Featured images: Michael Farnell / Sports Imagery
Two dramatic women's NBL1 West games saw the East Perth Eagles beat the Joondalup Wolves in double overtime and the Lakeside Lightning hold out the Perth Redbacks while there were big men's wins for East Perth, Willetton Tigers and Lakeside.
The two Friday night NBL1 West women's contests saw two one-point results with the East Perth Eagles beating the Joondalup Wolves 96-95, and the Lakeside Lightning defeating the Perth Redbacks 91-90.
There were then three men's matches with the Willetton Tigers beating the South West Slammers 87-77 while the Eagles beat the Wolves 94-90, and the Lightning defeated the Redbacks 109-87.
RECAP NBL1 WEST | HERITAGE ROUND SUNDAY
WOLFPACK CAPTAIN REACHES 250 IN HERITAGE ROUND
HERITAGE ROUND – THE FISHER FAMILY
HERITAGE ROUND – THE JACKSON FAMILY
NBL1 WEST MID-SEASON SNAPSHOT – MEN
NBL1 WEST MID-SEASON SNAPSHOT – WOMEN
WOMEN
East Perth Eagles (96) defeated Joondalup Wolves (95)
What a wild double overtime contest East Perth and Joondalup produced and it was the Eagles who prevailed after 50 minutes was needed to separate them from the Wolves for the 96-95 victory.
The two teams had met just two weeks earlier at HBF Arena and it was East Perth producing a stunning comeback to win by four points and record a second win of the season.
They had their return encounter at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre on Friday night and what eventuated was quite the dramatic evening.
In the hunt for a third win of the season, East Perth did start the better to be leading by six points at quarter-time and the Eagles extended that advantage to 44-35 by half-time.
The lead for East Perth grew to as much as 12 points in the third quarter and the Eagles were still up by eight in the fourth, but the Wolves then mounted a charge to set up a finish that neither team will want to watch back to end regulation.
The Eagles were up one before a travel call on Mary Baskerville as her team was trying to extend the lead in the final minute. Sarah Toeaina was then fouled for the Wolves and made one to tie up scores while teammate Sirena Tuitele left the floor while dramatically cramping.
The Wolves managed to secure possession after the second missed free-throw and called a timeout. Out of that, Toeaina missed a good look with the mid-range jumper before inexplicably Bri Bailey threw the ball away for East Perth.
That gave Joondalup another shot with scores tied but Toeaina was called for the offensive foul. It was East Perth's turn out of a timeout to try and break the deadlock with Laci Hawthorne turning down the wide open three-point attempt and Bailey forced to jack up a rushed contested shot.
That forced the first overtime and it was basket for basket before East Perth was up three after a couple of free throws from Bailey with the Wolves just hanging in there with Darien Huff and Geraldynn Leaupepe having all fouled out.
Toeaina joined them with just over a minute to play too but her replacement Kyah Nichols hit the massive corner three right in front of the East Perth bench that ended up sending the game to a second overtime.
Eventually at the end of that second extra period with both teams exhausted and running out of bodies, it was Joondalup up by a point before Mary Baskerville won the battle for the loose ball under the rim and got the ball up and in.
That gave the Eagles the one-point lead before Bailey drew the charge call on Ella Thornton-Elliott.
That wasn’t the end of the drama though. The Wolves did everything to foul East Perth on the subsequent possession, but no call was made and in the end they were able to force the turnover to get one more chance with eight seconds to go.
It was Laci Hawthorne with the game saving block for East Perth as they won by a point in a remarkable contest to improve to a 3-9 record.
Mary Baskerville had a massive night for the Eagles with 34 points, 20 rebounds and three assists on 12/20 shooting from the field and 10/11 at the foul line.
Laci Hawthorne also had 17 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists and two blocked shots with Tessa Morrison contributing 13 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals, and Bri Bailey 14 points and five assists.
The Wolfpack are now 6-5 following the defeat having lost five of the past six with Geraldynn Leaupepe having 22 points, four rebounds and two assists, but she was sorely missed in overtime as was Darien Huff who had 20 points, four boards, two assists and two steals.
Sarah Toeaina finished with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists with Sirena Tuitele contributing 15 points, 14 boards and six steals, and Laniesha Paddon 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.
The Eagles back up to take on the Magic in Mandurah on Saturday while the Wolfpack are back home to host the Cockburn Cougars.
