Redbacks Into Finals
The Southside Mitsubishi Redbacks’ State Basketball League men’s team moved from 10th to 8th position, securing the last available finals playoffs spot with a dramatic 120 to 86 point win over the Stirling Senators on Saturday night. The Redbacks had to beat the Senators by a minimum of 12-points to secure their first playoff spot since 2005 after other results went their way. The chase for playoff spots was so tight that this loss, combined with a loss the previous night to the Perry Lakes Hawks, saw the Senators drop from 7th to 10th place.
The Redbacks USA import and forward Chris Lynch was the game-high scorer with a massive 50 points at a field goal percentage of 71 along with 12 rebounds and 3 steals. In dominant guard performances point guard Joel Wagner made 14 assists and scored 14 points at 46% while shooting guard Jarrad Prior scored 28 points at 54%, took 5 rebounds and made 3 assists and 2 steals. The top-scorer for the Senators was centre Edward Morris Junior with a strong 30 points at 61% along with 21 rebounds and 2 steals, while former Perth Wildcat Carmi Olowoyo scored 23 points at 41% and brought down 10 rebounds.
The Redbacks’ women’s team secured 4th place after their win against the Senators 58 to 49. Top-scorer for the Redbacks was 17-year-old young-gun Jacinta Bourne with 12 points at 57% along with 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Playing-coach Narelle Henry also scored 12 points at 29% along with 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals while forward Brooke Hiddlestone scored 11 points at 25% along with 17 rebounds and 3 steals.
This weekend sees the Redbacks’ men playing the top-placed Lakeside Lightning at the Belmont Oasis Leisure Centre and the Redbacks’ women playing the 5th placed Mandurah Magic at Mandurah in the first round of the playoff games, which are played in a best of three games format. The exact times and dates of each game are still being determined by the league and will be available on website www.sbl.asn.au early in the week.
Article by Redbacks Media
Photo by Marg Prior
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