Weekly WABL Wrap – Round 4

The Weekly WABL Wrap is proudly sponsored by Woods Insurance Brokers.

Here’s the Round 4 wrap-up of how all our teams went, including comments from coaches:

12-1 Girls – Marcia Dowling (sponsored by National Geotech)

Won against Rockingham Flames 50-37

Coach comments

Flames were keen to score, and we worked hard on defence the whole game. The girls’ help defence, particularly in transition, is improving and is hard to beat when executed well
Elsey Lohman white (5pts, 6 rbds, 2 assists, 3 steals) kept the game’s pace high and was a defensive menace to the receivers.
Zara Flynn (1 ast, 1 steal) forced Flames to make turnovers and assisted with steals.
Mia Exeter (18pts, 18 rbds, 3 steals, 4 blocks), Izzy Nagamany (2pts, 4 rbds) and Rose Bacci (2 pts, 5 rbds, 2 steals) were consistently running the floor and were hugely effective at both ends

12-2 Girls – Paul Philpott (sponsored by Infinity Designed)

Lost to Cockburn 24-39

Coach comments

Olivia and I thank our girls this week, for their hard-fought efforts, particularly around bringing training learnings to game day. Today, we were powerful with our improved defensive stance and staying in front of our opposition, which dramatically reduced our foul count. Similarly, we kicked ahead, creating many transitions with the Cougars chasing our tail and probably most of all, we provided some serious defensive transition basket protection. Well done, girls. Thank you again for having unwavering confidence and strength. Today was a “Wow” day for Olivia, myself and our forever amazing parent supporters.
Kate McKern was awesome to watch with her incredible rebounding and managing a couple of numbers on the board.
Megan Ling and Sophie Nicholls, with their speed and awareness of their surroundings, proved to be significant with our court flow and also added to our fight for points.
Zoe Bartucciotto was like a rash for the Cougars and a great example of how 1:1 defence is executed.

12-3 Girls – Khalid Elmi

Won against Hills Raiders 28-10

12-1 Boys – Ofir Ben Dror (sponsored by Pivot Project Consulting)

Lost to Rockingham 58-67

Coach comments

The game started on our terms with a solid defence, fast breaks and rebounds.
We had a comfortable lead at quarter-time and were still in the lead at halftime.
Unfortunately, our undoing was that, once again, we couldn’t handle our opponent’s press defence and succumbed to turnovers and a slower offensive game. Once we fix that, we will be a serious contender.
Ruari Day was instrumental in the key. He had to play long minutes because Jimmy Holzheimer, our other center, was absent. He crushed the boards and made the paint his own.
Noah Mucjanko was strong on both sides of the court with a solid defence and some powerful drives.

12-2 Boys – Dom Pitchen (sponsored by Sushi Wawa)

Won against Perry Lakes Hawks 67-34

Coach comments

The boys did well with their full-court pressure and scored many easy points from it. In the middle of the game, they rushed a lot of possessions, which led to a few turnovers, but they slowed down and cooled their heads, which allowed them to find good looks and make shots.
Denim Hamilton was very good on both sides of the court today and was once again a monster on the rebounds. Great job, Denim.
Tyler Carter provided great defensive pressure and made great passes all game. Well done, Tyler.
Noah Ouwendyk hustled on defence and offence, chasing every loose ball he could. He did well reading plays and getting steals. Great game, Noah.

12-3 Boys – Craig Dropulich (sponsored by Profusion Planning)

