12-1 Girls – Olivia Weddikara (sponsored by Visa4You Migration Agency)
Lost against Mandurah 33-53
Coach comments
- The girls managed to keep their cool the whole game while keeping Mandurah’s score down.
- Our defence was very strong, and our offence continues to improve.
- Hazel really impressed me again today. She’s a calm, confident ball handler and is very comfortable using her body both defensively and offensively.
- Amelia dove on every single loose ball and didn’t give up once. That girl never runs out of energy and is getting much better at using her speed to her advantage.
- Jem once again was a trooper in defence and is starting to really understand off-ball movement and ways to get open.
12-2 Girls – Dave Power (sponsored by RocketDNA)
Lost against Lightning 28-59
Coach comments
- We started the game very well with lots of early opportunities. Up 7-0 in the first 4–5 minutes, we showed that if we play good on-ball defence and stay sharp offensively, we can get good looks at the rim. Unlucky not to be up by as much as 20–0.
- Lakeside forced transition turnovers and were able to convert a high clip.
- We competed the whole game and took away positives from the patches we were able to control the game. Good effort.
- Daisy Robertson gave us great energy and a spark, helping control the middle third of the floor, getting the ball up and creating defensive stops.
- Myla Small was able to get around 6-8 good looks in transition, showing the level of offensive threat she could be for us over the next few weeks.
12-3 Girls – Paul Philpott (sponsored byInternational Commissioning Solutions Group Pty Ltd)
Won against Suns 30-32
Coach comments
- Wow what a clencher! Nevertheless… another beautiful day in the Redbacks neighbourhood.
- The Suns really gave us a run for our money, keeping us scoreless in the second quarter. Our awesome girls dug deep today to produce some fine basketball. Strong up-close defence ✅, turnovers ✅, transitions ✅ and spirit strong ✅.
- Today was a demonstration that teamwork is the fuel, and at just the right time, we lit the match.
- Matilda Marsland was clearly visible (to us) today, creating excellent space down low and allowing herself to put up a couple of shots.
- Both Zara Wang and Tliyah Gordon were powerhouses under the ring, boxing out well and dominating the paint.
- Whilst it was an incredibly close game, our very own Jean Grayson dropped the magical dime that put us up by 2 points to take out a hard-fought game.
- Some teams want it to happen, some wish it would happen, today, we made it happen!
12-4 Girls – Indiana Ballantine (sponsored by Bruining Partners and John Hughes Ford)
Won against Hills 26-18
Coach comments
- This week was by far the girls’ best performance of the season, winning by 8 points against a team they previously lost to by 20. The girls worked together exceptionally well, displaying everything we have been working on throughout training.
- Shoutout to Layla, who dominated under the basket, pulling down rebounds and hustling to get intercepts and deflections.
- Mila S did an amazing job sticking with their big and keeping her scoreless the entire game. She showed incredible resilience when they started to get physical.
- Gwyn showed consistent speed and agility, going after loose balls and causing plenty of turnovers, which gave us opportunities to score. She was constantly applying pressure to the ball carrier and using her voice to throw them off.
12-1 Boys – Wayne Dropulich (sponsored by SLS Advisory)
Lost against Lightning 53-76
12-2 Boys – Adam Gunnis (sponsored by KPS BUILDING GROUP and PlanWA)
Won against Perry Lakes 66-49
12-3 Boys – Mason Wigmore (sponsored by Victory Technologies Pty Ltd and Stanley Ag WA)
BYE (10,000,000-0)
Coach comments
The bye simply couldn’t handle us, we made them look silly out there, a completely dominant performance.
12-4 Boys – Charlize Nicolaou (sponsored by Float Docks)
Lost against Suns 82-43
Coach comments
- Suns are the undefeated team in our division this season. They came out hard and tough, and the boys matched their intensity for the majority of the game, but they showed why they are the undefeated team in our league.
- The boys played their hardest the entire game, and we ended up losing by less than we did the first time we matched up against them. Jackson and I are very happy with the boys’ effort in this game.
- Brendan was our top scorer this game, pushing hard in offence, defence and transition. He played his absolute hardest, and it showed not only on the scoreboard but off as well.
