Featured image: @J.S. Smith
Johny Narkle sent a reminder why he's one of the more exciting emerging talents in the country as last year's NBL1 West Grand Final MVP dominated as the Geraldton Buccaneers kept winning on Sunday in Aaron Ralph's 450th game.
There was just one game to close to Round 12 in the NBL1 West on Sunday and it was the Buccaneers beating the Perry Lakes Hawks 116-99 at Bendat Basketball Centre.
RECAP NBL1 WEST | ROUND 12 SATURDAY
VERSATILE BALLANTYNE WANTS TO BRING FLAG TO GOLDFIELDS
RECAP NBL1 WEST | ROUND 12 FRIDAY
BUCCS SKIPPER TO REACH 450 AS LEGACY CONTINUES TO GROW
MEN
Perry Lakes Hawks (99) lost to Geraldton Buccaneers (116)
It's not as if the Geraldton Buccaneers were struggling already, but Johny Narkle marked his return this weekend in spectacular fashion in Sunday's 116-99 win over the Perry Lakes Hawks in Aaron Ralph's 450th game.
The Buccaneers came into this weekend already sitting a game clear on top of the NBL1 West standings and that has been with Narkle being sidelined through injury the past 10 matches.
He returned in Saturday night's win against the Rockingham Flames and then put up a dominant performance on Sunday against the Hawks at Bendat Basketball Centre back on the same floor he won last year's Grand Final MVP.
While Geraldton came into the Sunday match up on a seven-game winning run in top spot, Perry Lakes was trying to bounce back from a Friday night loss to Joondalup and to maintain hold of a spot in the top eight.
It was quite the exciting start to the contest from both teams as they combined for 61 points in the first quarter with Geraldton narrowly leading Perry Lakes 31-30 by the end of one.
The Buccs began to pull away in the second term with 28 points to 23 to lead 59-53 at half-time.
The Buccaneers continued to build on that lead throughout the second half as it got out to 16 points in the third period, and 25 in the fourth and eventually the reigning champions scored the 17-point victory.
Geraldton improves to 15-1 on the season now with seven straight wins to remain just clear of the Willetton Tigers in top spot and on a day of celebration for captain Aaron Ralph, Johny Narkle put on a show in spectacular style.
In his second game back from missing the last 10 matches through injury, Narkle turned it on for the Buccs with 34 points, 10 rebounds and five assists on 13/22 shooting from the field in just under 30 minutes of court time.
Former league MVP Josh Braun showed he is working back to top form and fitness too with 27 points, seven rebounds and three assists with 11/17 shooting from the floor and 5/11 from three-point range.
Joshua Keyes also produced 22 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals on 10/13 shooting with captain Aaron Ralph putting up 12 points with another three triples as he celebrated the 450th game of his standout career.
Nik DeSantis also had another nine points and five assists for the Buccaneers, and Liam Hunt eight points, six rebounds and four assists.
Perry Lakes has now lost three straight to sit on a 7-9 record on the season with Jaylen Key starting on the bench but producing 19 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Matt Leary also had 18 points, four boards and two assists on 4/10 three-point shooting with Dequan Abrom contributing 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Luke Phillips 14 points, four boards and four assists.
The Hawks remain at home on Friday night against the Joondalup Wolves while the Buccaneers return to Geraldton to play host to the Eastern Suns on Saturday night.
PERRY LAKES HAWKS 99 (Key 19, Leary 18, Abrom 14, L Phillips 14)
GERALDTON BUCCANEERS 116 (Narkle 34, Braun 27, Keyes 22)