Lost to East Perth 45-68

Coach comments

Finally got off to the start we wanted out to a 6-0 lead in 2 minutes. Then the pressure from the Eagles started to get to us. Both teams went on runs from backcourt turnovers. The game was coming down to ball control and defensive transition. We led by 1 at quarter time but our turnover count was becoming our biggest problem. The 2nd and 3rd quarters were a tough lesson for the boys and put a dent in their confidence leaving us 19 points behind at the start of the last. We played with a bit more freedom in the last and got some scoring going, but the damage was done, and the loss was hard to swallow.
The good thing is that this is just decision-making under greater pressure that we can work on. Along with our new defensive transition rules, which we are working hard on as a team, and better rebounding contests, we weren’t the same team from the first three games, and we played the style the Eagles wanted us to play instead of our own. Everything is fixable, and hard work will make us bounce back.
Aiden Morgan brought great energy to the game and worked hard all day. He chased everything and showed great defensive pressure every time he was on the ball handler. He hit his lay ups and can be proud of his effort all game.
Lance Dela Vega played through the pain of an upset tummy to be my best big man. He competed for defensive rebounds and handled the pressure from the opposition’s defensive double teams. He has great skills and knows how to get out of trouble with his handles.

12-4 Boys – Wayne Dropulich (sponsored by Playa Coffee)

Won against Hills Raiders Grey 85-13

Coach comments

In our most recent game, we faced off against Hills Raiders Grey. The match was an excellent opportunity for us to put our skills and strategies to the test.
A notable aspect of this game was that every player contributed to the scoreboard. This highlighted the team’s cooperative spirit and the value of every player’s contribution to the team’s success.
The game unfolded as hoped, with a convincing win, and we maintained a consistent performance throughout. Our trap defence, in particular, was executed well and proved effective.
The game also served as a practical platform for us to apply the skills and tactics we’ve been working on during training. It was encouraging to see how our practice sessions translated into real-game situations, and we certainly gained a lot of confidence from this match.
All in all, it was a game that showcased the team’s growth and potential. We’re excited to carry this momentum and learning experience into our future matches.
Santiago Cortes played very well throughout his time on the court. His consistent leadership and consistent play contributed significantly to our victory. Santi’s performance sets a great example for the rest of the team, and we hope he continues to play to this level in future matches.
Ioane Ivala-Kotua delivered an exceptional performance, making significant contributions in all aspects of the game. He exhibited great rebounding skills, utilised his speed to frequently be the first to return on defence, and emerged as the top scorer in the game.

14-1 Girls – Simon Daff (sponsored by Australian Financial Planners)

Won against Slammers 57-35

Coach comments

After last week, when we played a little too much in our heads, we got back to our aggressive, positive selves this week. We played to our strengths, which are a lot of ball pressure and trapping. We looked after the ball a lot better simply based on our mindset and not overthinking it. We kept it simple and played to our strengths.
Lauren Jones was a standout off the bench. She was very assertive and strong with the ball. I loved that she squared up and thought before she drove. But she attacked gaps well and did not overdribble the ball. Her controlled aggression was a standout.
Chelsea Karsum is continuing to improve and play the right way. She is not over-dribbling the ball anymore and making good decisions with her high energy. Her rebounding playing from a wing was a highlight.

14-2 Girls – Reid Ballantine (sponsored by Fish Boss)

Lost to East Perth 34-36

Coach comments

A nail-biter! Down by two points with a mid-court inbound with 2.1sec remaining – a nice inbound saw a deep 3 launched with a sweet arc to tease the crowd but then pop out.
I’m really proud of the girls’ sportsmanship in taking the loss well and acknowledging areas for improvement.
The first 6 minutes of the game was our best basketball so far this year, but then it fell away for quite a while, misfiring passes in transition and letting them steal a 9-point lead mid-game.
We fought hard to win more rebounds and ran some tidy front-court plays to get level close to the end, but it slipped away.
Saachi Ti’en started the game strongly and then kept going strong, getting deeper inside, winning rebounds and confidently pushing fast transitions up the court. Saachi was a part of most of our best basketball today.
Fenne Bowie took on the challenge of locking down one of the Eagles’ stars, and she definitely understood the assignment. She low-key tormented them with committed denial defence.
Soniya Karimi always works hard! And when we needed rebounds, who doesn’t love a point guard who gets inside and grabs 10?
Ella Fair has been a consistent spark over the last four weeks and continues to get away swiftly on the fast break and this week also drained a tidy 3 to jazz up the vibe.

