Feature images via: Michael Bailey/Hyperfocus Images
Aaron Ralph's status as the ultimate big time player from the Geraldton Buccaneers grows every time he steps on the floor and he ensured the reigning champs stayed unbeaten with Sunday's 93-70 NBL1 West win over the Eastern Suns.
RECAP NBL1 WEST | ROUND 6 SATURDAY
PLAYING OLD TEAM SMALL HURDLE IN BIG PICTURE FOR AMOS
ARMOUR'S JOURNEY OF PERSISTENCE, RESILIENCE TO 300
RECAP NBL1 WEST | ROUND 6 FRIDAY
MEN
Kalamunda Eastern Suns (70) lost to Geraldton Buccaneers (93)
Aaron Ralph might have never had a bigger impact on playing match-winner for the Geraldton Buccaneers at any other point in his remarkable career than so far in 2024 and he came up big again to ensure his team beat the Eastern Suns 93-70.
Ralph led the Buccs to the NBL1 West championship last year and he has been a big-time player right throughout his 441-game career, but he is playing as well as he ever has right now especially in the clutch moments.
Ralph put up 30 points and hit a stunning three to force overtime last week against the Goldfields Giants on his way to eight triples on the night, then he had another big say in the Saturday night start to the road trip with the win over the Warwick Senators.
He led his team into battle again on Sunday at Ray Owen Sports Centre and just as the Suns were finding a way to stay in touch, it was Ralph who slammed the door shut on them.
Kalamunda had got back within 14 points with three minutes to play to keep things interesting on their home floor, but Ralph then knocked down two three-point bombs in the space of 20 seconds to secure the eventual 23-point win for the Buccaneers.
Ralph might not be making ground in the all-time games record race considering two of the eight men ahead of him, Seb Salinas and Mat Wundenberg, are still playing and were part of the same game on Sunday, but Ralph is closing in on the three-point record.
Ralph made five more triples on Sunday in the win over the Suns after a couple against the Senators the night before to take him to 1036 in his 441-game career to now just be 61 point behind the record holder Ryan Neill.
However, what matters most for Ralph is Geraldton winning games of basketball and Sunday's win improves the defending champions to a 7-0 record on the season and to be on a 13-game winning streak dating back to last year.
Ralph was needed to step up on Sunday too when former MVP Josh Braun, who played his best game of the season the night before, injured a hamstring early in the match up.
The skipper finished with 26 points, five rebounds and three assists, but it wasn’t a one man show.
Nik DeSantis added 21 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Buccs while Ryan Blanchett was back on his old home floor and delivered 17 points, six boards and three assists in the 198th game of his career.
Joshua Keyes also had nine points and nine rebounds with Liam Hunt still working hard for 11 rebounds and six assists even if managing just the three points on 1/10 shooting.
The 2019 championship captain and 506-game legend Wundenberg also gave a crucial four points, nine rebounds and two assists.
The Suns are now 1-7 on the season after a double loss weekend with Marek Nelson putting up 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Bryan Michaels 25 points with 6/11 three-point shooting.
The Eastern Suns will now attempt to bounce back on the road to the Perry Lakes Hawks this Friday night while Geraldton returns home to host the East Perth Eagles on Saturday.
KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 70 (Michaels 25, Nelson 25, Exeter 6)
GERALDTON BUCCANEERS 93 (Ralph 26, DeSantis 21, Blanchett 17)