- Teo played a tough game, consistently defending the taller players of the opposition as we have quite a short team. He did it with absolute control and confidence! He was also moving well and creating space in offence, which allowed his teammates to score.
- Levi was creating space in offence, allowing his teammates to score again and again throughout the game. He was also rebounding at both ends against players twice his size and winning 9/10 times. His confidence has grown so much since Game 1 of the season!
12-5 Boys – Craig Dropulich (sponsored by Ganjing World)
Won against Rockingham 38-34
Coach comments
- We had a slow start getting behind by 6, we managed to collect ourselves to finish the quarter up by 2. It was a very exciting game as the boys brought a lot of energy and intensity so we could be up 1 at half time and trailing by 2 at three quarter time.
- The boys’ ability to put their foot down in the final minutes and get the job done was spectacular, granting us our first set of back to back wins.
- Our defense was the most pleasing part of the day, as the boys are finally understanding how to operate team defense and the amount of pressure they must meet with each player.
- Aarav Singh Chouhan has really switched on and is understanding what is needed of him on court, highlighted by his amazing offensive determination which led to a massive scoring production for the team, scoring 17 points.
- Felix Kai Chwan Tan may not have been as much of an offensive threat as he usually is but his defense this week was outstanding, the courage he shows to put body on the line whether that be in a one on one or in the rebounding contest is something very hard to come by. Well done Felix.
14-1 Girls – Rori Roberts (sponsored by National Geotech)
Won against Willetton 52-46
Coach comments
- Another great win for the girls. We are moving in a great direction heading into finals, and I’m super excited to see how far this team can go.
- All game, the girls listened to instructions and stayed on the same page. We changed up our defence a lot, so seeing it all come together was amazing. We moved the ball incredibly well, giving up a good shot for a great shot.
- In Kate McKern’s 50th game, she was ready to play. She was strong on the rebounds and had lots of confidence to put the ball back up. She also protected the keyway really well, changing multiple shots.
- Overall, this was a great team win!
14-2 Girls – Whitney Perret (sponsored by Accelerate Blue)
Won against Lightning 48-44
Coach comments
- It was very close for the entire game, and we did well to attack the basket and put pressure on their ball carriers.
- Our defence on the ball and off has been getting better and better. We almost put ourselves under pressure at the end of the game, but we took a moment to compose ourselves and get the win.
- Elly was fantastic at getting to the basket, nailed most of her free throws and a number of put backs. She top scored for both teams and did an amazing job at being aggressive and looking after the ball.
- Zoe’s defence on the point guard was amazing. She made it really hard for them to get going and score. Her defence was crucial in keeping their scoring opportunities at bay.
- Maddy did a fantastic job at helping early, boxing out and crashing the boards.
14-3 Girls – Matt Bailey (sponsored by Crothers Pty Ltd)
Won against Warwick 50-59
Coach comments
- We got off to a great start and were able to withstand a handful of runs.
- We looked great getting out and running in transition, which led to 78% of our shots coming in the paint.
- Sophie Nichols handled a challenging game with great poise and maturity.
- Sabrina King was very efficient from the field, with an eFG% of 66.7.
14-4 Girls – Bryn Arnold (sponsored by Mount Hawthorn Clinical Psychology)
Won against Hills 46-25
Coach comments
- Coming up against a team we’d already had two close losses to, we had a point to prove. The girls showed just how much they’ve improved, delivering their most complete performance of the season with an outstanding team effort that resulted in a comfortable win.
- Our defence across the second and third quarters was exceptional, holding the opposition to just five points.
- Katie Cross was outstanding today, turning defence into offence on multiple occasions.
- Harriet Joyce had her best game of the season playing with better control and working hard on defence.
- Caitlin Lim was a welcome return with her ball handling and aggressive nature on offence.
- Millie Kavanagh and Indiana Arnold both showed how much they have improved with some great work on both sides of the ball.
14-1 Boys – Dave Ogden (sponsored by Global Cabling)
Won against Lakeside 48-47
Coach comments
- Another game, another tight finish. The boys beat the 2nd-place Lightning, coming from behind at half-time. It was a game where both teams’ defences had the better of the contest, and some old-school grit and looking after the ball won the day.
