19-05-2025
Giants sitting third after road victories
Goldfields Giants' big-four of Shaun Stewart, De'Sean Parsons, Joshua Duach, and Michael Jok are powering the squad's finals bid in the men's NBL1 West that produced a two-game road sweep in Perth at the weekend.
Following back-to-back defeats on their home court, the Giants bounced back strongly — initially on Saturday with an 81-70 triumph over Willetton Tigers, who had won five of their previous seven games.
It was backed-up on Sunday in an 86-80 result against Cockburn Cougars, which has put them in outright third place with a 6-2 win-loss record.
Across the two games, the Giants' four prime movers combined for 143 points and 58 rebounds.
Ahead of this Saturday's home clash against Lakeside, the Giants are third with a game in hand over Joondalup and Mandurah — also with six wins.
'They (Stewart, Parsons, Duach and Jok) are key to our hopes and chances of winning a championship, that's for sure,' coach Lennon Smartt said.
'They're versatile and have a unique ability to provide us with firepower in so many different ways, at different stages of games and under various circumstances.
'But we also have great players around them, including Leigh Rickwood-Pitt who is fighting an injury and is nowhere near close to what his ceiling is in this league.
'He is someone, to me, who can be leading the country, or at least the NBL1 West, in rebounds.
'He'll get there, in terms of overcoming his injury, and we have various other talented role players.
'It's a really good mix.'
Smartt said two wins on the road helped offset what he viewed as winnable games at home that went begging in each of the previous two outings.
'It was very disappointing how we'd played at home — mostly on the defensive end,' he said.
'Defence had been a problem so it was very pleasing to hold opposition teams (last weekend) to 70 and 80 (points) on the road and take very clear steps forward in that area.
'Now we come back (to Kalgoorlie-Boulder) ready to keep it going.'
Ladder:
Senators (9-0); Flames (8-1); Giants (6-2); Wolves (6-3); Magic (6-3); Buccaneers (5-3); Tigers (5-3); Suns (4-5); Hawks (3-5); Redbacks (3-6); Eagles (2-5); Lightning (2-7); Cougars (1-8); Slammers (0-9).