14-3 Girls – Helen Pardini (sponsored by Access Hire)

Lost to Mandurah Black 49-52

Coach comments

This was a thrilling, hard-fought game. The girls showed great determination and resilience from start to finish.
Each time Mandurah threatened, we refused to back down, continuously adjusting our defensive strategy to stop their run and keep the game within striking distance.
After being down by as many as 5 points in the third quarter, we refused to let the game slip away. There were multiple lead changes all through the 4th quarter which set the stage for a nail-biting finish. At the final siren, we were tied at 44 – 44, and we found ourselves going into overtime.
Although we weren’t able to take the win, there were many positives which we can build on. The girls should all be commended for their unwavering effort and fighting spirit.
Alyssa Rullo and Molly Nicholas both had big games offensively, scoring 22 and 18 points respectively and their defensive pressure led to many defensive stops.

14-4 Girls – Rori Roberts (sponsored by Habitat Finance)

Lost to Lakeside 31-66

Coach comments

Coming into this game, we knew things wouldn’t be easy. The ladder leaders have multiple skilled players at every position, particularly the guards who pressure the ball all game long.
We started slowly, but the girls were able to make some key adjustments to our press breaker on the fly, which worked really well in our favour giving us an almost even second half. The deficit from the first half was too much to claw back from, though, so while we went down fighting, Lakeside was ultimately too tough for us.
Stevie Brehaut had the best game I’ve seen her play in two years. She played a key role in the press breaker and weaved through with a solid dribble when the time was right and was rewarded with a team high 8 points.
Allegra Care was a dynamo on D and swished a deep two at a crucial time, which helped shift the momentum in our favour.
Jana Djurasovic boxed out and rebounded well, which included a fantastic offensive board putback.

14-1 Boys – Ben Hamilton (sponsored by Geist Consulting)

Won against Willetton Blue 86-57

Coach comments

This was our toughest game so far, with both teams undefeated after three rounds. Like in previous weeks, we started well but couldn’t quite shake them until an intense two-minute period late in the first, during which we went on an 11-0 run that really set up our win.
The Willetton team applied considerable pressure, which caused many turnovers, but our transition defence limited them to two fast-break lay-ups for the game, which was especially pleasing given our focus on this area.
Seb Doyle was incredibly effective at punishing his opponent at the hoop, and when they took that away, he nailed three 3-pointers. He also picked up 8 rebounds and showed extra effort on defence to cap off a great game.
Zeke Brian had his best game of the season so far. Often, the first one back to stop or slow their offence through great footwork and always putting his body on the line for the stop. His dribble penetration troubled the opposition and his dishes to open team-mates were the perfect ‘extra’ pass.
Texas Tierney continues to impress with his contribution to this team. His amazing work ethic pays off, and his hard running is the perfect example of our ‘first-up, first-back’ team principle. Amongst everything else he is doing, he is also sitting fourth on the division’s scoring list. What a great start to the season, Tex!

14-2 Boys – Fletcher Clemmence (sponsored by Ponosh Vascular)

Lost to Rockingham 79-55

Coach comments

Tough game that the boys can learn from. Hustle was great in the fourth quarter – we just need to continue that momentum into the next game
George Ryan saw increased minutes this week due to injury and unavailability and more than held his own. He played some great defence and protected the basketball, which has been a key skill we have mentioned for him to develop his game.
Aidan Ung also saw increased minutes this week and made a big impact with them.

14-3 Boys – Brad Holyoak (sponsored by Westbeck Capital)

Won against Mandurah 90-30

Coach comments

We started like we got shot out a cannon and piled on 24 quick points while playing defence like a bunch of marauding pirates 🏴‍☠️ Our attack on the ball was first-rate. Combined with our white-hot shooting, we won all quarters and ran out a comfortable victory.
Mr Everywhere, Beau Morgan, played like he was possessed – hard-nosed defence and 6 threes.
Mr Dependable Nathan Jetajobe racked up 18 points and 15+ rebounds.
Mr Quiet Achiever Ollie Colangelo was slick with his threes, solid defence and awesome threading of the needle passing. It was a joy to watch.

