Featured image: Madeleine Clark @m.clarkmedia
The remarkable Cockburn Cougars career of Gavin Field ended on Friday night while Sam Roscoe also called an end to her time in the NBL1 West in what turned out to be an evening of statements being made ahead of the playoffs.
ROGERS EXCITED BY WORKING AT SENATORS, BOOMERS OLYMPIC PROSPECTS
VIGOR REACHES GOAL OF 300 WHILE HAVING EXPERIENCED SO MUCH
FIELD READY FOR LAST HURRAH WITH COUGARS
RECAP NBL1 WEST | ROUND 16 SATURDAY
WOMEN
Cockburn Cougars (91) defeated Perry Lakes Hawks (68)
The Cockburn Cougars couldn’t quite move into second spot but the defending champions will enter the playoffs in hot form with Alex Ciabattoni putting up 36 points and Daniel Raber having a triple-double in the 91-68 home win over the Perry Lakes Hawks.
The Cougars were still a chance to finish in second spot with a win in the last game of the regular season at Wally Hagan Stadium but also needed the Warwick Senators to lose to the Lakeside Lightning at the same time.
While the second part was out of their control, what they could take care of was getting the win themselves, but they were up against a Hawks team locked into fourth position as well coming into the contest.
Cockburn was only clinging to the 23-20 lead by quarter-time before then pushing that advantage out to 42-36 by the half-time interval.
Perry Lakes started the second half well to hit the lead briefly, but the Cougars soon took back control and then blew the game apart in the fourth term.
Cockburn completed a 13-0 scoring run and would outscore Perry Lakes 26 points to nine to go on and score the 23-point victory to still stay in third spot given Warwick's win over Lakeside with a 16-4 record as defending champions.
Alex Ciabattoni had a huge night for the Cougars with 36 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks on 14/17 shooting from the floor while Daniel Raber delivered a triple-double with 21 points, 15 boards, 10 assists and two steals.
Steph Gorman also had 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, Maria Blazejewski 10 points, two boards and two assists, and Jewel Williams six points, three rebounds and two steals in her 151st game.
Perry Lakes remains in fourth place with a 14-6 record despite the loss with Millie McCarthy producing a season-best 19 points and five assists on 5/11 three-point shooting.
Mia Satie also had 15 points and five rebounds, Ash Isenbarger 12 points and seven boards, and Maddy Dennis seven points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
COCKBURN COUGARS 91 (Ciabattoni 36, Raber 21, Gorman 11)
PERRY LAKES HAWKS 68 (McCarthy 19, Satie 15, Isenbarger 12)
Joondalup Wolves (107) defeated Kalamunda Eastern Suns (80)
The Joondalup Wolves confirmed their playoff position and they loom as a real threat even from eighth position now that they are at full strength with the 107-80 home win over the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.
In a lot of ways it's been a horror season for the Wolfpack just in terms of personnel with Emma Clarke missing 15 games, Jorjah Smith 12 and Julia Chandler eight, and then after winning the first five matches they went on to lose 11 of the next 12.
That had them outside of the top eight but things came back together just in time and they had won the last two matches ahead of hosting the out of contention Eastern Suns at HBF Arena.
The Suns might not have been able to make finals but were in good form having won five of the last eight games even with a last up 53-point loss to the defending champion Cockburn Cougars.
They had the chance to play spoilers for the Wolves on Friday night but the Wolves were on a mission knowing they could guarantee a finals spot with a win.
Joondalup scored 11 straight points in the opening quarter to be leading by as much as 13 points, and being up 31-20 by the end of one.
The lead for the Wolfpack continued to grow throughout the rest of the evening with it getting out to 15 points in the second period and then to 27 in the fourth which would end up as the final margin.
The result means that the Wolves end the season having won their last three matches to lock away eighth position with a 9-11 record and they loom as a dangerous playoff participant now that they are at full strength.
Darien Huff was outstanding for Joondalup with 23 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and four steals on 4/8 three-point shooting while Geraldynn Leaupepe finished with 18 points, six steals, five boards and four assists.
Sarah Toeaina also had 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals while Julia Chandler provided 15 points and nine boards, Jorjah Smith 10 points and three assists, and Sirena Tuitele eight points and six rebounds.
The Eastern Suns finish the first season under new coach Marcus Bardill with a 6-14 record and with some encouraging signs in the second half of the campaign once things started to come together.
