her own space proving highly beneficial in our offensive areas.
- Tliyah Gordon was rebounding like a vacuum today with a massive 18 points.
- Shanaya Siva burst frequently out from our defensive end to create many transitions to our scoring end.
12-4 Girls – Indiana Ballantine (sponsored by Bruining Partners and John Hughes Ford)
Lost against Eagles 6-65
Coach comments
- Round 7 was a tough game against the East Perth Eagles, who are currently second on the ladder and still undefeated. Even though we were up against a strong team, our girls showed great resilience, never giving up and always putting in their best effort.
- The game was played at a much faster pace than we’re used to, but the girls adapted really well and stepped up when it counted. Their defensive pressure was outstanding and they worked hard to stay in the contest the whole game.
- It was a challenging match for us with only three subs available, and a few minor injuries during the game meant some players needed time off the court. Despite having limited rotations, the girls kept working hard and never let their effort drop.
- The Eagles played a fairly physical game, but our girls showed fantastic sportsmanship throughout. They stayed focused on playing their own game and didn’t let the physicality affect the way they played.
- Molly stepped up this round, getting miss matched against a girl almost twice her size. She consistently showed her strength when boxing out in the keyway.
- Sophie took on advice well and consistently demonstrated what was asked, once again she worked hard on defence, hustling to pick up the open players and pressuring them into turnovers.
- Despite being injured, Eva still brought her cheerfulness and energy to the game. She was always checking on her teammates if they got injured and giving out high fives.
12-1 Boys – Wayne Dropulich (sponsored by SLS Advisory)
Lost against Wolves 44-77
Coach comments
- This was a challenging game against a strong Joondalup Wolves side. The first quarter was difficult as the Wolves came out with great intensity and shot the ball extremely well. We struggled to contain their transition game and outside shooting.
- Despite the pressure, our group continued to compete, with Cayden Wedge and Alex Litas finding ways to score and keep us working our way back into the contest.
- The second quarter was much more competitive. Defensively we improved our effort and physicality. Baxter Miles, Hudson McClintock and Gus Rafferty all made important contributions as we worked hard to stay connected as a team.
- In the third quarter we had some strong moments, highlighted by a big three-pointer from Alex and some solid inside work from Baxter.
- The final quarter showed the character of this group. The boys continued to compete right until the final buzzer. Alex knocked down another three-pointer, Cayden continued to attack, and Hudson finished the game strongly with a series of late baskets.
- While the result wasn’t what we were hoping for, there were valuable lessons to take from the game. We showed resilience, continued to play hard regardless of the score, and never stopped competing.
- The challenge now is to improve our consistency on the defensive end and continue developing our decision-making under pressure. If we keep bringing the effort and attitude shown throughout this game, the results will come.
- Cayden Wedge led the team offensively with 13 points and was a constant threat whenever he had the ball in his hands. He scored from inside, attacked the basket strongly, and created pressure on the defence by earning multiple trips to the free-throw line. Cayden continued to battle for all four quarters and was one of the key reasons the team continued to compete right through to the final buzzer.
- Alex Litas delivered an excellent all-around performance, finishing with 13 points and providing a consistent offensive spark throughout the game. He was aggressive when attacking the basket, drew contact to get to the free-throw line, and knocked down two important three-pointers.
12-2 Boys – Adam Gunnis (sponsored by KPS BUILDING GROUP and PlanWA)
Lost against Hawks 60-36
12-3 Boys – Mason Wigmore (sponsored by Victory Technologies Pty Ltd and Stanley Ag WA)
Won against Redbacks U12-5, 72-40
Coach comments
- We played our second Redbacks derby in a row against team 5 this weekend.
- We did well to figure out ways to score against a very consistent and organised defense.
- Lennox Devitt made the most of his minutes, making great passes and decisions as well as finding some great defensive form.
- Otis Tierney’s points don’t fully reflect how well he played. He got into space and consistently found ways to get open at the basket, but had a few unlucky bounces that didn’t go his way.
12-4 Boys – Charlize Nicolaou (sponsored by Float Docks)
Won against Wolves 42-58
Coach comments
- It was a well-deserved win for the boys. The boys were strong the entire game, especially in the second quarter where they were on fire.
- They were really in sync this game, and Jackson and I couldn’t be prouder of their ongoing hard work week to week.
- Brendan was on fire today, helping trap the defence and forcing turnovers that led to multiple scores. He was not only our highest point scorer, but also contributed the most assists.
- Will was angry today, he was on point with the 3 pointers. His defence was the best we have seen of him yet. He showed real intent not to lose and helped get his teammates on the same page as well.
