The well-rested Maali side were ready to rumble in the double header fixture at home and gained momentum to get the first win of the season. Round 3 kicked off with the anticipated match-up between The University of Melbourne and UWA Maali. A highly contested game only intensified the rivalry with the UWA Maali men’s team producing brilliant basketball for three quarters. A costly injury to Maali superstar Kyiah O’Donohue swung the momentum to the opposition. The rivals capitalised on the momentum and extended the lead to win by 15 points.

A similar trend followed the women’s side with the UWA Maali team forging the first half with force. The Melbourne side were stunned at the strong start from the home team that were fuelled by the crowd. The second half of the game continues to plague the home team with the opposition taking the lead and winning by 22 points.

In a quick turnaround, the UWA Maali side shook off the loss and focused their energy on La Trobe University at HBF Stadium. The first game was a nail-biter between the women’s side with the home team leading for most of the game. A motivated side led by Jenna Teasdale, the hunger and determination to get their first win saw the UWA Maali team challenge the reigning UBL women’s champions. Dubbed as the ‘Defence Queen’, Jenna Teasdale put on a clinic with hardcore defence, shutting down her opposition and blocking drives to the paint. Sydney Meares also showcased her athleticism and court craft to connect with her teammates and clinch critical shots. The three-point specialist, Zoe Shanahan had a field day with her ability to sink three-points that kept the Maali side ahead of the opposition. Despite the lead, the La Trobe side fought back valiantly to close out the game and win by 8 points.

UWA Maali were hellbent on taking a win at home and the pressure was on the men’s team to turn its fate around and take down the team in red and black. For the past few games, the side were struggling to find a full sixty-minute game. Head coach, Jackson Mews drilled it into the players that they had to take responsibility for the type of basketball shown on court. The inspired team flipped a switch, and nothing could stop the new and improved UWA Maali. A consistent game from Blake Costello saw the captain control the tempo and steer the side to victory. Damien Zhang debuted for the UWA Maali side with a brilliant performance, nailing three-pointers and gliding through his opponents effortlessly. A whole team effort from each UWA Maali player resulted in the teams first victory in season 3 with a 19-point win over La Trobe.

Next week, the UWA Maali side will look to keep this momentum and streak going as they take on Victoria University on Tuesday 4 April 2023 at Joondalup.

Check out the full fixtures including details on the upcoming home game, visit here.

For more information on the UBL competition, visit UniSport and watch replays at UniSport TV.