The Australian Central Eagles have proven yet again to be the hoodoo opponent of the Total Connection Perry Lakes Hawks, ending their five-game winning streak with a hard fought 95 – 86 victory.

The Hawks started quickly scoring easily with transition baskets only to have the Eagles tighten up their defence and establish an early six point lead. The Hawks hit back and looked to be taking a small lead into the first break before Eagle Drew Williamson hit a three point basket on the buzzer to tie it up at 25 apiece.

Midway through the second term the Hawks opened up a seven point lead on the accurate shooting of Jessie Dixon and MVP candidate Anthony Lee, who both finished the half with 15 points.

But last-minute heroics by Williamson, who hit a three pointer before making a steal and a assist to tie the game up at 52 apiece at the half. Williamson led all scorers at half-time with 21.

East Perth made a quick start to the third with Tom Jervis scoring the first four points on a nine to two run. The Hawks would not lie down and came back at the Eagles with guard Joe-Alan Tupaea and Lee doing the damage to take a two-point lead to three-quarter-time.

But the Eagles staged a comeback to tie the game midway through the final term. With the scores tied at the four minute mark, Williamson threw a long pass to the streaking Jervis for a two handed dunk which sparked the Eagles to pull away for the win.

East Perth Head Coach Matt Parsons said he was proud of his side's performance.

"We worked hard all night to put ourselves in a position to win; we stayed within our game plan and trusted each other when it counted," he said.

"I’m very happy with the win and the boys should be too."

East Perth's best were Williamson with 37 points and seven rebounds, Jervis with 13 points and 13 rebounds and Nikola Donlagic with eleven points.

Lee led Perry Lakes with 27 points and 21 rebounds, while Ben Purser added 20 points and Jesse Dixon scored 17. In the women’s match, the Hawks snatched a 70-68 win in the final seconds.

The Eagles started strongly, controlling the tempo and scoring the first seven points of the game. Their lead got out to as many as 12 points and they held a commanding 11 point lead, 24 – 13 to go into the first break.

The second quarter saw the Hawks come out strongly and quickly trim back the deficit to get within four points, but the hosts, through Samantha Norwood’s 15 first half points, remained in front by five at the half.

The Eagles were aggressive early in the third and stretched the lead out to as many as 10 once again, but the Hawks struck back through Belinda O’Halloran and saw their deficit dwindle to five at the final break.

With four and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter the Hawks took the lead for the first time in the game.

The lead see-sawed throughout the remainder of the term until the last 40 seconds when Perry Lakes' Christine Boyd hit a midrange base line jumper to give her side a lead they held onto.

The Hawks best were O’Halloran with 26 points, 22 of those in the second half, Clayton with 13 points and Rosie Tobin with eight points and 12 rebounds.

The best for the Eagles were Dannielle Devenny with 23 points and Norwood with 21 points and nine rebounds.

Article by Leigh Dalton at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre
Photo by Mick Cronin

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