- Joey was outstanding. He defended his heart out and stuck closely to the player who was causing problems for his teammates. He showed courage and determination throughout the game, and even though he fouled out, he proved he was a tough competitor.
12-5 Boys – Craig Dropulich (sponsored by Ganjing World)
Lost against Redbacks U12-3, 40-72
Coach comments
- We had a tough task of taking on Redbacks team 3 this week, and showed them that we are more than capable basketballers for the age profile of our group.
- I was really pleased with our scoring ability and the way we competed throughout the game. As we continue to develop, our defensive consistency will need to improve against bigger and older opponents.
- We were able to force turnovers through our defensive structure that we worked hard to develop.
- Aarav Singh Chouhan had his best game, by listening and using his teammates effectively to find himself in scoring positions, or assisting the next bucket, shooting 5/6 and one of the best rebounders out there.
- Lenny Baljic looked most dangerous on offense for us, and also stole some balls off the inbound to grab some hard earned points. He is working hard and using his speed to play the way he needs to in our team and has a great balance between passing and taking his own shot.
14-1 Girls – Rori Roberts (sponsored by National Geotech)
Won against Suns 43-38
Coach comments
- A slow start saw the girls down for the first three quarters, at one stage trailing by as much as 9 points. However, they kept fighting and chipped away to take the lead early in the 4th, and were able to hold on from there.
- Olive Bird played an amazing game, coming up big on the defensive end in the 4th with some crucial steals and deflections, plus she was aggressive on offence, scoring at important moments.
- Kate McKern, despite feeling under the weather, played an important role defensively in the 4th and did it really well.
14-2 Girls – Whitney Perret (sponsored by Accelerate Blue)
Lost against Wolves 35-60
Coach comments
- The Wolves came out strong and hit a lot of long shots. For a small team, they did really well to get after the boards and we struggled to combat their aggression to the ball.
- After we composed ourselves, we did a much better job of containing in defense. We clawed back to 10 points after finally nailing our half court set a few times.
- Eloise was strong going to the basket and got herself to the line a fair bit. She also did a really great job containing her player and maintaining pressure.
- Eva did a great job defensively, often taking full court pressure on their better ball handlers and getting in front to make it hard for them to score.
- Zoe was also really strong defensively. We’ve been working on 1st and 2nd help rotations, and she did so well to commit to these principles, she is so far the only one to have successfully pulled off the 2nd rotation. She also came up with a few steals while doing it.
14-3 Girls – Matt Bailey (sponsored by Crothers Pty Ltd)
Lost against Cougars 40-57
14-4 Girls – Bryn Arnold (sponsored by Mount Hawthorn Clinical Psychology)
Lost against East Perth 38-42
Coach comments
- Very pleasing all‑round team effort today. We won three of the four quarters, which shows how competitive and consistent the girls were across the game.
- Although we didn’t quite get the overall result, the intent, energy, and effort were exactly where they needed to be.
- Caitlin Lim and Katie Cross both played their best game of the season, being aggressive on offence and looking after the ball in transition.
- Ella Jones battled all game on the glass against much taller opponents.
14-1 Boys – Dave Ogden (sponsored by Global Cabling)
Lost against Suns 65-60
Coach comments
- Up the hill in an exciting top-of-the-table clash. The game was back and forth from the beginning and would have been fun to watch if you weren’t the coach!
- The Suns went on a 16-1 run in the 4th quarter to take the win, but to their credit the boys fought back from 14 points down with 2:40 to go to get it back to 1. A tough travel call with 20 seconds remaining didn’t go our way and we ultimately fell just short.
- Plenty of lessons around getting the basics right under pressure (rebounding and ball retention) but the Suns were better when it mattered most, and we’ll learn from the result.
- Oliver L was a star on the day and you will never question his work rate. He finished his opportunities with real poise, at times using his left hand when needed, and jumped at everything against a bigger opponent to give us presence on the boards. He led the team with 17 points and a team-high 6 rebounds.
- Harrison P showed plenty of promise and is starting to feel more comfortable at this level. After seeing his 1v1 defence at training, it was good to see that translate on Sunday. He can shoot, going 2/3 from deep, and his decision making is improving. He competes for rebounds and has the potential to be a real defensive disruptor for us as he continues to develop.
14-2 Boys – Craig Dropulich (sponsored by M & T Gomm Pty Ltd ATF Gomm Family Trust T/As Customised Metal Works)
Won against Lakeside 50-42
Coach comments
- A solid start in this game saw our defensive pressure good and consistent throughout, keeping them to a low score.
- Offensively, missed shots were disappointing and came from rushing on offence rather than taking our time and finding better scoring opportunities.