Ella Fotu finished the season top-scoring for Kalamunda with 25 points, 11 rebounds, five steals, three assists and two blocked shots while Olivia Berry added 23 points and five assists, and Tiahna Sears 21 points and six rebounds.
JOONDALUP WOLVES 107 (Huff 23, Leaupepe 18, Toeaina 17)
KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 80 (Fotu 25, Berry 23, Sears 21)
South West Slammers (54) lost to Rockingham Flames (125)
It was top against bottom to close the regular season and things went to script with the Rockingham Flames beating the South West Slammers 125-54.
The Slammers were up against avoiding a second straight winless season even at home at Eaton Recreation Centre to take on a Rockingham team having already locked away the regular season championship with just the two losses in 2024.
Rockingham started the game on fire gearing up for a run at the championship over the next three weeks with 34 points to seven against the Slammers.
It was another 33 points to 13 in the second quarter with the lead just in the first half out to as much as 47 points before the Flames went into the half-time break leading 67-20.
It was another 30 points to 18 in the third frame and 28 to 16 in the fourth with the lead out to as much as 74 points on the way to the eventual 71-point victory.
That sees Rockingham finish the regular season a game clear in top spot with an 18-2 record with Georgia Pineau putting up 28 points, five steals, three blocks, three assists and three rebounds on 12/18 shooting from the field.
Emma Gandini also delivered 23 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals on 9/10 shooting from the floor and 3/3 from three-point range while Robbi Ryan had 21 points and seven assists on 6/6 shooting from downtown.
Alex Sharp provided 16 points, 15 rebounds and four assists with Nes'eya Parker-Williams ending up with 13 points, 10 boards, four assists, three steals and two blocks, and Emily Steven 12 points and three rebounds.
The Slammers now have gone winless for two straight seasons and 52 matches overall dating back to midway through 2022 despite Alex Donovan finishing with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Nyidier Riak added 11 points, two steals and two blocks with Zaya Black contributing eight points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals, and Javene Fitch seven points and five boards.
SOUTH WEST SLAMMERS 54 (Donovan 13, Riak 11, Black 8)
ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 125 (Pineau 28, Gandini 23, Ryan 21)
Warwick Senators (95) defeated Lakeside Lightning (50)
The Warwick Senators made quite the remarkable and emphatic statement over a fellow playoff bound team with the 95-50 victory against the Lakeside Lightning to close the regular season.
Coming into the contest at Warwick Stadium and the Senators needed to win to stay in second position and hold out the Cockburn Cougars while the Lightning could have gone sixth win a win to earn a home final next week.
Warwick also came into the contest with Marena Whittle having departed for the Paris Olympic Games with the Australian 3x3 team while two-time MVP Stacey Barr is still out injured, but it didn’t deter the home team from an emphatic performance.
The Senators started the game on their home floor on fire with 27 points to 15 in the first quarter and that set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Warwick would complete a 17-0 run into the second period to end up leading by 28 points in that second frame which then blew out to 46 points in the third and 56 in the fourth.
The Senators would end up scoring the 45-point victory to confirm second position at the end of the regular season with a 17-3 record.
Chloe Forster stepped up further to complete the best regular season of her now 100-game career. She celebrated the century milestone with 31 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds and four steals with 6/11 shooting from beyond the three-point arc.
Kyana Weir had a breakout first half performance and finished the night with 20 points and 6/8 three-point shooting as she continues to show exciting signs before leaving for the University of Nebraska Omaha.
Karly Murphy also delivered another 18 points and 12 rebounds with Nicole Jorre de St Jorre producing 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals in the 477th game of her career.
The Lightning will now finish in seventh place with a 10-10 record having lost five of the last six games of the regular season.
Teige Morrell finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds with Caitie Jones producing 10 points, four boards and two steals, and Marnelle Garraud eight points and five rebounds despite shooting 3/17 from the field.
WARWICK SENATORS 95 (Forster 31, Weir 20, Murphy 18)
LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 50 (Morrell 11, Jones 10, Garraud 8)
Mandurah Magic (67) lost to Willetton Tigers (94)
The Willetton Tigers got themselves ready for a crack at a fourth straight Grand Final with a statement 94-67 road victory which ended the season of the Mandurah Magic in the process.
Coming into the Friday night match up at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre, the Tigers were locked into fifth position no matter the result but the Magic needed to win to be any chance of breaking back into the top eight.
Even with a win and Mandurah also needed some help with the Eastern Suns against the Joondalup Wolves, but Willetton was going to take all of that out of the equation even in the absence of the impressive Jillian Archer and captain Desiree Kelley.
