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THE Goldfields Giants have won their opening game of the 2018 Men’s SBL season beating the Kalamunda Eastern Suns by 19 points at Ray Owen Sports Centre on Sunday.

The Giants, under new coach Scott Rubery, had lost their opening six games of the season including on Saturday night to the defending champion Perth Redbacks, but they broke their duck on Sunday.

It was the only game on Sunday in the SBL and it saw the Goldfields Giants defeat the Kalamunda Eastern Suns 118-99.

Round 6 began with three matches on Friday night that saw the Perry Lakes Hawks beat the Stirling Senators 90-77, the Joondalup Wolves defeat the Cockburn Cougars 95-65 and the Rockingham Flames down the East Perth Eagles 95-83.

There were then another three matches on Saturday night with the Perth Redbacks beating the Goldfields Giants 83-69, the Geraldton Buccaneers defeating the Lakeside Lightning 101-75 and the Rockingham Flames prevailing 122-82 over the South West Slammers.

SATURDAY NIGHT MEN’S SBL RECAP – WEEK 6 
FRIDAY NIGHT MEN’S SBL RECAP – WEEK 6 
MEN’S SBL PREVIEW – WEEK 6 

The lone Sunday SBL fixture saw the Eastern Suns make their first appearance of the Anzac Round looking to improve on their 3-4 opening to the season while the Giants were still chasing their first win of 2018 having lost by 14 points to the Redbacks the previous evening.

It was an offensive onslaught in the first quarter with 71 points scored between the two teams with the Giants going into quarter-time leading 40-31.

Goldfields then pulled away in the second period continuing to score well putting up 30 points but also locking down to restrict Kalamunda to just 14 to go into the half-time break leading 70-45.

The result was then academic through the second half with the Giants getting to enjoy that winning feeling for the first time in 2018, going on to win by 19 points.

It was a stunning shooting display by the Giants who went at 47/78 from the field at 60 per cent and 15/30 from three-point range at 50 per cent. Even more impressively, they ended up with 39 assists from the 47 made field goals.

There were plenty of standout performers for the Giants too with Jeylyn Sharpe top-scoring with 26 points to go with eight assists and six rebounds. He shot 11/18 from the field and 4/7 from downtown.

Kyle Sovine added 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists at 12/21 from the floor.

Brandon Holloway contributed 21 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals at 7/10 from the field and 3/5 from deep.

Jake Martin had another strong showing too made up of 20 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and two steals going at 7/12 from the field and 4/6 from three-point territory.

Kostadin Stojanovski also had 13 points and five assists for the Giants and Jerome Reid eight points and six assists.

Kalamunda was still without Louis Timms and Courtney Belger, but Kevin Davis was once again their standout performer with 33 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 15/20 from the field.

Logan Viskovich added 17 points and six rebounds for the Eastern Suns, Spencer Alone 13 points, Bryce Gray 10 points, six assists and four rebounds, and Ryan Blanchett eight points, six boards and three assists.

WEEK 6 MEN’S SBL FIXTURES
FRIDAY
Perry Lakes Hawks 90 defeated Stirling Senators 77
Joondalup Wolves 95 defeated Cockburn Cougars 65
Rockingham Flames 95 defeated East Perth Eagles 83

SATURDAY
Perth Redbacks 83 defeated Goldfields Giants 69
Geraldton Buccaneers 101 defeated Lakeside Lightning 75
South West Slammers 82 lost to Rockingham Flames 122

SUNDAY
Kalamunda Eastern Suns 99 lost to Goldfields Giants 118

WEDNESDAY (ANZAC DAY)
Willetton Tigers v Kalamunda Eastern Suns – Willetton Basketball Stadium 3.00pm
Cockburn Cougars v Stirling Senators – Wally Hagan Stadium 3.00pm
Mandurah Magic v Perth Redbacks – Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre 3.00pm