12-1 Girls – Olivia Weddikara (sponsored by Visa4You Migration Agency)
Lost against Mandurah 97-19
12-2 Girls – Dave Power (sponsored by RocketDNA)
Lost against Lakeside 23-49
Coach comments
- Going into the game, we were down to 7 players due to injury and absence. The girls were amazing the whole game, weathering a lot of physicality and speed playing against Lakeside’s full squad.
- The game was neck and neck until about halfway through the third quarter when we were down to 5 players. They were only really able to stretch the gap once we got down to 4 players and then finish the game with only 3 players on court.
- Credit to the girls for fighting to the very end with a high-level of competitiveness and showing what a full squad has the potential to achieve.
- Wanda Power and Daisy Robertson carried much of the guard responsibilities and executed the game plan to get past the trap. The girls were able to give the wings and forwards room to play up the floor past the first wave of the trap.
- Iris Gething attacked the basket, finished through contact, made free throws and was top score for us with a hard earned 16 points.
12-3 Girls – Paul Philpott (sponsored byInternational Commissioning Solutions Group Pty Ltd)
Lost against Hills 18-55
Coach comments
- Another tough game for our girls with lots of learning takeaways from low scoring quarters.
- Unfortunately, we fell short in stopping the Hills Raiders’ charge for the ring, with their quick attack and our difficulty squaring up in defence leaving us chasing them for much of the game.
- Going forward as a team we need to focus on our good, better, best, never letting it rest until our good is better and our better is best.
- However, today saw outstanding performances from Cerah Boucher as she defended like a fortress and rebounded like popcorn in a hot pan at both ends becoming an annoying frustration for the Hills Raiders.
- Similarly, Ada Giddon was as focussed like a laser as she demonstrated great court coverage, space and leading our charge towards our offensive end of the court.
12-4 Girls – Indiana Ballantine (sponsored by Bruining Partners and John Hughes Ford)
Won against Suns 22-23
Coach comments
- This week we played the Suns 2s for the second time this season. After losing to them by 9 points in Round 1, it was great to see the girls come away with a stressful 1 point win.
- It was a close game the whole time, with the Suns leading for most of the game. The girls stayed calm, kept working together, and made the most of their opportunities when they took the lead late in the game.
- We were missing two players and only had three subs, but the effort from everyone was outstanding. The girls did a great job creating space when bringing the ball up the court, which helped us handle the Suns pressure and get into our offence.
- It was a fantastic team performance, with everyone playing their role and contributing to a well earned win. The girls should be really proud of the effort and teamwork they showed from start to finish.
- Mila C had an outstanding game, finding good shots and using her height to her advantage in the key. She played with confidence, showed great skill throughout the game, and had a big impact on the court. It’s been great to see her confidence grow, and I’m excited to watch her continue improving over the rest of the season.
- Mila S had an amazing game this week showing just how coachable she is, both on and off the court. She took on all the feedback we gave during timeouts and breaks, putting it straight into her game. On the bench, she continued to support and encourage her teammates, bringing great energy to the whole team.
12-1 Boys – Wayne Dropulich (sponsored by SLS Advisory)
Lost against Lightning 71-42
Coach comments
- Despite the result, there were plenty of positives to take from our game against Lakeside. The boys competed hard throughout the contest and showed great resilience against a well-drilled opposition.
- The first quarter was a tight defensive battle. We worked hard to stay in touch and received some important contributions from across the team. Jesse Freeman and Jaxson Pentland both knocked down big three-pointers, while Baxter Miles and Hudson McClintock added baskets to keep us within striking distance at quarter time.
- In the second quarter we began to find some rhythm offensively. Cayden Wedge led the charge, knocking down a three-pointer, while Alex Litas added a triple of his own. Tamati Roberts also finished strongly late in the quarter.
- Lakeside were able to create some separation during the third quarter through strong transition play and efficient finishing around the basket.
- The final quarter saw us continue to fight right to the end. Gus Rafferty hit a three-pointer early, while Baxter and Hudson finished the game strongly with some late baskets.
- While the result wasn’t what we wanted, there were encouraging signs. Our ball movement improved at times, we had multiple players contribute offensively, and the team showed great character by continuing to compete for the full game.
- Baxter Miles worked hard at both ends of the floor and was rewarded with 9 points. He battled strongly inside against bigger opponents, finished around the basket when opportunities came his way, and never stopped competing. His effort and physicality were important for us throughout the game and he continued to fight until the final buzzer.