- The lads have beaten the two top sides by a point in the last two weeks and are building nicely into the finals.
- Eli D gave us some critical buckets when we needed them, shooting a clean 2 from 4 from 3 and managing to stay on the court for the whole game!
- Maz T had a season high rebound count, and if he can build on that heading into the finals, it will go a long way towards helping this team win one.
- In the 3rd quarter, when the team rallied, Ned T gave us some energy and life with some key buckets and a really nice assist.
- Victor M also had a huge 2nd half in a different lineup to what he normally plays with and stood out as a leader.
- Ollie L accepted the challenge I gave him at half-time and lifted his work rate against bigger opposition. His determination to win was clear and was rewarded with the chance to hit the winning free throw – which he did!
14-2 Boys – Craig Dropulich (sponsored by M & T Gomm Pty Ltd ATF Gomm Family Trust T/As Customised Metal Works)
Won against Rockingham 68-65
Coach comments
- We found a different way to win this week, which was fantastic for our development. We played our game for three quarters, then had to hold out in the 4th against an aggressive team with momentum.
- We made some errors but managed to defuse their comeback and the panic we had at some stages. It was a good learning lesson under pressure and a reminder of why we cannot coast along thinking the game is going our way.
- Julian Morris dominated on the boards and was incredibly efficient with his scoring. Julian is starting to use his body more effectively under the basket and is understanding how much this can assist him.
- Quinn Gomm, now fully fit, is showing all the great traits of a shooting guard and off-guard. His ability to knock the ball out of the hands of good dribblers is excellent, and his finishing ability is at a high level.
14-3 Boys – Dom Pitchen (sponsored by Candy Verse)
Lost against Slammers 53-56
Coach comments
- Sunday’s match was a true testament to the boys’ growth over the course of the season. Their work rate and determination were excellent from start to finish.
- While factors beyond our control meant we didn’t walk away with the win, their resilience and heart were unbeatable.
- Tyler was a strong, steady presence who kept us calm and coordinated all game. His court vision consistently created great scoring opportunities for both himself and his teammates. Defensively, he anchored the floor and executed his assignments to perfection. Outstanding work, Ty!
- Elliot was a powerhouse on defense, executing his assignment flawlessly from start to finish. Offensively, he did a fantastic job pushing the pace and opening up high quality opportunities for the rest of the team.
14-4 Boys – Caitlin Rawes (sponsored by Crothers Pty Ltd)
Won against Hills 41-57
16-1 Girls – Nigel Esau (sponsored by Xceed Real Estate)
Lost against Perry Lakes 51-67
16-2 Girls – Reid Ballantine (sponsored by Access Hire)
Lost against Suns 37-58
Coach comments
- Many thanks to Assistant Coach Troy stepping up to the challenge and flying solo today. A particularly challenging day. The girls got a little tangled up in Q3, but found a way to fight back in Q4.
- Congratulations Sasha Kuan playing her 100th game. Sasha has regularly showcased her silky basketball style this year and has been ramping up her impact on defense. Hopefully game 101 is a ripper!
- Great to see Harper Grace string a few really strong games together. Another solid rebounding game and 13 points to go with it.
16-3 Girls – Geoff Alger (sponsored by Habitat Finance)
Lost against Mandurah 42-56
Coach comments
- As a 2v3 game near the end of the season, this was an important game, so it was disappointing to come up short as our opponents forced some tough looks and our finishing efficiency was lower than we’d like.
- What wasn’t disappointing was our overall effort and bench support. Our defensive focus was there, with an excellent job done to restrict two of the league’s top scorers, along with a really strong effort on the boards that helped keep the game close throughout.
- While not the result we wanted, this game and another tough fixture next week against the ladder leaders make for really good preparation for our returning squad members as we head into finals.
- Winnie Devitt has been out with injury for a few weeks and made up for the missed games in style. Seeing her flying around the court with her trademark energy was a welcome sight. She was one player who didn’t struggle to finish, using her pace in the open court and on the drive, complemented nicely by some lovely footwork to step past help defenders and finish with poise.