It hasn’t always been a season where things have clicked for the Tigers, but things have come together late in the piece and that was again on show in Mandurah beginning with 24 points to 20 in the first quarter.
Willetton would then go into half-time leading 45-39 before dominating the second half with 24 points to 12 in the third period, and 25 to 16 in the fourth on the way to the eventual 27-point victory.
The win sees the Tigers remain in fifth position to close the regular season with a 12-8 record as they now attempt to make it to a fourth straight women's Grand Final.
Claire Jacobs had a night out in the win for Willetton with 27 points, six rebounds and four assists with 6/8 three-point shooting in her best performance of the season.
Her twin sister, Amy, also had 11 points, five rebounds, five assists and two blocks while Melisa Brcaninovic delivered 20 points, 15 rebounds and five assists, Kaylee Smiler nine points and five assists, and Kiara Waite five points, eight boards, three blocks and two assists.
The finals hopes of the Magic end with the defeat and they finish the season with an 8-12 record despite having won three straight before Friday night to remain a playoff chance.
Donica Cosby top-scored for Mandurah with 23 points, three assists and two rebounds with Sam Roscoe adding 16 points and three rebounds.
Roscoe announced her retirement after the match bringing to an end her 153-game NBL1 West career that included being a key part of the 2018 championship at the Lakeside Lightning.
She also had her college career at the University of North Dakota and then played with Lakeside, Kalamunda, Warwick and Mandurah in the NBL1 West while also playing in the British Basketball League along with stints in Germany and Bosnia as part of a tremendous career.
The league's games record holder Casey Mihovilovich finished the season still playing at a high level and she had another 13 points, three rebounds and two assists in the 573rd game of her remarkable career.
MANDURAH MAGIC 67 (Cosby 23, Roscoe 16, Mihovilovich 13)
WILLETTON TIGERS 94 (C Jacobs 27, Brcaninovic 20, A Jacobs 11)
MEN
Cockburn Cougars (92) lost to Perry Lakes Hawks (118)
It was a night all about the farewell of Cockburn Cougars legend Gavin Field but it was a pair of his former teammates that led the Perry Lakes Hawks to the season ending 118-92 victory.
With both teams out of the playoff hunt coming into the Friday night match up at Wally Hagan Stadium, it was a night surrounded around the retirement of Cougars captain, championship winner and seven-time club MVP Field.
His family's legacy has been remarkable with his grandfather and parents also life members of the Cockburn Basketball Association while Field himself then went on to create his own mark on the court.
However, the father-of-two had decided that 2024 would always be his last season and Friday night was the 339th and final game of his career, and he did what he could to give the Cougars a chance at a season-ending win.
It wasn’t quite to be, though, and it was former Cockburn pair Keegan and Luke Phillips who were outstanding for Perry Lakes along with former Cougars assistant coach Damian Barr in charge at the Hawks.
Perry Lakes started well to open up an eight-point lead in the first quarter which grew to 21 points in the second term and the Hawks were still on top 67-50 at half-time.
Field fired up in the third quarter in his last half of basketball with the Cougars and his team did score 12 straight points to begin to mount a fightback, but the Hawks had all the answers on the night.
Perry Lakes finished off with 30 points to 19 to put the win to bed to end up winning by 26 points to finish the season with a 9-13 record to end up two games out of a playoff spot.
Luke Phillips produced 28 points and six rebounds with Dequan Abrom contributing 26 points, six steals, five boards and five assists, and Keegan Phillips 24 points and four rebounds with AJ Nobensi ending up with eight points and seven assists.
The Cougars finish the season with a 5-17 record but it was a night rightfully all about celebrating the 339th and last game in the remarkable career of Field who was a star in the 2012 championship and played a big part in setting up the 2016 triumph before a heartbreaking injury to start the playoffs - also against Perry Lakes.
Field ran out onto Wally Hagan Stadium one last time with daughter Iris leading the way and he opened up the game in the best possible way knocking down a three-pointer on the first offensive possession.
He hit another three-point bomb early in the second quarter and he did all he could to keep the Cougars in touch before he even threw down a dunk after an offensive rebound early in the second half.
Field hit another triple heading towards three quarter-time and while he couldn’t quite get the win or make his final shot in his last game, he did get to sub out with two minutes to go and bid farewell to the Cougar Family.
Field finished with 23 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals with 10/12 foul shooting in his last game.