EAST PERTH EAGLES 96 (Baskerville 34, Hawthorne 17, Bailey 14)
JOONDALUP WOLVES 95 (Leaupepe 22, Huff 20, Toeaina 20)
Lakeside Lightning (91) defeated Perth Redbacks (90)
Despite a huge night from Anneli Maley and missing Caitie Jones, the Lakeside Lightning prevailed in a thriller 91-90 at home to the Perth Redbacks.
It always shaped as being a tantalising match up coming into it at Lakeside Recreation Centre with the Lightning knocking on the door of the top four and the Redbacks on a four-game winning streak.
With Anneli Maley and Natalie Chou continuing to be quite the dynamic duo for the Redbacks, the visitors opened up a commanding 32-17 lead on the Lightning by quarter-time.
The lead for Perth got out to as much as 22 points as well in the second period and in the end the Redbacks went into half-time still in control at 57-41.
To be a chance the Lightning had to lock in defensively and they were able to hold the Redbacks to 13 points in the third period. Lakeside then scored 25 themselves and the deficit was just four by three quarter-time.
The Lightning had picked up the momentum by scoring 16 consecutive points but it did take until the final minute for the home team to find a way in front.
Lakeside were back within a point on an offensive rebound and put back from Marnelle Garraud on a frantic play under the basket after she had her shot blocked by Maley.
Maley then missed a shot up the other end with the Redbacks up one and the Lightning had the last possession with the shot clock turned off.
A path to the basket opened up for Marnelle Garraud and she made the tough finish while falling to the ground. That put the Lightning up by a point and she missed the foul shot with the Redbacks having one last chance with 5.8 seconds to go.
Chou grabbed the rebound and was charging up the floor to attempt the game winner, but Garraud picked her pocket and the Lightning secured the one-point win.
The victory improves Lakeside to 7-4 on the season and was all the more impressive with the absence of Caitie Jones and her 24.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists a game.
Teige Morrell had a monster night for the Lightning with 32 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals on 14/22 shooting from the field despite going 3/9 at the free-throw line.
Marnelle Garraud ended up with 27 points, six rebounds and three steals with Jade Gowland hitting 4/5 from downtown for 16 points and eight boards, and Tia Ucich 10 points, six rebounds and four assists.
The four-game winning run of the Redbacks ends with them slipping to an 8-7 record despite a huge performance from Anneli Maley with 27 points, 24 rebounds, seven assists and two blocked shots.
Natalie Chou added 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks with Brooke Malone contributing 16 points and seven boards, and Mikayla Pirini nine points and two rebounds.
The Lightning back up on the road on Saturday night against the Rockingham Flames with the Redbacks next in action next Friday night at home to the Flames as well.
LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 91 (Morrell 32, Garraud 27, Gowland 16)
PERTH REDBACKS 90 (Maley 27, Chou 22, Malone 16)
MEN
Willetton Tigers (87) defeated South West Slammers (77)
It was a standalone men's clash at Willetton Basketball Stadium on Friday with the Willetton Tigers further consolidating a top two spot with the 87-77 win over the South West Slammers.
The Tigers were back on their home floor on a three-game winning run hosting a Slammers team looking for a fourth win of the season at the same time.
It was a tight contest throughout the opening half with Willetton only leading by two points at quarter-time and then just by six at the half-time interval.
However, the longer the game went and the more control the Tigers took eventually opening up a 19-point lead during the fourth frame and then ending up claiming the 10-point victory.
The win improves Willetton to a 12-2 record on the season with four wins in-a-row and 339-game veteran Damien Scott top-scoring with 22 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks on 12/14 free-throw shooting.
Marshall Nelson added 18 points and five assists with Michael Dupree contributing 14 points, six rebounds and two assists, Roosevelt Williams 11 points and five assists, and 296-game centre Michael Vigor 11 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and two assists.
The Slammers slip to 3-11 on the season with the defeat with Buay Tuach top-scoring once again with 23 points, nine rebounds and four assists on 8/15 shooting and 6/6 at the free-throw line.
Alex Holcombe contributed 17 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots for South West while Jack Flynn had 11 points and five boards, and Pharell Keats five points and four assists.
WILLETTON TIGERS 87 (Scott 22, Nelson 18, Dupree 14)
SOUTH WEST SLAMMERS 77 (Tuach 23, Holcombe 17, Flynn 11)
East Perth Eagles (94) defeated Joondalup Wolves (90)
The East Perth Eagles made it two wins over the Joondalup Wolves in the space of two weeks with the 94-90 Friday night victory at home.
