Eagles took on PwC Hoops in the first Senior League basketball match at the NSC last Thursday evening.

Drafted in to bolster their short bench, veteran Kai Kirkham was quick off the mark for Eagles, helping them to push the ball effectively down the court and pressure their opponents’ defence.

Hoops held the line in the first few offences though, recovering quickly in transition and taking the fight back to Eagles. It was Daniella Kravela who opened the scoring with two nice mid-range shots followed by a swish from Becky Dunne to put them into an early lead.

Eagles kept the speed up in transition as the game went on, Jack Coates and Brayden Roche joining Kirkham to pile on the pressure with quick breaks down the court.

The strategy started to pay dividends with George Dalton-Brown finding an open shot outside the arc while Coates racked up baskets in the lanes. The relentless pace saw Eagles flying high at the end of the first half, 34-16.

The second half saw Coates and Roche continue to use their speed on offence, aided by Ben Smith mopping up boards on the inside.

Hoops weren’t without reply though and focussed on tough defence that led to multiple steals and forced turnovers from Eagles.

A focus on quick ball movement in offence helped Hoops crack open Eagles’ defence and led to nice opportunities for Danielle Murphy and Zoe Kirkham which they were all too eager to capitalise on.

The late game saw Hoops rack up more points thanks to Oksana Fedorovych, but Eagles’ early pace had done the job and they ran out the winners, 62-36.

The second game of the night pitted Microgaming Cavaliers facing their old adversaries Turkeys, who were missing key shooter Chris Wolfendale.

Cavs had the early initiative as Martin French and Daniel Dunajewski drained shots to give them a solid early lead.

Turkeys struggled to find form but stayed in the game thanks to baskets from Wig Bregazzi and outside shooting by Dave Boyle. At half-time it was Cavs who were in control, 24-20, with Turkeys snapping at their heels.

The latter had an early spurt in the second half, Boyle again helping them along, but an outside three-pointer from James Capelan kept Cavaliers ahead with a slender lead.

Offence faltered on both sides during the third quarter as neither team was able to gain a significant advantage, but Cavs always remained slightly ahead.

The late stages of the game saw a breakthrough though, Capelan and Arboleya starting a brief run for Cavaliers that saw them pull further ahead. Turkeys couldn’t find a reply in the remaining time and Cavs took the win, 47-36.

The final game of the evening was a high-paced affair between Forget Me Not Jets and Wolves.

The opening saw Wolves rely on movement and shooting round the outside while Jets hit the lanes and mid-range, bolstered by baseline drives.

Both teams relied on pace up and down the court but as the game went on Wolves’ offence stalled and then stagnated. Jets continued to run the floor, Wayne Mears in particular racking up points.

With the final whistle Jets had the decisive win, 66-40.

The junior and senior leagues continue this week with action on Thursday evening in the NSC. For junior players in school years seven and above, there will be training and games from 6-8pm.

At 7pm the senior leagues kick off as Wolves take on Turkeys followed by a double header as PwC Hoops tackle Microgaming Cavaliers and Forget Me Not Jets play Ravens.

Spectators are welcome to all senior games, with free seating available courtside.