The standing he is held in amongst his teammates was highlighted by the fact that Josh Hunt and Seva Chan played despite being well short of 100 per cent to be there for the occasion for Field. Hunt even had 11 points and four assists in his 17 minutes.
Rhys Vague ended up with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists with Charlie Dimmock contributing 11 points on 4/6 shooting, Austin Crowe-St Jack 11 points, and Riley Eves nine points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists.
COCKBURN COUGARS 92 (Field 23, Vague 19, Crowe-St Jack 11, Hunt 11, Dimmock 11)
PERRY LAKES HAWKS 118 (L Phillips 28, Abrom 26, K Phillips 24)
Joondalup Wolves (111) defeated Kalamunda Eastern Suns (63)
The Joondalup Wolves confirmed second position heading into the playoffs with the emphatic 111-63 home win against the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.
The Wolfpack already had the second spot just about secured coming into the Friday night match up at HBF Arena against the Suns and their pair of former Wolves greats Seb Salinas and Rob Huntington.
Fellow former Joondalup players Reece Maxwell and Bryan Michaels weren’t there for the Suns and the Wolves were on a mission to make a statement heading into the finals attempting to make up for losing last year's Grand Final.
Joondalup raced out to a 10-3 start and by the end of the first quarter they were leading 31-16 closing it out with an alley-oop finish from Jacob Wiley on the pass from Jonathan Wade that he converted into a three-point play.
The Wolfpack then dominated further in the second quarter with another 32 points to 14 with it finishing in a way that summed up proceedings with Wade jacking up a near halfcourt short. It was judged to get off before the buzzer and the home team went into half-time leading 63-30.
It was then another 24 points to 14 in the third quarter and then 24 more to 19 in the fourth with Joondalup ending up recording the emphatic 48-point win to close the regular season in second position with a 16-6 record.
Jacob Wiley continues to be thriving just nine games into his NBL1 West career and put up 26 points, seven rebounds and two steals for the Wolfpack with 11/16 shooting from the floor.
Jonathan Wade continued his hot late season form with 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists on 6/8 three-point shooting with CJ Turnage also contributing 18 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Christian Jurlina also had 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals with Caleb Davis adding eight points, four boards, three assists and two steals, and Ethan Elliott six points and six assists.
The Eastern Suns showed encouraging signs at different points this season but finish at 7-15 in the end with Marek Nelson finishing off with another strong showing with 24 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Raphell Thomas-Edwards added 12 points and eight rebounds with Jack Exeter contributing seven points, five assists, three boards and two steals, and Cooper Lowe six points.
JOONDALUP WOLVES 111 (Wiley 26, Wade 24, Turnage 18)
KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 63 (Nelson 24, Thomas-Edwards 12, Exeter 7)
South West Slammers (72) lost to Rockingham Flames (97)
The mid part of the season didn’t go to plan for the Rockingham Flames but they enter the playoffs full of momentum after beating the South West Slammers 97-72 to close the regular season.
The Slammers were back home at Eaton Recreation Centre to close their season on Friday night looking to take a significant scalp with Rockingham having won the championship in 2022 and made the decider of the National Finals in 2023.
However, the Flames have got themselves back in groove at the right end of the season and continued that momentum now that Jeremy Combs has settled back in, Devondrick Walker and Gorjok Gak are back on deck, and Justin Beard continued his hot shooting form.
Rockingham did start the season in fine form winning the first five games, and seven of the first nine, but then they got hit hard with Walker being out injured, Combs yet to arrive and Gak also missing four games during a rough patch.
The Flames lost four straight games at one point and six of eight to have their playoff spot in jeopardy let alone top four prosects sliding away.
However, they had got back on track leading into Friday night having won four of the previous seven matches to be guaranteed at least of a playoff appearance and were in some ominous form against the Slammers.
Rockingham made an early statement with 31 points to 16 in the opening quarter and then never looked back from there with the lead growing to 17 points in the second quarter, 19 in the third and 27 in the fourth.
The Flames would end up scoring the 25-point victory to enter the finals on a three-game winning streak and a 13-9 record and what looks likely to be a match up first up against the East Perth Eagles.
Gorjok Gak is hitting top gear heading into the finals for Rockingham too with 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists on 10/16 shooting from the field.
Jeremy Combs also contributed 17 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three blocked shots with Justin Beard knocking down another 6/11 from downtown for 18 points, eight boards and two steals.
Two-time MVP Devondrick Walker also had 15 points and 10 assists with Travis Durnin contributing 11 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Ryan Godfrey six points and five assists.
