Eastern Suns vs Goldfields Giants
Away | Evolution Mining Stadium
A massive road trip awaits the Suns this weekend.
Fresh off an important home sweep against Mandurah Magic, the Eastern Suns now head to Kalgoorlie to take on the Goldfields Giants in one of the longest road trips of the NBL1 West season. With momentum beginning to build for both Suns teams, Round 9 shapes as another major test as they look to continue their winning ways.
The Men will aim to keep pace with the competition leaders after another strong win, while the Women enter the weekend full of confidence following their third victory of the season.
Long trip. Big challenge. Huge opportunity.
FORM GUIDE
The Suns Men sit third on the NBL1 West ladder with a 7–2 record after producing a strong fourth-quarter comeback victory against Mandurah last weekend. The Women secured their third win of the season and currently sit eighth in what continues to be an incredibly tight ladder across the competition. Goldfields enter the round with contrasting form lines — the Giants Men hold two wins for the season after suffering losses to Joondalup and the Flames in a difficult double-header last weekend, while the Women have impressed early with a 5–3 record and split their games last round with a win over the Wolves before falling to the Flames.
LAST TIME THEY MET
Women
The Suns Women fell 74–94 in their last meeting with the Giants, despite a dominant performance from Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant. Goldfields raced out to an early lead and controlled much of the game, with the Suns unable to fully recover despite a strong push in the third quarter.
Tayjanna was outstanding with 34 points and 13 rebounds, while Alyssa Bowen and Jemma Gartrell both added 11 points in a spirited effort from the Suns.
Men
The Giants Men defended home court strongly last season, defeating the Suns 120–97 after setting the tone early and maintaining control throughout the contest. While the Suns showed flashes offensively, Goldfields’ pace and scoring proved difficult to contain.
Marshall Nelson led the Suns with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists, while Marley Sam continued his strong form with 19 points and 6 assists. Seb Salinas also contributed with 12 points in the tough road outing.
ONES TO WATCH
This weekend marks a special milestone for veteran Reece Maxwell, who will play his 350th game against the Giants; Maxwell’s experience, toughness and leadership continue to play an important role within the group.
Expect the Suns to rally around the milestone as they look to deliver a strong performance on the road and continue their recent momentum.
Road trip basketball.
Momentum on the line.
A milestone to celebrate.
The Suns head to Kalgoorlie ready for another challenge — and with confidence building across both squads, expect a fierce contest against the Giants.
Big road trip. Big opportunity. Let’s go Suns.