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THE Joondalup Wolves handed the Rockingham Flames their first defeat of the Women’s SBL season in Easter Thursday action with wins also for the Kalamunda Eastern Suns, Mandurah Magic, Lakeside Lightning, Warwick Senators and Willetton Tigers.

There was plenty to look forward to for the annual Easter Thursday basketball feast with six games featuring all 12 teams in the Women’s SBL.

It was a top-of-the-table clash at HBF Arena with the Joondalup Wolves prevailing 84-54 over the Rockingham Flames.

The Lakeside Lightning also bounced back from their first loss of the season beating the Cockburn Cougars 83-64 while the Kalamunda Eastern Suns beat the East Perth Eagles 95-43, the Mandurah Magic defeated the South West Slammers 62-51 and the Willetton Tigers downed the Perry Lakes Hawks 80-68.

EASTER SPOTLIGHT | LIGHTNING TOO STRONG FOR COUGARS
ROUND 6 WOMEN’S SBL PREVIEW
LADY WOLFPACK LEARN PLENTY FROM LIGHTNING LOSS
KNOWLES LOOKING FORWARD TO UP-TEMPO SUNS CLICKING
LADY SENATORS FIRING WITH PLENTY STILL TO COME
ROUND 5 WOMEN’S SBL RECAP

After six rounds in the Women’s SBL, the Easter Thursday results leave the Joondalup Wolves on top of the standings with a 6-1 record just ahead of the Lakeside Lightning (5-1).

The Warwick Senators are just one win back at 4-1 ahead of the 3-1 Rockingham Flames.

The Willetton Tigers (5-3), South West Slammers (4-3), Mandurah Magic (4-3) and Kalamunda Eastern Suns (3-4) make up the rest of the top eight in the Women’s SBL.

The Perry Lakes Hawks and Cockburn Cougars both sit on 2-4 records while the Perth Redbacks (0-6) and East Perth Eagles (0-7) remain winless.

EASTER THURSDAY

BETHANIE WARWICK SENATORS 93 defeated TEXTURE WA PERTH REDBACKS 57

The Warwick Senators were back home for a third straight home game and made it three consecutive wins beating the Perth Redbacks at Warwick Stadium.

After starting the season 1-1 on the road, the Senators have now played three straight home games and on the back of the wins against the Tigers and Magic, they proved too strong for the Redbacks on Easter Thursday.

It was a tight opening quarter with Warwick only leading 21-19 at quarter-time. But the Senators took over from there dominating the second quarter with 32 points to 11 to open up a commanding 53-30 lead at half-time.

To the Redbacks’ credit they did fight back and won the third quarter, but the Senators pulled away further in the fourth term with 23 points to seven to claim the 93-57 victory.

The win improves the Senators to a 4-1 record on the season while the Redbacks are winless after six games with Lauren Mansfield yet to arrive.

Warwick’s two latest arrivals Stacey Barr and Samaria Howard showed just how valuable they will be combining for 47 points, 15 rebounds, six assists and eight steals.

That was made up of Barr’s 24 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Howard’s 23 points, 10 boards, six steals and three assists.

Tayla Hepburn added 17 points, 13 rebounds and two assists with Bianca Villegas contributing 11 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists.

It was another tough night for the Redbacks but there were bright spots with Rosie Deegan finishing with 16 points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists. Alix Hayward added 12 points and eight rebounds, and Nes’eya Williams eight points, six boards, four assists and three steals.

CACHET HOMES MANDURAH MAGIC 62 defeated PRINT SYNC SOUTH WEST SLAMMERS 51

The Mandurah Magic clash with the South West Slammers clash on Easter Thursday loomed as one of the more fascinating of the evening and in the end it was the Magic’s return to full strength that helped deliver an 11-point win.

The Magic came into the game with a couple of losses to the Lady Hawks and Senators, but they were boosted with Carly Boag returning from her knee reconstruction for her first game in 12 months.

With Bree Klasztorny back in the line-up as well after missing the previous week’s loss to the Senators and with Ginka Palusna settling back in too, it was a full strength team that Craig Watts had at his disposal for the first time.

But the Slammers were going to be a significant test coming off three consecutive victories so it loomed as quite the fascinating contest.

Mandurah started impressively on their home floor, though, with 19 points to nine in the first quarter. It was a lot tighter in the second period but the Magic still led 31-21 at half-time.