The season ends for the Slammers on a 6-16 record with Mathiang Muo completing another NBL1 West with 18 points, six rebounds and three steals 10 years after he was part of a championship at the East Perth Eagles.
Devan Craig ended up with 15 points while Buay Tuach had 13 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals despite a rough shooting night with 4/17 from the floor.
SOUTH WEST SLAMMERS 72 (Muo 18, Craig 15, Tuach 13)
ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 97 (Gak 24, Beard 18, Combs 17)
Warwick Senators (85) defeated Lakeside Lightning (92)
The Lakeside Lightning finished a frustrating season on a high note with Mike Adewunmi and Marshawn Blackmon combining for 60 points in the 92-85 win to consign the Warwick Senators to eighth position.
The Lightning would have been disappointed to be out of finals contention coming into the final round, but they did arrive at Warwick Stadium ready to finish on a high note having already won their previous two matches.
The Senators could have potentially moved from eighth spot with a win but they did come into the contest without key pair Michael Harris and Cody Ellis, and they did start the game on fire.
Warwick managed to open up a 15-point lead in the first quarter and were still on top 34-24 by quarter-time, but from then on it was all the Lightning the rest of the way.
While the Senators still led 48-44 at half-time, Lakeside had grabbed the momentum and then rode that through the second half with 27 points to 16 in the third period.
The Lakeside lead got out to as much as nine points in the second half and they held firm for the seven-point victory to finish the season with three consecutive wins to end on an 8-14 record.
Mike Adewunmi and Marshawn Blackmon ended their first seasons with Lakeside on a tremendous outing with the former finishing with 32 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals, and the latter 28 points, six boards and four assists.
Max Richards added 12 points and six rebounds with Michael Garbellini putting up eight points on 2/3 three-point shooting, and Josh Davey seven points and eight rebounds.
It was a tough way for the Senators to finish the regular season with an 11-11 record to be locked to eighth position with George Pearl stepping up in the absence of Michael Harris and Cody Ellis for 27 points, six assists and four rebounds on 6/11 three-point shooting.
Todd Withers also finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three steals with Brody England contributing 15 points and two boards, and Tyler Shand 10 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
WARWICK SENATORS 85 (Pearl 27, Withers 20, England 15)
LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 92 (Adewunmi 32, Blackmon 28, Richards 12)
Mandurah Magic (110) defeated Willetton Tigers (88)
Dynamic Mandurah Magic import duo Joel Murray and Michael Durr fired as the Mandurah Magic kept their top four finishing hopes alive with the 110-88 victory at home to the Willetton Tigers.
Both teams were locked into a playoffs appearance coming into the final round match up at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre while the Tigers were unlikely to be able to move from third and the Magic still had a chance to stay in the race for fourth.
With that motivation for Mandurah that with a win and a Goldfields Giants loss to the East Perth Eagles on Saturday could mean a fourth place finish and playoffs double chance, the Magic put on an impressive showing on their home court.
It was a high-scoring opening from both teams as they combined for 64 points with the Magic leading the Tigers 34-30 by quarter-time.
Mandurah extended that lead to 60-53, but it was in the second half when the Magic put their foot down including going on a 12-0 run in the third quarter to end up leading by a much as 31 points.
The lead got out to 33 points in the fourth term and the Magic went on to score the eventual 22-point victory to finish the regular season at 13-9 and with a chance to still finish fourth depending on what happens on Saturday.
The Magic were again without Julian Pesava and still scored the big win with MVP favourite Joel Murray doing his chances no harm with another 37 points and six assists on 15/24 shooting from the field.
Big man Michael Durr also had 26 points, 19 rebounds, three assists and two steals with Lachlan Bertram contributing 16 points, three boards and two assists, Jarrod Molnar 14 points and five rebounds, and Jermaine Malie nine points, five boards, three steals and two assists.
The Tigers remain in third position despite the result with a 15-7 record with Michael Vigor reaching his 300-game milestone on the night and finishing with 10 points and five rebounds before fouling out in just under 14 minutes.
Michael Dupree top-scored for Willetton with 16 points on 3/6 three-point shooting with Deng Gak contributing 12 points and four rebounds, Damien Scott 10 points, four boards and three assists, and Marshall Nelson nine points, seven assists and three rebounds.
MANDURAH MAGIC 110 (Murray 37, Durr 26, Bertram 16)
WILLETTON TIGERS 88 (Dupree 16, Gak 12, Vigor 10, Scott 10)