- Fionn Healy had great defensive pressure the whole game, moved well on offense, making himself available to the offense, and had quite a few open looks, just unlucky for that shot not to drop for him.
- Rintaro Haginiwa has bounced back after a couple of lean weeks and now he is starting to dribble and drive with a lot more confidence and taking good shots. His defense has been rock solid all year and is what makes him a great player on the court for us.
14-3 Boys – Dom Pitchen (sponsored by Candy Verse)
Lost against Wolves 93-51
Coach comments
- The boys started the game strongly, competing hard on both ends of the court, moving the ball effectively, and creating quality scoring opportunities for one another.
- It was a very physical contest, but they showed great composure by keeping their heads, maintaining their intensity, and continuing to work hard as a team. Their resilience and willingness to play together set a strong foundation throughout the game.
- Elliot Grearson did an excellent job utilising his speed and athleticism to create scoring opportunities for himself while also setting up his teammates in good positions. Defensively, he worked hard to deny driving lanes, applied strong ball pressure, and did well to get into passing lanes, disrupting the opposition and creating turnovers.
- Tyler Carter did well creating quality shot opportunities and consistently made effective decisions with the ball. He showed good composure under pressure, moved the ball when needed, and helped the team maintain good offensive flow through his decision-making.
14-4 Boys – Caitlin Rawes (sponsored by Crothers Pty Ltd)
Won against Suns 43-45
16-1 Girls – Nigel Esau (sponsored by Xceed Real Estate)
Lost against Wolves 44-73
Coach comments
- The girls played really well and it’s great to see them improve as the season progresses.
- Defensively they played well and frustrated the opponents for long stretches of the game.
- We will look to keep improving and turn results our way these next few weeks.
- Sienna was immense to start the game and received great support from Chelsea and Ella.
16-2 Girls – Reid Ballantine (sponsored by Access Hire)
Lost against Cougars 50-80
Coach comments
- This one got away from us. Cougars shot very efficiently at 44.6%, while we finished at 23%. That was largely influenced by lineup fatigue, as we played with just eight players today and were missing two key forwards/centres.
- Notwithstanding a normal level of frustration, the team did well to maintain spirits and effort and enjoyed trying some new things in Q4 where we steadied quite well.
- Saachi Tien and Harper Grace both put in a massive effort, playing extended minutes this game. Harper was strong across the board and finished with 12 clean rebounds, along with strong work to create advantages for others. Saachi had a strong defensive impact, including 5 blocks, one of which was an emphatic block sending the ball to the carpark.
- Alyssa Rullo is always competitive on court, but this week we really enjoyed her banter on the bench keeping us up beat 🙂
16-3 Girls – Geoff Alger (sponsored by Habitat Finance)
Won against Eagles 32-58
Coach comments
- We set ourselves this week to improve on our rebounds and the consistency of our defense and the team did just that, winning the boards and holding our opponents to their lowest score this season.
- The girls continue to impress with their selflessness on offence and patience in creating good scoring opportunities for each other, and this week was no exception. They created many strong scoring chances through excellent passing and positive play.
- Only the final hurdle of finishing layups held them back from scoring a lot more.
- We farewelled our amazing Assistant Coach and NBL1 Player Ella Barmentloo at this game and wish her all the best as she heads off to commence her College career at Fresno State. ‘Coachella’ has been an amazing role model and will be missed by our whole team.
- Isla Cowman was particularly damaging this week with her speed on the break and deadly shooting from range helping her to a game high 18 points while also securing 8 boards to go with her usual defensive tenacity.
- Eloise Clince was damaging at both ends of the floor, with her composed finishing helping her to 10 points at 90% efficiency, along with 4 steals and strong rebounding.
- Winnie Devitt and Iris Mairs bring excitement to every minute they’re on the court, with their defensive energy creating 5 steals each and their speed on offence something opposition teams regularly struggle to deal with.
16-4 Girls – Ashley Brian (sponsored by Realth Property Group)
Lost against Flames 57-59
Coach comments
- In a fiercely physical contest where fouls were flowing at both ends of the court, we got off to a great start with some relentless defensive pressure.
- We knew their size would make it difficult to maintain our advantage for four quarters, and despite a determined effort, we were left wishing the game had ended a few minutes earlier.
- Bianca Bajin was outstanding in the backcourt, handling their pressure with composure and consistently finding ways to attack. She got to the free-throw line an incredible 28 times, converting at a solid rate to keep our offence moving. Bianca finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 12 deflections and 7 steals in a tireless all-round performance.