14-4 Boys – Ethan Saliacus (sponsored by Skyward Roof Plumbing)

Won against Slammers 57-33

Coach comments (Rhys Fode)

The game reflected the improvements we’ve been making at training. Our defence was the best it’s been all season as the players stayed in front, not reaching and staying in their stance. Our ball movement improved once again and rebounding which has been steady for a couple of weeks continued.
Kai Atfield had a great game – he found some of the shooting touch we know he has, and his defence staying in front was great to see on top of all the little things he does each week
Tristan Leslie found his scoring this week and was making much better decisions and being a pest on defence

16-1 Girls – Sam Fox (sponsored by Sushi Wawa)

Lost to Perry Lakes 52-66

Coach comments

This was a tough loss. We went back and forth in the lead until just before the half where a lapse in our press break led to 10 quick points for the Hawks. We fought back a number of times, but the momentum was with the Hawks, and we got badly out-rebounded. We have learning to do, but we will put the pieces together. It’s just a matter of when.
Salma Rahmadawi gave excellent effort on D is showing awesome growth in O.
Millie Stancil and Lola Bingwa both brought intense pressure and attacked all game.
Leeshar Tuialli led us offensively with a season-high 24 and fought hard throughout.

16-2 Girls – Vance Karimi (sponsored by Packaging Perth)

Won against Rockingham 71-30

Coach comments

The girls had a great win this week, and to top it off, Liv Wedikkarra and Mya Slee played their 50th games. We took a couple of injuries with Liv rolling her ankle early and Izzy falling on her elbow towards the end of the game. Fingers crossed both are minor.
Interesting stats – we outscored the Flames by a factor of 3 in the first and a couple shy of a factor of 5 in the third. The girls are starting to realise how ‘defence wins games’ and by constantly working in O and D, you wear teams down. And if they maintain that pressure for all four quarters, they’re in it every week.
This week, we found good scoring opportunities with naturally good spacing and movement. We pushed the ball with good pace in our transition offence, had second and third opportunities with offensive rebounds and were impressive with mid-range and and inside shots.
Izzy Swann and Charlie Foster were outstanding in containing players and aggressively denying everything possible. These girls make split-second decisions and are learning to take risks where it matters, causing turnovers and opportunities for other players.
Bella Kahl had a cracker of a game. She blocked shots, protected the paint by helping and walling up, and read the offensive rebounds really well to clean up the boards.
Mya Slee had a really strong game. She attacked the basket with really good reads, had fantastic movement off the ball to find space, and finished strong at the basket.
Paige Wigmore was great in defence and offense. She’s contesting the entry ball in the paint to cause turnovers, working hard in the paint to pull down offensive rebounds for put-back opportunities.

16-3 Girls – Dave Ogden (sponsored by Kai Rho Consulting)

Won against Eastern Suns 83-25

Coach comments

Due to injury, we only had 7 fit players for this game. All 7 came out with a hard-working mindset to record a dominating win. We hit 80 for the first time this season which was a pre-season goal for us.
We defended in the half court with 7 players, and when asked to go full court at the backend of quarters, the girls were able to adapt to the changes immediately, and our press looked as good as it had all season.
Summer Chalder built on last week’s game and had a breakout 23 points, including 3 three-pointers.
Abigail Leslie was influential in all aspects of the game and continues to grow as a leader in our team.
Talia Tzotzis and Matisse Guy both showed the potential to be disruptive defenders and 2-way players.

