Round 3 West Coast Classic Preview

The Perth Redbacks women and men are back at Belmont Oasis this Friday night looking to return to the West Coast Classic winner’s list with the men’s team then backing up 24 hours later against the defending SBL champions.

It is fair to say it’s been an up and down start to the West Coast Classic for both Redbacks teams over the opening two weeks of the 2020 season that has started up in place of the cancelled SBL due to COVID-19.

Now both Redbacks teams are on the hunt to return to the winning side of things as they get back to Belmont Oasis this Friday night against the East Perth Eagles.

The women’s clash begins at 6.30pm with the men’s encounter to tip-off at 8.30pm.

The Redbacks men then back up on Saturday night also at Belmont Oasis from 7pm up against the Geraldton Buccaneers.

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The Redbacks women hold a 2-2 record after the opening two weekends of the West Coast Classic with the up and down nature of the results actually quite remarkable.

Things got underway on the opening night against the Joondalup Wolves at HBF Arena with a 36-point defeat before the Redbacks hit back the very next night to beat the Magic in Mandurah by 33 points.

Then last Friday night in the first game of 2020 at Belmont Oasis, the Redback shook off the Cockburn Cougars to win 87-71 before 24 hours later going down at the hands of the Perry Lakes Hawks at Bendat Basketball Centre by 20 points.

So if the trend continues things are on track for another strong performance from the Redbacks against the Eagles this Friday night at Belmont Oasis.

It’s an East Perth team yet to win a game in 2020 under new coach Blake Srdarev and the Eagles are coming off a 52-point hammering last Saturday night in Mandurah against the Magic.

For the first time during the West Coast Classic it’s a standalone game for the Redbacks women so they have the chance to throw everything into it with the knowledge of having the rest of the weekend free afterwards.

The stage is set for a fascinating weekend in the West Coast Classic for the Redbacks men and it’s one that could very well decide if they remain in the finals hunt or not.

With only nine rounds and 13 games to be played to determine which four teams get to take part in the finals at the end of September, it’s unlikely any team will be able to reach that top four at the end with more than four defeats.

So with a 2-2 record coming into this weekend, it’s a pivotal two games for the Redbacks as they try to build some momentum during the West Coast Classic.

So far the Redbacks have looked good in beating the Mandurah Magic by 11 points and the Cockburn Cougars by 36, but then there have been 18 and 28-point defeats along the way to the Joondalup Wolves and Perry Lakes Hawks.

So the best of the Redbacks so far has been outstanding but the worst has been less than stellar coming into this weekend starting on Friday night against the East Perth Eagles.

The Eagles have been exciting so far this season with a young group led by Shaquille Maharaj and new coach Jayden Coburn. They hold a 1-2 record but they did lose narrow affairs to the Geraldton Buccaneers and Mandurah Magic so it could easily be different.

That sees the stakes raise for Friday night’s game with both teams needing the win to boost their hopes of staying in the finals race.

And then the Redbacks back it up on Saturday night again at Belmont Oasis against defending SBL champions the Geraldton Buccaneers.

The Buccs have gone 1-3 over their first four games so far in the West Coast Classic which have all been on the road and now they are back in Perth for a third successive bus trip to open the new season.

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