- Reading the passing lanes after our guards trap is a crucial part of our defensive system, and Ava Kemp and Lily Yin were exceptional in that role. Both produced brilliant interception steals that led directly to fast-break layups and helped generate momentum when we needed it most. Ava finished with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 deflections and 2 steals, while Lily contributed 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 deflections and 4 steals. Their ability to anticipate the next pass and turn defense into offense was a major factor in keeping us in the fight right to the final siren.
16-1 Boys – Cameron Redhead (sponsored by Geist Consulting)
Won against Wolves 81-78
Coach comments
- This week presented a new challenge for our group. Faced with absences and injuries, we were tasked with playing the game with only 7 fit players against an athletic Joondalup outfit.
- The game was a tight, hard-fought contest right from the opening tip. Multiple lead changes saw both teams hold the advantage at different stages throughout the morning, but only for short periods of time. Add foul trouble into the mix, with athletes needing to sit due to fouls, and it created real opportunity for those coming off the bench, and they delivered.
- The last quarter started with our group going on a mini run to jump out to a 10-point lead, and from there we were able to hold on and close it out with only 7 players. A true team effort, with scoring evenly spread across all 7 athletes.
- Erik Davies had his best game so far. Extended minutes saw him find his place in the game, with excellent work out of the post offensively, contributing nicely to the group’s offensive flow and making smaller defenders pay. He was also a huge factor on the defensive end, standing his ground, contesting the rim, and rebounding strongly for us.
- Harrison Moyle also had his best game. He brought energy and execution off the bench, winning tough rebounding battles, getting to loose balls, and finishing some very nice offensive sets.
- Zeke Brian started the game strongly, pushing the tempo and pace for us offensively, but more importantly set the defensive tone, drawing three offensive fouls over the course of the game. He also used his quick hands to generate deflections at vital points down the stretch.
16-2 Boys – Francis Crawshaw (sponsored by F45 Victoria Park)
Won against Suns 69-74
16-3 Boys –Vance Karimi (sponsored by School Bus Logistics Pty Ltd)
Lost against Binar 61-74
Coach comments
- We started strong this week, with intense pressure defence to get stops, win possessions and maintain great spacing with good ball movement.
- Unfortunately, the start of the second, third and forth weren’t good and we had to go into chip-away mode to recover.
- We had a lot of attempts at 3s and missed most this week but credit to the boys for finding good spacing and timing to take open opportunities.
- We really needed to be stronger in our 1v1 D, pick up the ball earlier, and rotate to help sooner when we got beat.
- We asked the team to square up in D, move their feet, and use their bodies, and Eoin did exactly that. He defended strongly throughout, including taking a well-timed charge, balanced and strong.
- Jo moved the ball really well in transition. He worked hard in transition D, putting pressure in the mid-court with his teammates, and converted in transition O, finishing strongly with his layups.
- Kruz found good cuts off the ball to take open gaps. He attacked the gaps to draw two players and create early advantages.
- Mitch did well to box out his closest player before working hard to secure defensive rebounds.
16-4 Boys – Oliver March (sponsored by Rangecon)
Lost against Flames 102-77
18-1 Girls – Shaun Bennison (sponsored by Strike Drilling)
Won against Wolves 66-52
Coach comments
- Round 7 saw us back on home court to face a tidy Wolves outfit, who were fresh off an upset against one of the premier teams in Senators the week before. We knew our work would be cut out for us in this one and the girls were up for it.
- Valuing possession by limiting turnovers and rebounding was always going to go a long way towards us dictating terms. Wolves are a team that like to punish you in transition and convert on second and third chance opportunities if you let them.
- We had a plan to make every possession of theirs tough by stealing time off their clock and forcing them into rushed sets in the half-court. The Wolves grew increasingly frustrated as we continued to disrupt their flow offensively throughout the game.
- Our discipline not to gamble on 50/50s meant we were in sound position defensively to pressure the ball on every catch.
- We eventually put Joondalup away midway through the fourth quarter, going up by 20. A great team performance all round with plenty of contributions across the board.
- Kaia Rukuata was dominant in this one. This was a breakout game for her as she did a bit of everything for us. Wolves didn’t have an answer for her on the defensive end. A great sign of things to come for the rest of the season.
- Sara Davis played with real vigour and intent. There was definitely some feeling in this game coming up against her former club. Her improvement in making 0-second decisions is unlocking things for her at the offensive end which is great to see.
- Ella Welsh’s versatility meant she was able to cover certain spots for us due to injury and foul trouble. A really valuable asset to our side when our squad depth gets tested. She does it all when we need her to and can dominate defensively when she wants to.