- Eloise Clince is always a positive influence in everything she does on the court, and this week was no exception. She was consistently in the right places at both ends of the floor. On ball and off ball defence, walling up on help outs, winning contested boards against bigger players, running the lanes hard, safely advancing the ball under pressure and consistently making good team decisions in offence – she absolutely did it all and gave her all.
16-4 Girls – Ashley Brian (sponsored by Realth Property Group)
Lost against Kalamunda 56-60
Coach comments
- After a 2 point win the last time we played this Kalamunda team, we knew this game was going to be a tough one and unfortunately for us, it was their turn to go home with a win.
- We started well with some great full court pressure, but they worked it out quickly and had an uncanny ability to finish under pressure at the rim in transition.
- In her 50th game, Bianca Bajin was fantastic at keeping the opposition on their toes with her constant attack on the basket. She finished with 22 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 deflections, 4 steals and 2 blocks.
- Jana Djurasovic was solid in defense and once again hit a crucial late three that gave us a sniff at winning. She finished with 3 points, 11 rebounds, 1 deflection, 2 steals and 4 blocks.
- Lily Yin had some massive moments in this game including a late baseline shot that kept us right in the contest. Lily finished with 6 points, 4 rebounds, 5 deflections, 3 steals and a block.
16-1 Boys – Cameron Redhead (sponsored by Geist Consulting)
Lost against Perry Lakes 73-105
16-2 Boys – Francis Crawshaw (sponsored by F45 Victoria Park)
Lost against Suns 65-67
16-3 Boys –Vance Karimi (sponsored by School Bus Logistics Pty Ltd)
Lost against Hills 55-84
Coach comments
- It was a tough game this week. We did reasonably well with our individual and team defence right up until the last few minutes, when the pressure started to get to us.
- Our opponent’s full court press generally wasn’t an issue but it did lead to enough turnovers to make the difference.
- When we pushed the ball up court with pace and spacing, we found great advantages through passing and cuts.
- We did struggle to find advantages against the 2-3 zone to get into the paint, while our perimeter shots were off target, despite being open and well-timed.
- Leo played a hard defensive assignment and brought next-level physicality to lock down their big, which was a great contest.
- Rhys had a good game and, while unusually not nailing his 3s, he found great weak-side backdoor cuts and pace in transition.
- Kruz was difficult to beat when he stepped up on the ball and took on their primary ball handler, forcing his opponent to have little impact.
16-4 Boys – Oliver March (sponsored by Rangecon)
Lost against Hills 73-65
18-1 Girls – Shaun Bennison (sponsored by Strike Drilling)
Lost against Perry Lakes 67-69
Coach comments
- Round 15 saw us up against Perry Lakes Hawks, who were eager to avenge their loss to us back in Round 6.
- We had the perfect start and set the tone early with our defensive pressure, converting on some of their turnovers we were able to force.
- True to form, Hawks battled back and settled into their game – which relied heavily on some of their bigs who put a lot of pressure on our glass.
- A slow 2nd quarter saw us down by as much as 13, but a spirited come back in the 2nd half put us back in a position to take the game.
- The game came down to the wire at the end of the 4th, Mafa Tuialii put us ahead by 1 with 43secs left but Perry Lakes came down and hit a 3 to go ahead.
- A costly coaching decision out of our last timeout proved to be the difference, the Hawks hanging on to take the chocolates.
- An unfortunate end for us given the girls worked so hard to put ourselves in a position to win.
- Kaia Rukuata is x-factor and has the ability to turn a game on its head. The start of our runs are typically off the back of her picking pockets and going coast to coast to score.
- Madi Makavilitogia was relentless in the paint and battled all game long with the Hawks bigs. Her aggressive mindset to attack was pivotal in sitting some of their bigs for extended periods due to foul trouble.
- Mafa Tuialii put her body on the line multiple times throughout this one. Whether it be diving on the floor for loose balls or stepping up to take charge (current season leader in charges taken) – she is willing to do what is needed, when needed for the team.
- Finally, a shoutout out to our bench squad and sideline supporters who were loud and vocal when it mattered most. The girls on the floor took energy from the enthusiasm and encouragement coming from the sidelines.