16-4 Girls – Marcia Dowling (sponsored by Professional Web Solutions)

Won against Cockburn 58-42

Coach comments

Introducing myself to the team half an hour before the game proved no problem for this talented group of girls. They really committed to working together, and communication between them was profitable throughout the whole game. Even giving them a “new” instruction didn’t phase them – they responded so well on and off the court.
Alessia Wladyka was everywhere on the court. Her high-level game IQ and skills were vital to this team.
Emily Flynn and Meg White offensively controlled shots and assists
Nadia Slee and Macaela Tugwell were defensively a menace to the Flames

16-1 Boys – Mitch Jesson (sponsored by DLA Piper)

Won against Joondalup 109-71

Coach comments

We set ourselves a goal to win this game well so we can enter a challenging couple of games with our confidence high. We were also without Jaden Exeter, so that was a double-double that we had to cover.
We started fast and never really looked back. We won all key statistical groups with rebounds (+19) and steals (+12). Pleasantly, our turnovers were a season low.
Most importantly, we were respectful and enjoyed the fact that our opponents never quit, and their highest-scoring quarter was the last. Well done Joondalup.
Mark Sunkar is a quiet, well-mannered player who has been very reluctant to shoot in games. After a team chat, he was challenged to bring his training form into the actual game. 12 points (@56%), 1x three-pointer (1/1), 8 boards, 2 assists, 4 steals, and a block = mission accomplished.
Cooper Hewer had quite the day out with a double-double of 17 points (@42%), 12 boards, 6 assists and 3 steals. I’m really proud of the 6 assists – bringing teammates into the game is a huge step forward.
Tait Dalton was asked to shoulder a bigger load with one big missing (Jaden) and another coming off an illness. Tait competed for every ball, was a massive target on offense and added presence to our interior defence. All of this and still managed to add 11 points at 50%, 8 boards and 2 steals to his own stat line.

16-2 Boys – Dan Cartwright (sponsored by Triple Seven)

Lost to Rockingham 70-81

Coach comments

We had 2 big pieces to our team injured, and they were missed for sure in this game. We kept the margin to within 6 points that whole game, but in the end, we just couldn’t get the job done. Despite this, we played really good team basketball and had a lot of growth this game. I’m very proud of the effort the boys put out on the floor.
Jalen Dunstan was a stand out for us, being unguardable in the post and was a rebounding beast. Honestly, the whole team lifted this game, and I commend all 10 players who played on the weekend. I’m very proud of everybody for playing hard and stepping up.

16-3 Boys – Francis Crawshaw (sponsored by Teqar IT Consulting)

Won against Rockingham 102-74

Coach comments

We started off strong with a 16-4 run – defence and hustle set the tone, getting up in the passing lanes for easy steals and transition layups.
Rockingham played a zone, and we drew up a few zone offenses, which we hadn’t spent much time on at training, but the boys executed pretty well – hit open shooter, short corners and hi/low action.
Our transition offense was really good – we have been working a lot on getting up the floor for this. Although we are still a little bit lacking the other way with our transition defense.
Our rebounding was much better than the previous weeks, and our interior defense was good too – help the helper rotations, walling up especially. We need to defend better on post entry and cutters, 3/4 deny.
Everyone contributed getting on the floor, great game for development and learning.
Yat Gatwech, our train on, played well, grabbing rebounds and blocking shots, using his length in the side of the key, and scoring his first WABL points.
Macen Ridge also helped protect the paint all game.
James Galvin and Kimzy Matondo top scored for us again with 34 and 25 points.

16-4 Boys – Cheyne Kerp (sponsored by Perth Safety Deposit Boxes)

Lost to Slammers Blue 50-67

Coach comments

This was a frustrating game for the boys. Uncharacteristically, we missed a lot of layups, especially in the 2nd quarter (only scoring 4 points) and shots close to the basket. We shot approx 30% from the field, which wasn’t ideal and well below par for us. We also generated 5 extra shots than the other team. If we had shot well and been composed with the ball it would have been a win.
Congrats to Joaquin Imperial on notching his 50th game for the Club. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get him the win. Joaquin had his highest-scoring game with 11.
Well done to Louis Daniel and Aaron Kerp. Louis kept persisting even though shots were not dropping, racking up 12 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.
Aaron played his best game so far, grabbing a few rebounds and scoring 8 points while shooting 57% from the field.

