Southside Mitsubishi Redbacks’ men’s and women’s teams had strong wins against the Bunbury Slammers in the State Basketball League on Saturday night.

In a one-sided away-game in Eaton the Redbacks’ women’s team won 91 to 44 points. Former Opals Squad-Member Marita Payne was the game-high scorer with 30 points at a perfect 100% field goal percentage. She supplemented this with 11 rebounds, five blocked-shots and three-assists.

Former National Basketball League player Brooke Hiddlestone was their next highest scorer with 21 points along with seven rebounds and two steals. Promising forward Frances Clark scored 10 points, also at 100% along with two rebounds.

The win sees the Redbacks’ women move up one place on the ladder to fourth in the 12-team competition with a season record of nine-wins and five losses.

The score in the men’s game was Redbacks 104 to Slammers 70. Perth Wildcats’ player Jesse Wagstaff scored 35 points at 83% along with 10 rebounds and one assist. Fellow Wildcats’ player and shooting-guard Jarrad Prior was their next highest scorer with 17 points along with 10 rebounds and two steals while US import Daniel Maddox had 12 points along with six rebounds, three assists and one steal.

The third Wildcats’ player in the Redbacks’ team, Joel Wagner had 11 assists along with seven rebounds and five points while rookie Blake Smith made the most of his limited court-time in scoring 11 points in the last quarter along with one assist.

The win sees the Redbacks with a season record of 10 wins and six losses and in fifth place in the 14-team competition.

The action continues this Saturday (5 June) at the WA Basketball Centre with the game between the Redbacks’ and Perry Lakes Hawks’ women’s teams at 6PM and the men’s game at 8PM. This is followed on Monday (7 June) when the Redbacks’ men play the tough fourth-placed Goldfields Giants in a top-four showdown game at “high-noon” at the Belmont Oasis Recreation Centre.

REDBACKS MEDIA