- Jaxson Pentland made a strong impact through his effort and defensive intensity. He consistently put himself in the right positions. One of the highlights of his game was his commitment to getting back on defence, regularly being first back and helping limit the opposition’s transition opportunities. Jaxson’s work rate and team-first attitude were important contributors throughout the game.
12-2 Boys – Adam Gunnis (sponsored by KPS BUILDING GROUP and PlanWA)
Won against Perry Lakes 42-60
12-3 Boys – Mason Wigmore (sponsored by Victory Technologies Pty Ltd and Stanley Ag WA)
Won against Hills 52-28
Coach comments
- This game saw us overcome adversity from an unexpectedly competitive Raiders team. After a slow and messy start, we managed to blow the game open in the second half despite not being able to hit our shots.
- Bede Whitehouse responded to difficulty and managed to overcome his first half struggles to deliver a dominant third quarter.
- Lachlan Bright was our offensive standout in the first half, fighting for rebounds and keeping the scoreboard ticking.
- Austin Houlahan provided defensive intent, rebounding, and spaced the floor.
12-4 Boys – Charlize Nicolaou (sponsored by Float Docks)
Lost against Eagles 58-65
12-5 Boys – Craig Dropulich (sponsored by Ganjing World)
Lost against Slammers 63-76
Coach comments
- Some really good things to take away from this game, going up against one of the teams we met once in grading. The boys were determined to give them a fight, much like they did last time.
- Our ball carrying and defensive pressure shone bright, and it was where we were able to find most of our buckets, as we worked to expose the opponent’s weaknesses. We ultimately fell short due to their size in the rebounding contest, as they were difficult to get in front of and box out effectively.
- Thomas Price was a star on the day, using his size and speed to his advantage and getting the better of his opposition as he weaved his way between players and putting up 12 points whilst doing so. A great effort Tommy, keep it up.
- Lennox Baljic had a cracker of a game, 23 points and many more in assists as he pushed the ball out in front and didn’t look back, his free throw shooting was elite and his selflessness to give up the ball to players in better positions is hard to come by.
14-1 Girls – Rori Roberts (sponsored by National Geotech)
Won against Willetton 50-40
Coach comments
- Best game of the season for the girls so far. They played a complete 4 quarters and never took their foot off the gas.
- Willetton got an early lead in the first quarter however a change to our defence saw us get multiple stops in a row to control the game for the last 3 quarters.
- Oceana Williams had an outstanding game. She played excellent defence, keeping her opponent in front of her, and was a real spark offensively in the second half, finishing with 17 points.
- Lily Butler played her best defensive game keeping her hands out and moving her feet. She also added 8 points.
14-2 Girls – Whitney Perret (sponsored by Accelerate Blue)
Lost against Lightning 53-36
Coach comments
- We started strong with a lot of looks at the basket but unfortunately the rings were very bouncy and it felt like there was glad wrap on the basket.
- We weren’t able to convert until the second quarter and managed to get within 6 points at half time.
- It was a fairly close game until the fourth quarter. We had to throw in a trap to try to generate steals and scores, but we ran out of legs doing so, and the final score didn’t quite reflect how well we played for the majority of the game.
- Charlee and Bella did really well to get after rebounds and although we couldn’t convert as many as we’d liked, they had some really great looks.
- Jade did an amazing job in the full court defensively and should be proud of her ability to run both ways for the entire game. She drove really well into the paint.
14-3 Girls – Matt Bailey (sponsored by Crothers Pty Ltd)
Lost against Senators 48-60
14-4 Girls – Bryn Arnold (sponsored by Mount Hawthorn Clinical Psychology)
Lost against Hills 31-34
Coach comments
- The effort from the team was excellent, and the girls competed right to the final whistle.
- Unfortunately, a few lapses in execution at key moments came back to bite us in the end. The team continues to work hard and improve every week. Their positive attitude and commitment make this group a pleasure to coach.
- Katie Cross continues to develop and has been playing exceptionally well over the last month.
- Peyton Pohla and Jess Beacham worked hard the entire game against much taller opponents battling for rebounds and finishing off around the hoop.
14-1 Boys – Dave Ogden (sponsored by Global Cabling)
Lost against Lakeside 57-55
Coach comments
- It was a tough loss for the team after what was the best we had played all season. Unfortunately, when the game was there to be won late, it didn’t go our way. Plenty of positives to take out of it overall and areas for us all to get better in.
14-2 Boys – Craig Dropulich (sponsored by M & T Gomm Pty Ltd ATF Gomm Family Trust T/As Customised Metal Works)
Won against Flames 67-41
Coach comments
- With no head coach for the day, going up against the second placed team on the ladder was always going to be a challenge. After some early foul trouble in the first quarter, the boys found themselves trailing by six at worst. From that point on, they clicked into gear and played some of their best basketball yet, securing their biggest win of the season while winning every quarter by an increasing margin.