- A special shout-out to Darcie Threlfall who missed this game due to injury – however, her energy on the bench was unmatched and felt throughout all 4 quarters.
18-2 Girls – Simon Daff (sponsored by West Coast Reinforcing)
Won against Senators 74-71
Coach comments
- In what was a top-of-the-ladder clash, Warwick came in undefeated for the season, so it was a great opportunity for us to see where we were at.
- The girls didn’t disappoint. We were neck and neck for most of the game, and what was most pleasing was that when they gained momentum we didn’t panic and were able to settle each time. We held on for a 3-point win.
- Halle Griffiths played her best game of the season. She stayed composed and really competed in the 3rd term. She played physical and rebounded well, and was rewarded on the scoreboard.
- Alessia Wladyka really came to play in the second half. She hit 2 big threes in a row to swing the momentum back our way. After that, we never lost it.
- Cherie Zak continues her consistent season. Her ball pressure is a real highlight, along with her ability to get out and run the lanes. She was rewarded with 13 points.
18-3 Girls – Marcia Dowling (sponsored by PWS Group and John Hughes Ford)
Lost against Flames 61-66
Coach comments
- What an amazing in-game transformation. The girls dug deep today and proved they’re quite capable of matching the opposition.
- A very slow start saw us end the first quarter 18 points down, which made the challenge feel overwhelming heading into the second. However, the girls showed real determination and perseverance to fight back, closing the gap to within 2 points. They went on to win both the second and fourth quarters.
- Maddy McKibbin gave everything in defence, making ball transition and work difficult for the Flames. Her assists and team support were wonderful.
- Nadia Slee continues to choose great shots and is still a defensive menace.
- Mel Cotte added such speed and voice to the court, lifting the team every time she was in play.
18-4 Girls – Mark Wigmore (sponsored by PWS Group and John Hughes Ford)
BYE WEEK
18-1 Boys – Adam Gunnis (sponsored by IML Group and John Hughes Ford)
Lost against Wolves 101-111
18-2 Boys – Dan Cartwright (sponsored by Aviso WA Insurance Brokers and Signifi Media Pty Ltd)
Won against Senators 75-96
18-3 Boys – Helen Pardini (sponsored by OCR Projects)
Won against Hawks 79-77
18-4 Boys – Jess Tiwade (sponsored by Retriever Sound Events Dj.)
Lost against Hawks 65-80
Coach comments
- Hawks was on our radar to beat with three ex Redback teammates. The game was full of challenging referee calls that impacted our mental game early on. Frustration set in, an injury struck, and with the pressure defence getting the best of us, shots weren’t converting, making for an early struggle.
- Q1 we started strong defensively and went up, but the half turned and we were down 5 points.
- Q2 saw a player go down with an ankle injury and our post player foul out early, making it a challenging quarter.
- Going into the second half, we talked about reframing our mental game despite frustrations, adjusting our defence and rotations.
- In the third quarter we held Hawks to a low score and won the second half.
- Daniel Sumara had an incredible game. Defensively explosive and stepped up to support rebounding. Had a strong offensive game utilising his athletic ability driving to rim and finished top scorer.
- Parker Dunstan took the challenge as the big for the full second half. He defended the rim and worked hard on rebounding both ends. Team feeding the ball in defensive strategy to add 14pts to our total.
21 Girls – Shaun Bennison (sponsored by Freeman Chiropractic)
Lost against Suns 66-61
Coach comments
- The girls played well in patches. When they executed and played within our offensive and defensive structures, we looked really strong.
- We need to improve individually and stay locked in for longer periods of the game.
- Hannah and Olivia connected well in high-low situations against the zone. Jenna controlled the tempo of the game, and Grace Almond was strong in sprinting the lanes. We also had good contributions from others on both ends of the floor.
20-1 Boys – John Foley (sponsored by Bodytune Massage and Sports Therapies)
Lost against Slammers 92-75
20-2 Boys – Ofir Ben Dror (sponsored by Meyer Shircore Architects)
Won against Suns 112-82
Coach comments
- The game started a bit shaky for us with the Suns leading us by a double digit.
- The boys then found a different gear and quickly took the lead with an enormous contribution from all non-starters.
- The Suns could not find any answers to our strong defense and smart offensive plays and the boys just kept pushing until the end. Great game to watch!
- Hamish Gibson came off the bench and immediately contributed with some strong man on man defence and completed it with over 55% from behind the arc.
- Jack Shepherd came off the bench with a mission to stop their top player; a tall athletic guy who can shoot. Jack stopped him almost completely and left him frustrated. He added an impressive back to back triples and great decision making on the offensive side.