There was only 21 points combined in the third quarter as well in what was becoming quite the grind, but the Slammers kept in touch and had cut the Magic lead to 39-34 at three quarter-time.

Things opened up in the fourth period, though, and Mandurah benefited scoring 23 points to 17 to take away the 62-51 victory to improve to 4-3 on the season which is the same record South West now holds.

The addition of Carly Boag to Emma and Bree Klasztorny and Ginka Palusna gave Mandurah quite the imposing frontline, and that helped them to dominating the boards with 54 rebounds to 39.

But the Slammers did well forcing the Magic into 21 turnovers and they scored 18 points off those.

Neither team shot the ball overly well but the Magic did enough to win a low-scoring affair with Casey Mihovilovich leading the way with 17 points, five assists and two steals.

Carly Boag’s return saw her deliver 12 points, seven rebounds and three steals in just 21 minutes of court time while Emma Klasztorny continued her tremendous form with 11 points, 15 rebounds and two steals.

Ginka Palusna might only have shot it at 2/10 but had six points, eight rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots.

Makailah Dyer top-scored for the Slammers with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals with Brittni Montgomery adding 11 points and five boards, and Courtney Bayliss 10 points and seven rebounds.

ROUND 1 FITNESS COCKBURN COUGARS 64 lost to LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 83

The Lakeside Lightning bounced back from their first Women’s SBL loss in almost a year overcoming the Cockburn Cougars in a physical clash on Easter Thursday at Wally Hagan Stadium.

It was a new feeling for Lakeside coming into the Easter Thursday clash at Wally Hagan Stadium following a defeat with their 21-game winning run which included last year’s Grand Final coming to an end last Friday at the hands of the Willetton Tigers.

It was a big ask ahead of the Cougars, though, having lost their previous three games and with Kisha Lee sidelined through injury as they took on the reigning champions.

It was an exciting and up-tempo start to the game, though, with both teams combining for 48 points in the opening quarter with scores tied at 24-24 after one.

The Lightning on slightly pulled away in the second quarter to head into half-time leading 42-38.

Lakeside pulled away further with a strong third quarter made up of 27 points to 13 as they led 69-51 at three quarter-time but it continued to be a physical encounter with tempers threatening to spill over with neither side taking a backward step.

The Lightning were able to hold on to their advantage in the fourth quarter to win 83-64 but it was a more competitive showing from the Cougars than that suggests especially in the absence of their genuine MVP candidate, Lee.

The biggest difference in the finish was Lakeside’s ability to knock down their shots. The Lightning ended up shooting 30/73 from the field at 41 per cent and 12/42 from three-point range at 28 per cent.

In contrast, Cockburn struggled going 16/66 from the floor at 24 per cent and 6/20 at 30 per cent from downtown. But it was an aggressive approach at both ends of the floor by the Cougars highlighted by their 33 free-throws attempted, of which they made 33.

The Cougars took advantage of the Lightning being without Ellyce Ironmonger inside to collect 22 offensive rebounds but they could only convert that to nine second chance points. The 25 turnovers proved costly too for Cockburn with Lakeside scoring 19 points from those.

Ali Schwagmeyer, in her second last week of the season with Lakeside, top-scored for the Lightning with 21 points, three rebounds and three assists on an efficient 9/14 shooting.

Ash Grant added 20 points, seven rebounds, four blocked shots, three assists and three steals for Lakeside with Courtney Byrnes contributing 12 points, six boards, three assists and two steals, and Courtney Green 10 points, three rebounds and two steals.

Already without point guard BJ Moyes for the season with a knee injury and now missing Kisha Lee, the Cougars need plenty of players to step up to be competitive and coach Megan Thompson did get that.

Ruby Benn top-scored with 16 points, five assists and three rebounds with Kahlia Morgan delivering her career-best performance made up of 13 points and three boards.

Matilda Muir also had 12 points and three rebounds for Cockburn while 277-game veteran Nicole Roberts produced 10 points, six boards, two assists and two steals.

CHAMBERS FRANKLYN JOONDALUP CITY WOLVES 84 defeated CLASS 1 ORTHODONTICS ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 54

It was a top-of-the-table clash at HBF Arena on Easter Thursday with plenty to look forward but in the end the Joondalup Wolves took charge against an understrength Rockingham Flames to by 30 points.

Both teams have stocked up coming into the season and on the back of that started impressively with the Wolves entering Thursday’s game having won five of six games with the only blemish a loss to the Lakeside Lightning.

