South West Slammers confident there’s more to come after equalling their 2025 win total in first match

Even after equalling their win tally last year in the opening NBL1 West clash on Saturday night, the South West Slammers men’s side still have plenty of improvement to come, according to head coach Jason Chalk. The win against Goldfields Giants 78-74 in Kalgoorlie was the team’s first win since June 20 last year, in round 12 against Cockburn Cougars — and only their 18th in 110 games. “We got the job done but we did make it very hard for ourselves in the end,” Chalk said The side pulled out to a 15-point lead at half-time before stretching the margin out to 18 in the second half, but a Giants comeback in the last quarter brought the margin tighter than Chalk said he liked. “We reviewed the game pretty harshly because we need to get better,” he said. “It was more what we were doing, not what they were doing. We went away from our systems in the last quarter and went individual with our offence. We were very stagnant.” Chalk said the team were up and about after the win, and he even got a few water bottles poured on his head from his players in their excitement. “We let them go and have some fun with it,” he said. Throughout the pre-season, Chalk said he was confident 2026 would see a different Slammers side, and after multiple years in the doldrums, he was proud the side didn’t give up when their backs were against the wall. “I said to the boys we found a way to win ugly,” he said. “Last year we would’ve given that game away but we managed to find a way to win, and at the end of the day that’s all that matters sometimes.” Slammers’ women couldn’t capitalise on a fast start and went down 79-90 in their clash against the Giants. The team made a flying start with 28 points to 16 in the first quarter but the Giants took control from there, outscoring them 30-12 in the second. Thursday April 2 will be the Slammers’ first home game, against Perth Redbacks. The women will play at 6.30pm, and the men at 8.30pm, both at Eaton Recreation Centre.