- Every player had a strong hand in the outcome of that game, with each of them playing for one another, finding the open man and rebounding as a team. They held the opposition to no more than 10 offensive boards for the game, winning the rebounding contest not because of size, but because of their commitment to boxing out and pushing out bigger opponents. An effort all the boys should be proud of.
- Lenny Brown played an amazing game of basketball, his rebounding was elite, stopping the opposition from grabbing no more than 4 rebounds against him as Lenny picked up 10+ boards. Moreover, the way Lenny reads the opposition, finding the gaps in offence and setting up his teammates is something hard to pick up. Keep up the good work, Lenny.
- Matthew Price had an outstanding performance, his ball carrying up the floor was elite and the calmness under pressure throughout the game was elite. Matthew took his time and waited for the opposition to make mistakes and pounced on those opportunities to net himself 11 points for the game whilst setting up many assists to get us ahead in a tough game.
14-3 Boys – Dom Pitchen (sponsored by Candy Verse)
Won against Hawks 55-56
Coach comments
- We started the game strongly, moving the ball well to create good scoring opportunities and communicating effectively on the defensive end to limit the opposition’s chances.
- As the game became more physical in the second half, the boys responded well, competing hard and staying in the contest despite a few calls not going our way.
- I was really pleased with their composure and resilience. They stayed focused, continued to play the right way, and kept putting pressure on the opposition until the final siren.
- Finley Gething was a strong presence in the paint, using his physicality well to compete for rebounds and make life difficult for the opposition inside. He consistently hit bodies to box out, ran the floor hard in transition, and created scoring opportunities for both himself and his teammates. His effort and willingness to play with intensity had a positive impact on the group.
- James Holzheimer was another key presence in the paint, protecting the rim by contesting and deterring shots while giving us plenty of second-chance opportunities through his work on the offensive glass. He set the standard for the team with his rebounding effort, attacking the ball with intent and showing the rest of the boys the level of physicality and determination required. His consistency around the basket was a real strength throughout the game.
14-4 Boys – Caitlin Rawes (sponsored by Crothers Pty Ltd)
Won against Mandurah 46-64
16-1 Girls – Nigel Esau (sponsored by Xceed Real Estate)
Won against Flames 78-69
16-2 Girls – Reid Ballantine (sponsored by Access Hire)
Won against Eastern Suns 69-57
Coach comments
- A satisfying win against the odds, down to 6 players and 2 fill-ins, up against the Suns who rolled us by 10 last time.
- Our defence won us a lot of the ball and we focused on ball safety over speed, playing a more conservative and composed game. We pushed the tempo with the fast outlet over the top for 4 minutes late in Q2, yielding a fun 11-2 run, then steadied for the long run home.
- Maia Leckey was sharp from the start, opening the game with a confident 3 and playing it out for 15 points. Getting stronger each week 🙂
- Sasha Kuan played a great point guard game today, controlling the tempo, generating offence, and making her own buckets for 11 points.
- Paige Grenato broke the game open late in Q2 with dominating speed on the fast break for 9 almost consecutive points on her way to 12 total.
- Our U14 fill-in players Lily Butler and Darcy Hill were both very handy and held their own on court, as well as giving the team a fun energy today. Both had defensive steals, a sharp 3 each, and 7 points each! More than helpful!
16-3 Girls – Geoff Alger (sponsored by Habitat Finance)
Lost against Mandurah 47 – 77
Coach comments
- Unfortunately this week our collective focus wasn’t quite where it needed to be in order to be competitive at this level, and Mandurah did a good job of exploiting this, particularly on our defensive end and on the boards.
- We had good periods throughout the game. When our defensive intensity was up, we were able to force turnovers and make life difficult for Mandurah, and we managed to create a lot of good looks from both free play and from structured offense.
- The squads support for one another and willingness to persevere through tough games remains a great attribute shown throughout the group.
- Like many other teams we were short a few players this round and were really grateful to have Ava Kemp and Bianca Bajin make the journey down to Mandurah to help us out. Both competed hard and showed the competitive spirit and excellent energy that Ash’ 16-4s are known for.
- Eva Blyth continues to demonstrate great composure in offense and solid ball handling under pressure.
- Alida Barmentloo battled hard for boards throughout the game.
- Winnie Devitt competed for every possession using her pace and agility to exhaustion.