The Lady Wolfpack had done well the previous week to bounce back from that loss to beat both Perry Lakes and Kalamunda while Rockingham hadn’t played since beating the Perth Redbacks back on Friday April 5.

The Flames were without both Darcee Garbin and Maddie Allen so that made it tough to go up against the Joondalup frontcourt of Kayla Steindl, Amber Land and Amy Kidner.

That proved the difference too with the Wolves racking up 69 rebounds to 45 including 24 on the offensive glass for 13 second chance points.

Rockingham was still able to stick with Joondalup in the opening term and even led 19-18 at quarter-time.

But the Wolves got going at both ends in the second quarter scoring 22 points themselves and holding the Flames to just five. The Wolfpack then continued on with the job in the second half to end up winning 84-54.

Kayla Steindl finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds with the Wolves with Amy Kidner adding 15 points, 17 rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

Mikayla Pirini also had 11 points, five assists and three rebounds while Georgia Denehey added nine points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks, Amber Land eight points and 14 rebounds, and Isabelle Miotti six points and five boards.

Janelle Adams top-scored for Rockingham with 14 points and six rebounds with Christina Boag adding 10 points and five boards, and Ariana Hetherington seven points and four rebounds.

SCARBORO TOYOTA PERRY LAKES HAWKS 68 lost to WILLETTON TIGERS 80

The Willetton Tigers now have both imports on deck and they continued their impressive winning ways beating the Perry Lakes Hawks by 12 points at Bendat Basketball Centre.

Willetton welcomed Wendion Bibbins for her first game joining reigning Player of the Round Laina Snyder to a Tigers team that is building some impressive momentum.

They came into the game on Easter Thursday having given the Lakeside Lightning their first loss of the season the previous Friday night but Perry Lakes too were attempting to rebound from a defeat to the Wolves after two strong wins.

Perry Lakes came out and started well too to lead 18-13 by quarter-time. Willetton back in the second quarter but the Lady Hawks were still narrowly on top 39-38 at half-time.

It remained tight in the third period with scores all tied up at three quarter-time before the Tigers took over in the final term with 27 points to 15 to record the 80-68 win to improve to 5-3 while Perry Lakes slipped to 2-4.

Backing up her massive game last week against Lakeside, Laina Snyder again was a difference-maker for the Tigers finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds, five steals and two assists on 9/18 shooting from the floor.

Wendion Bibbins made an impressive first up appearance too with 17 points on 6/7 shooting while Desiree Kelley added 13 points and seven boards, Hayley Winter nine points, six rebounds and four assists, and Emma Gandini seven points, six assists, four boards and two steals.

Sam Ashby top-scored off the bench in 23 minutes for the Lady Hawks with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Rebecca Benson added 16 points for Perry Lakes with Sarah Donovan contributing 13 points, two rebounds and two steals.

SCHWEIGEN EAST PERTH EAGLES 43 lost to KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 95

The Kalamunda Eastern Suns made it three wins from their past four matches beating the East Perth Eagles by 52 points at Herb Graham Recreation Centre.

The Eastern Suns had won a couple of games in-a-row over the Slammers and Cougars before falling to the Wolfpack last Sunday, but they continued their good form on Thursday against the Lady Eagles.

East Perth was again able to stick with Kalamunda in the opening quarter but the Eastern Suns began to pull away in the second term to lead 49-22 at half-time.

It was more of the same in the third quarter with the Suns holding the Eagles to just four points while scoring 18 themselves.

It was 28 more points in the last quarter for Kalamunda to go on to win 95-43 and improve to 3-4 on the season while the Eagles remain winless having lost their last 39 matches.

Jewel Williams continued her good form enjoying the increased responsibility at the Eastern Suns with 19 points, three assists and three steals.

Lauren Jeffers ran the team well too with a more controlled performance made up of 16 points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals.

Jennie Rintala added 15 points, 14 rebounds, four steals, two blocked shots and two assists for Kalamunda while Carla Drennan contributed 12 points and two assists, and Chanah Crugnale eight points, seven rebounds, six assists, five steals and two blocks.

Hannah King also had six points, 12 rebounds and five assists, and Rebecca Motroni six points, five steals, three boards and three assists.

Stacia Muparutsa top-scored for East Perth with nine points, seven rebounds and four steals with Ella Dimanlig contributing eight points and two rebounds, Cameron Flynn seven points and six boards, and Janee Johnson six points and four rebounds before leaving the floor after just eight minutes.