18-2 Girls – Simon Daff (sponsored by West Coast Reinforcing)
Won against Eagles 53-46
Coach comments
- It’s been a very interesting time for us since the break. We had a lot of momentum, but since the break we have struggled to find that consistent flow again. In saying that, good teams find a way to win in scrappy games. We shot poorly, but as we always do, we found a way to win and remain in 2nd spot heading into finals.
- Halle Griffiths has had an excellent 2nd half of the year. As a coach, all we want to see is effort and a desire to get better. Halle is really starting to round out her game, and she was rewarded with 12 points in this game.
- Arabella Kahl is back to her best after a thumb injury had hampered her over the last few weeks. As a big, she continues to run the floor hard, rebound at a high level and provide scoring when we need it.
- Big congrats to Lottie Ballentine, who played her 100th game! It’s been really nice seeing her confidence come back this year.
18-3 Girls – Marcia Dowling (sponsored by PWS Group and John Hughes Ford)
Lost against Mandurah 66-72
Coach comments
- Mandurah did not know what hit them this round! Although we lost by 6 (previous match-up, we lost by 30), the Magic team were stunned in the first quarter. This was overall our best team game yet this season, with consistent defensive pressure across the court and strong offensive drives and shot choices.
18-4 Girls – Mark Wigmore (sponsored by PWS Group and John Hughes Ford)
Lost against Cougars 88-27
Coach comments
- Our girls came into this game knowing it was our last regular season game with a bye to finish off next week.
- They played like they had nothing to lose, really taking it up to the undefeated Cockburn team in the first half.
- Great effort from everyone and great spirit from the bench. We managed to keep the score to 30-14 at half-time.
- Great on ball defence from Charlotte Dillon and Gracie Nash. Strong help defence from Sienna Care and Chelsea Ferris helped us keep Cockburn to just 30 points at half time.
- The second half got away from us as Cockburn really stepped up the pressure in the 3rd quarter. Hannah Hung stepped up during this quarter with some of our main ball handlers struggling, absorbing strong contact and acting as a connector between our backcourt and frontcourt.
- Jamie Thysse and Zoe Viesca battled hard as always to give us options on offence, but unfortunately this was another game where our finishing at the rim as a team let us down.
- Thanks to all the girls for consistent effort all season in fighting through difficult games.
18-1 Boys – Adam Gunnis (sponsored by IML Group and John Hughes Ford)
Lost against Perry Lakes 89-109
18-2 Boys – Dan Cartwright (sponsored by Aviso WA Insurance Brokers and Signifi Media Pty Ltd)
Won against Lightning 85-74
18-3 Boys – Helen Pardini (sponsored by OCR Projects)
Lost against Wolves 69-64
18-4 Boys – Jess Tiwade (sponsored by Retriever Sound Events Dj.)
Won against Flames 76-65
21 Girls – Shaun Bennison (sponsored by Freeman Chiropractic)
Won against Hawks 107-44
Coach comments
- It was a great game, and we played until the end, which showed on the scoreboard. Everyone played a role, and we are understanding our roles and spacing really well. Keeping the foot down was the highlight and something we have been working on.
- Blaise and Dakota shot well, with Hannah grabbing rebounds and all the girls pushing the pace of the game.
20-1 Boys – John Foley (sponsored by Bodytune Massage and Sports Therapies)
Lost against Wolves 109-64
20-2 Boys – Ofir Ben Dror (sponsored by Meyer Shircore Architects)
Won against Binar 104-102
Coach comments
- An unbelievable game. Never in the game did one team lead by more than 5-10 points, physical, brilliant skills, a true joy to watch.
- We have played and beaten Binar three times this year and never won by more than 4 points. We will get them in the first round of finals and it genuinely could be anyone’s game.
- Binar are extremely well coached, their players are hard but fair, an extremely welcome addition to the the WABL system.
- Cuba Brian and Jay Hazell were nothing short of amazing. Both clocking up 30 points on the offensive end and working tirelessly on D. Both of them have worked extremely hard on their game throughout the season and continue to reap the rewards.
- Semika Mudalige came off the bench giving us another tall presence on D and scoring a handy 11 points. I was extremely please for him after missing two thirds of the season to injury.