A POWERFUL performance from tall Emma Clarke headlined the Perry Lakes Hawks’ 18-point win over the Lakeside Lightning in Round 1 of the NBL1 West Women’s on the weekend.

Both sides looked eager to get their respective campaigns off to a strong start, but the Hawks looked much better to start the contest, and set the tone early in the match with a blistering first quarter. Perry Lakes outscored the opposition by 13 points in the opening term, and while Lakeside managed to even things up in the remaining three quarters, it lacked the two-way punch that got things going for the Hawks.

In the end, the visitors ended up claiming an 88-70 triumph at Lakeside Recreation Centre on Saturday night, launching to the top end of the standings in the perfect start to their championship aspirations.

Anyone that watched the game could not deny the impact of Clarke, who was a towering figure in a terrific team effort from the Hawks.

Lakeside Lightning (70) def. by Perry Lakes Hawks (88)

Emma Clarke – 28 points, 18 rebounds, four assists, two steals

Clarke was everywhere for the Hawks, delivering the most impressive performance of the opening round and showcasing the hard work she put in over the offseason.

Despite plenty of players able to fire from the field from both teams, the forward’s 28 points were the most of anyone in the match. She was Perry Lakes’ go-to option on the offensive end, which proved to be a winning method.

From the field, Clarke nailed 11 of her 21 shots for an efficiency of 52 per cent, doing most of her damage from inside the arc. From two-point territory, the 23-year-old shot 75 per cent thanks to nine makes on 12 attempts. While she struggled to find the net from behind the arc (2/9 3PT), her dominance in close was a reliable source of scoring.

Clarke’s points total could have been even higher had she made the most of her opportunities at the charity stripe, making just four shots from the free throw line on 10 attempts.

The most impressive part of her performance was her ability to track down the loose ball. Clarke pulled down 10 more rebounds than the next best player in this area, and completely owned the skies. She used her 186cm frame to outbody the opposition and pull down boards on both ends of the court (eight offensive, 10 defensive).

It was the perfect start to the season for Clarke and the Hawks, who look a genuine chance of staying around the top of the standings in the coming weeks.