18-1 Girls – Shaun Alvar (sponsored by Aussie Fencing)

Lost to Perry Lakes 29-104

Coach comments

We played a very strong Hawks side, and while we were in the game at quarter time, over the course of the game, the unavailability of key players showed. Thanks to Steph from the U18-2 and Leeshae, Lemafa and Madison from the U16-1 for filling in for us.
Matilda Thomson, Kate Anderson and Jenna Jackson tried hard all game.

18-2 Girls – Steve Herring (sponsored by MD Building Maintenance)

Won against East Perth 78-37

Coach comments

Another cracking start to get early points. There was really strong team-focused play with excellent ball movement in transition, which was only possible by dominating the boards in defence. The third quarter saw some of the best basketball this team has ever played, keeping EP scoreless—an amazing effort. EP found some shooting form in the fourth, but not enough to stop us from winning every quarter and chalking the big “W.” Superb effort for the team.
This week, it is difficult to separate individual performance from team achievement – everyone could be mentioned.
Matilda Wyatt and Amina Handule demonstrated superior positioning and work under the boards with Amina demonstrating some amazing athleticism.
Lilliana Flynn stepped up and performed some great isolation defence to effectively break up the flow of the opposition’s offense.

18-3 Girls – Andy Zell (sponsored by High Octane Automotive Services)

Lost to East Perth 66-52

Coach comments

This week we experienced our first away game against Eagles Blue. We arrived full of confidence, energy and enthusiasm. Although we didn’t get the ‘W’, I was proud of our four-quarter defensive effort, creating heaps of turnovers and steals. We rebounded well and created many chances, although our finishing in transition and free throw percentage let us down. Unfortunately, a few of our key players experienced foul trouble early in the game that impacted our ability to control the tempo when we needed to.
I was particularly proud of Emily Strika’s effort this week. She drove to the basket with confidence, played strong defence and wasn’t intimidated by the Eagles’ full-court press.
Mei Ling Wang was excellent this week with her defensive pressure and hustle off the bench. She contested the ball on the floor three times, took some excellent shots and played excellent defence on her direct opponent.
Strong contributions were made across the team, including Yusra Handule and Alice Inman who stepped up to support Indy who was in early foul trouble.

18-1 Boys – Andrew Logan

Won against Joondalup 91-83

Coach comments

We battled all day with Joondalup. They were a tough side to play, making a high percentage of their threes but we remained in touch heading into the last change. We stepped our defence up and broke the game open in the 4th gaining a lead of 15 points before Joondalup pulled back the deficit in garbage time. Our boys did exceptionally well to keep their heads when the whistle was not going their way.
Jude Garbenis was electric in the 4th locking down their guard and causing turnovers leading to easy transition baskets for us
Alex Pardini had a solid game. He prioritises the right play over any selfish ambitions. His calm defence and ability to move the ball played a key part in the victory for us.

18-2 Boys – Marshall Robinson (sponsored by Integrity Fencing and Gates)

Lost to Warwick 73-76

Coach comments

After a slow start, we clawed back over the last 3 quarters to be 1 point down with 40 seconds to go. Great to see the team start to pull together
Ethan Harders was dependable as ever
Mikka Kelly continues to improve and teammates find him open.
Ethan Bushby had a rough start, made some adjustments and led us back to within 1 point at the end with offensive poise and defensive attack. Well done

18-3 Boys – Louis Timms (sponsored by Icon Plumbing Solutions)

Won against Willetton 88-72

Coach comments

Ben Galvin was outstanding with 23 points. He came with a real desire and sense of energy that became infectious to the rest of the team.
Jay Hazell was excellent with 21 and shot the 3-ball very well
Michael Ryan, Zac Anfuso and Jack Ryder were solid contributors as well – especially on the defensive end.
Mitch Kensett-Smith had an impressive shooting performance hitting some NBA range 3s.