The two teams met just two weeks earlier with the Eagles beating the Wolfpack 95-86 at HBF Arena and in the return encounter at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre, East Perth welcomed in import big man Lukas Milner for the first time in 2024 following his season playing in Slovakia.
On the other side, the Wolves were without key pair Ethan Elliott and Jordan Wellsteed and with Jeremy Combs still yet to arrive, but the visitors started well on Peter Campbell Basketball Arena opening up an early six-point lead.
By quarter-time the scores were all level at 25-25 and it remained a tight affair throughout the second period with the Eagles managing to lead narrowly 52-49 at the main break.
Joondalup managed to open up an eight-point lead thanks to scoring nine consecutive points in the third quarter, but then the Eagles hit back and managed to grab the momentum and open up their own nine-point advantage in the fourth frame.
From there the Eagles held on for the four-point victory to improve to an 8-6 record on the season to be knocking on the door of a top four spot.
Lee Roberts produced a double-double against one of his former clubs for East Perth with 18 points, 10 rebounds and two assists while he had plenty of help in the front court.
Sebit Reath finished with 13 points and four rebounds, Sharif Watson had eight points, three rebounds and two boards, David Okwera contributed four points, 10 rebounds and four assists, and new arrival Lukas Milner had six points, two boards and two assists in 18 minutes to begin his second stint.
Then in the back court, Taylor Young produced 18 points and four rebounds on 7/12 shooting with Sunday Dech delivering 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
The Wolves slip to an 8-4 record having now lost four of the past five matches with CJ Turnage putting up another 29 points, 11 rebounds and two assists.
Jonathan Wade contributed 23 points, five rebounds and three assists while Caleb Davis added 14 points and 15 boards, and Gabriel Chadinha 13 points, two rebounds and two assists.
The Eagles back up to take on the Magic in Mandurah on Saturday while the Wolfpack are back home to host the Cockburn Cougars.
EAST PERTH EAGLES 94 (Young 18, Roberts 18, Dech 16)
JOONDALUP WOLVES 90 (Turnage 29, Wade 23, Davis 14)
Lakeside Lightning (109) defeated Perth Redbacks (87)
Joe Cook-Green found himself ejected for the second straight game for the Perth Redbacks as their struggles continued with an emphatic 109-87 home win for the Lakeside Lightning on the back of Mike Adewunmi's 43 points.
Both teams came into the Friday night contest at Lakeside Recreation Centre looking to snap losing runs and to keep in touch of a playoff position.
It didn’t take long for the Lightning to work on top of a down in confidence Redbacks team who arrived on a five-game losing run. Lakeside opened up a 14-point lead in the first quarter and were still on top 27-15 by the end of one even in the absence of Josh Davey.
The lead for the Lightning continued to grow as well throughout the rest of the evening with it getting out to as much as 18 points in the second term, 20 in the third and 24 in the fourth.
Things continued to go downhill for the Redbacks when star Kiwi guard Cook-Green didn’t like an unsportsmanlike foul call and earned himself a technical on top of it to earn himself an early shower for the second straight game.
That didn’t come at a great time for the Redbacks who had got back within 11 points and following that the Lightning went back out to win by 22 points and improve to 4-8 on the season as a result.
Having already had a 40-point game earlier in the season against the Eastern Suns, Mike Adewunmi was spectacular for Lakeside with 43 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals on 10/16 shooting from the field, 4/7 from three-point range and 19/20 at the foul line.
Marshawn Blackmon added 21 points, four assists and three rebounds with Dom Jackson contributing 16 points and four boards, 267-game veteran Tom Parkinson 11 points and three rebounds, and Max Richards nine points, three boards and three assists.
The Redbacks are now 4-12 with six consecutive defeats with Miles Gibson top-scoring once again with 18 points, four rebounds and two assists.
Maris Colton added 15 points, four rebounds and four assists, Ioannis Dimakopoulos 12 points, seven boards and seven assists, Cook-Green 12 points, four rebounds and three assists, and Carl Aylett enjoying some minutes in his 132nd game for nine points and two assists.
The Lightning back up on the road on Saturday night against the Rockingham Flames with the Redbacks next in action next Friday night at home to the Flames as well.
LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 109 (Adewunmi 43, Blackmon 21, Jackson 16)
PERTH REDBACKS 87 (Gibson 18, Colton 15, Dimakopoulos 12, Cook-Green 12)