16-4 Girls – Ashley Brian (sponsored by Realth Property Group)
Won against East Perth 76-46
Coach comments
- Our girls were switched on from the tip-off, racing out to a 17-0 start. Our defensive pressure was relentless, creating plenty of turnovers, and we did a great job finishing our opportunities at the basket.
- This was Ava Rahimi’s game to shine. She had by far her best game of the season. She was engaged and ready to pick off passes whenever our guards applied pressure, which was reflected in her massive defensive numbers. Ava finished with 11 points, 9 rebounds, 11 deflections and 8 steals. What a game!
- Sierra Ong was equally as impressive, anchoring our defense with Jana in another tireless performance. She consistently put herself in the right positions, battled hard on the boards and made life difficult for the opposition all game. Sierra finished with 6 points, 13 rebounds, 6 deflections and 8 steals, continuing her outstanding season.
- Lily Yin played a really unselfish game and did an excellent job creating opportunities for her teammates. While she finished with 2 points, her impact went well beyond the scoreboard as she dished out 6 assists while also collecting 8 rebounds, 4 deflections and 7 steals in another outstanding all-round performance.
- A special thanks to Rose Bacci from the 14-1s, who stepped up and helped us out this week. Her effort and willingness to fill in were greatly appreciated.
16-1 Boys – Cameron Redhead (sponsored by Geist Consulting)
Won against Flames 89-72
Coach comments
- A slow start from the boys in this one saw the Flames jump out to a 12-2 lead with us struggling to get the ball over half court.
- Down 28-16 at QT, the boys rallied at the break to come together and start committing to our team defence rules and compete at a higher level.
- This worked wonders. Outscoring Rockingham 32-11 in the 2nd quarter.
- From there we were able to control the game in the second half and come away with a great win!
- A real team effort made it hard to single out a couple of players in this one.
16-2 Boys – Francis Crawshaw (sponsored by F45 Victoria Park)
Won against Suns 66-81
16-3 Boys –Vance Karimi (sponsored by School Bus Logistics Pty Ltd)
Lost against Hills 67-69
Coach comments
- What a close and exciting game this week. There was nothing in it in quarters 1 and 3. We struggled a little in the second to play our triggers in offence but we had some really good finishing minutes in the last quarter.
- We struggled all game with our 3s but nailed them right at the end of the game.
- Defence and transition was generally good but we turned the ball over a few too many times.
- Aiden was strong in D and did really well to shut down a key player, switching on good timing and communicating with his team mates.
- Kruz had a tough defensive assignment every time he stepped on the court and did really well to anticipate and contain.
- Tom was great with offensive and defensive rebounds, set some good screens and plays through tough contact in the paint with desperation.
- Eoin works hard in D, had good safety in transition and finds good spacing in O.
16-4 Boys – Oliver March (sponsored by Rangecon)
Lost against Mandurah 80-49
18-1 Girls – Shaun Bennison (sponsored by Strike Drilling)
Won against Binar 74-47
Coach comments
- Coming off a 2-game slide, we were keen to get our season back on track but also knew Binar weren’t going to make it easy for us.
- The early exchanges were tight, neither team really gaining any ascendency or momentum. The physicality Binar brought was exactly what we expected it to be.
- The 2nd half was a dominant defensive display from our side, limiting Binar to only 15pts for the half. A great team win going into the last round before the break.
- Sara Davis imposed herself on this game with her defensive presence. She set the tone with her defensive pressure, but also put herself in great position to get us extra possessions from the offensive glass.
- Mafa Tuialii came out of the blocks strong and controlled the tempo and pace early and made sure we were getting into our sets when we needed to. Whilst the stat sheet doesn’t always show it, her presence on the court is invaluable for us.
- Annabelle Farrant was huge for us in the one and came up with some timely plays, knocking down some big 3’s. She is menace on the ball defensively with her active hands and constant pressure. She can really dictate terms when she’s locked in.
18-2 Girls – Simon Daff (sponsored by West Coast Reinforcing)
Won against Eagles 71-46
Coach comments
- In what was a very physical game the girls did a great job of staying composed under very difficult conditions.
- We led from start to finish, but struggled a little in the 3rd quarter and gave them back some momentum. However, we finished the 4th quarter really strongly to put the game away.
- After an ankle injury to start the year, Millie Stancil has really stood up over the last three weeks to push herself into the starting line-up. When we needed to steady in the 4th quarter, her energy and impact on the scoreboard really wrestled momentum back our way. As the most experienced player on our team, she’s going to be relied upon heavily in the second half of the season.