18-4 Boys – Nick D’Elia (sponsored by Mortgage Choice – Emma Tyler)

Won against Lakeside 77-66

Coach comments

This week we started out a little bit sloppy. Our defense was really lacking and our shots just were not dropping. Skill-wise we were clearly the better team however something was missing. We held a small lead at halftime. After a passionate halftime rant from assistant coach Jordan, our defence tightened up, and we started playing as a team. The lead ballooned out to 10 points in the first 2 minutes of the second half, and finally, we were rolling. A few errors crept in towards the end of the game, and to the credit of the opposition, they didn’t give up and cut into our lead. But we still won by a comfortable 10-point margin.
Hamza Elmi demonstrated great offensive rebounding.
Zadyn Thomas brought great defense
It was a gutsy game from Gabe Fode who was still the fastest player on the court even though he rolled his ankle a few days before

21-1 Girls – John Care’ (sponsored by Fine Food WA)

Lost to Perry Lakes 50-64

Coach comments

This was going to be a tough but winnable game, and after a slow start, the girls did a great job of staying within 9 points at the quarter. At one stage, after a 15-point blowout, we were able to bring it back within 2 points and apply enough pressure onto Perry Lakes.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t string buckets together, and Perry Lakes made us pay with some sharp outside shooting. However, the girls played their best game of the season, and we continue to build from this.
Hayley Shaw was a strong threat on the court in both offense and defence, creating chaos for Perry Lakes to try and stop her.
Sagal Elmi also played a great game in her second game back with 9pts.

20-1 Boys – Graham Jones (sponsored by Bendigo Bank Community Bank North Perth)

Lost to Perry Lakes 66-91

Coach comments

Following last week’s uplifting victory, we entered this week’s game with high hopes for another positive outcome. The pre-game atmosphere was charged with determination, as the players warmed up with an intensity that promised maximum effort.
The game began on a high note with our team demonstrating strong defensive skills and fluid ball movement, which initially left the opposition struggling to maintain pace. Despite this, we narrowly lost two of the first three quarters, but the small margin underscored our potential to control the game.
Entering the fourth quarter with optimism, our performance unexpectedly dipped. We allowed the opposition too much space and freedom in the paint, which shifted the momentum significantly. Offensively, we became stagnant, playing into the hands of our opponents and straying from the play that marked our earlier efforts and the game slowly slipped from our reach. Despite the disappointing finish, there were undeniable glimmers of potential throughout the game that we can harness and expand upon.
Looking ahead, it’s clear we have foundational strengths to build on, particularly our early-game defence and ball movement. Continuing to work hard on these aspects will be crucial as we aim to refine our performance and achieve the progress we know we’re capable of this season.
Ethan Saliacus once again proved to be a cornerstone for our team, delivering a solid performance on both ends of the court. Ethan worked tirelessly, coming just one point shy of a double-double. His commitment and ability to impact the game across the board continue to make him a vital part of our squad.
Francis Toovey made the most of his minutes on the court, grabbing four rebounds and scoring five points. His ability to seize the opportunity and contribute effectively in limited time on the floor was impressive, and it showed that he is ready to step up whenever called upon.
In his first start, Akia Rowe-Fox demonstrated excellent ball handling and decision-making, with no turnovers throughout the game. While he was cautious this time, we are hopeful that Akia will take a more aggressive approach in future matches as he gains confidence and experience.

20-2 Boys – Dario Povia (sponsored by Bendigo Bank Community Bank North Perth)

Lost to Warwick 74-111

Coach comments

This week, we faced a very disciplined team, and any lapse in defensive structure was quickly exploited.
The boys started well and used their speed in transition to keep within striking distance up to half-time.
Hamish Elder was a real weapon in offense, both with his driving and three-pointers. He was an equal top scorer, along with Benji Berardis, who displayed his usual tenacity in offense, both inside and outside the paint.
Oliver Hill and Riley Ford put their bodies on the line in defence and were effective in shutting down some of the more “physical” opponents.
The challenge for the boys is to play our brand of basketball for the whole four quarters.