- Cara Hayes, after missing a few weeks of practice, really found her groove again in the second half. She hit some important buckets early in the 4th quarter, which gave her confidence at the defensive end as well. Great to see her bounce back.
- Paige Ogden has been Miss consistent the last month. Whenever we have been under pressure, she has steadied the ship. I love that she slows the game down and plays it the right way.
18-3 Girls – Marcia Dowling (sponsored by PWS Group and John Hughes Ford)
Lost against Eagles 50-54
Coach comments
- Once again, the girls showed just how fast, tough, and strong they can be after the first half. This led to an impressive comeback, but it wasn’t quite enough to close the gap. Another solid game, showing the amount of development some individuals have made.
- Ella Baxter was impressive in both defence and offence, and her spacing was as usual, so helpful.
- Great voices on court from Liv Weddikara and Mel Cotte, along with some strong transition sprints down the court.
18-4 Girls – Mark Wigmore (sponsored by PWS Group and John Hughes Ford)
Lost against Mandurah 58-38
Coach comments
- We had a fantastic start to the game with the team playing some great defense and moving the ball with purpose.
- The game was close through 3 quarters with a number of missed layups and open looks a key factor in the loss.
- Alysha Robinson did an amazing job as a focal point in the key way on offense drawing contact from defenders and kicking to shooters.
- Jamie Thysse ran all day long, contested shots and rebounded well on a day we were very undersized.
18-1 Boys – Adam Gunnis (sponsored by IML Group and John Hughes Ford)
Won against Flames 95-82
18-2 Boys – Dan Cartwright (sponsored by Aviso WA Insurance Brokers and Signifi Media Pty Ltd)
Lost against Lakeside 87-65
18-3 Boys – Helen Pardini (sponsored by OCR Projects)
Won against Wolves 66-59
18-4 Boys – Jess Tiwade (sponsored by Retriever Sound Events Dj.)
Won against Flames 91-102
21 Girls – Shaun Bennison (sponsored by Freeman Chiropractic)
Lost against Hawks 80-64
Coach comments
- The girls played well today and had some great takeaways from the game. Resilience and discipline were major factors and things we’ll keep building on.
- Unlucky to go down by 16 at full time after being within 7 points with 2 minutes to go. We missed some open looks and it cost us in transition at the other end, but overall it was a good game.
- Steph attacked well today, and our bigs in Olivia and Grace fought hard on the glass. All the girls who came on played a role today, which was great to see.
20-1 Boys – John Foley (sponsored by Bodytune Massage and Sports Therapies)
Won against Wolves 107-88
Coach comments
- Today’s U20 boys game was a top-of-the-table clash, and it certainly lived up to the occasion. The first quarter was an arm wrestle, with the lead changing hands several times as both teams battled hard at both ends of the floor to gain the advantage.
- By half-time, we had built a handy 10-point lead, but we knew the Wolves were capable of getting themselves back into the game if we dropped our intensity.
- To the Redbacks’ credit, the boys responded with an outstanding third quarter. Our defensive pressure lifted, forcing turnovers and making the right decisions. That defensive effort flowed into our offence, where the ball moved freely through multiple hands, creating quality scoring opportunities. We extended our lead to 17 points heading into the final break.
- The message for the fourth quarter was simple: continue to play strong team defence and protect our lead. The boys stayed disciplined, stuck to the message, and when the final siren sounded, we had secured a well-deserved 19-point victory. It was a terrific team performance against a quality opponent, with everyone contributing to an important win.
- Cale Buzzard led the way again today with another strong performance, finishing with 18 points while also pulling down important rebounds at both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.
- Alex Pardini put together a solid game, contributing 8 points while playing some outstanding defence. He did a great job staying in front of his opponent and making every possession difficult.
- Zayde Parriman produced another well-rounded performance, scoring 15 points. He was aggressive attacking the paint, getting to two feet before finishing strongly around the basket.
20-2 Boys – Ofir Ben Dror (sponsored by Meyer Shircore Architects)
Won against Binar 103-99
Coach comments
- The boys came to play from the first whistle. We got to a double digit lead pretty quickly but we had to work hard the whole game as Binary refused to go away. They used their length and athletic abilities and kept getting to the basket.
- Our boys made the right adjustments every time they tried different tactics, and on the offensive side kept scoring from everywhere and playing for each other. A great game to witness!
- Jay Hazel came back from a few quiet weeks in a big way. Starting on the bench, he came in and was unstoppable. Flexing his muscles under the baskets and scoring multiples behind the arch.
- James Reid came to work, doing all the 1%ers that don’t always show on the stat sheet but made a huge difference to the way the game was played and ultimately to the outcome.