NBL1 West Mid-Season Snapshot – Men

Featured images: Michael Bailey / Michael Farnell

CJ Turnage and Joel Murray have had blistering starts to the NBL1 West men's season while Michael Harris and Todd Withers have shone at the Warwick Senators with the Geraldton Buccaneers and Willetton Tigers shining as units so far in 2024.

It's eight rounds into the 2024 NBL1 West season and it's the defending champion Geraldton Buccaneers sitting on top once more even with Grand Final MVP Johny Narkle and former league MVP Josh Braun limited to four games apiece so far.

The Joondalup Wolves have only just suffered a first loss but have been terrific with Turnage leading the way along with ex-Senators Caleb Davis and Ethan Elliott, and with Jeremy Combs still to arrive.

The Willetton Tigers have so far been outstanding with Michael Vigor delivering his all-round game with Michael Dupree and Marshall Nelson tremendous additions, and Josh Ibukunoluwa taking the next leap.

The Rockingham Flames have fluctuated through personnel but Jono Janssen has been a standout addition with Gorjok Gak strong when available while the additions of Harris and Withers under Andrew Cooper has helped them to an impressive start.

Mark Utley has built something exciting with Mandurah led by MVP fancy Murray while it's the depth standing out at the East Perth Eagles with Sebit Reath, David Okwera and now Lee Roberts up front, and Taylor Young and Sunday Dech in the back court.

It's the start of a new era at the Perry Lakes Hawks with Dequan Abrom and Jaylen Key settling in while it's been a season of near misses so far at the Goldfields Giants led by Randy Bell and De'Sean Parsons.

The Lakeside Lightning have had their moments as have the Perth Redbacks while Josh Hunt is having a breakout season for the Cockburn Cougars, the Eastern Suns have now won their last couple and Buay Tuach continues to shine at the South West Slammers.

MVP

CJ Turnage and Joel Murray do appear the two standout MVP candidates following the first eight rounds, but Michael Harris, Todd Withers and Buay Tuach would be others also in the hunt.

Turnage has previously won two MVP awards at the NBL1 Central (then Premier League) and did have a solid first two seasons in the NBL1 West at the Joondalup Wolves, but he's been at another level so far in 2024.

Playing with best friend Caleb Davis with the Wolfpack, has been superb for the 7-1 team putting up 26.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 50 per cent from the field.

The other leading candidate would be Murray at the Magic who has been nothing short of phenomenal. His story is all the more remarkable considering initially Mandurah was going with Taj Benning in his spot before he elected to stay in the US for a coaching opportunity in college.

Murray has taken the league by storm ever since now averaging 31.8 points, 7.4 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals while shooting 54.7 per cent from the field and 82.6 per cent at the free-throw line.

That has included a 50-point outburst against Willetton along with 42 points against Goldfields, and another three games of over 30 points.

Warwick Senators pair Todd Withers and Michael Harris have both done enough to put themselves in the discussion too along with Buay Tuach at the South West Slammers.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Records usually speak for themselves when it comes to Coach of the Year with Dayle Joseph, David Morrell, Adam Nener, Andrew Cooper, Mark Utley and Carl Filpo likely leading the race.

Joseph continues to do a standout job at the Buccaneers having already won two championships and having them sitting top at 8-1 with Johny Narkle and Josh Braun still to return.

Nener has done a superb job having his Willetton team up and firing at 9-2 with a terrific blend of youth and experience while Morrell had the Wolfpack unbeaten until last week while still awaiting Jeremy Combs.

Andrew Cooper has firstly done well to build his Warwick Senators team for 2024 and now to have them 7-5 with two-time NBL1 West and NBL champion Zac Gattorna still to come in.

Then there is Utley and Filpo who have their previously floundering teams up and firing. Utley has built a stunning starting five at the Magic with Joel Murray, Michael Durr, Lachlan Bertram, Jarrod Molnar and Julian Pesava, and they are 7-5 as a result.

It's been a slow build at East Perth but Filpo has done well to develop an impressive squad, and now has them playing tremendously at 5-4 which includes a couple of losses right at the buzzer.

Ben Pether's prediction: Dayle Joseph

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER

It's the big men who appear once again to be the ones mostly in the running for this award in 2024 but when you have an annual NBL Best Defensive Player candidate in the mix, things become interesting.

Sunday Dech has proven himself one of the most elite defensive guards in the country and he has been a significant reason for East Perth's improvement this season putting himself right in the Best Defensive Player hunt.

Then there's the big men with last year's winner Gorjok Gak again a leading candidate in the eight games he's played for 11.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks.

Michael Durr has had an immediate impact at both ends for Mandurah to be delivering 13.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while Alex Holcombe is producing 9.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks for the South West Slammers, and Todd Withers 9.7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals for Warwick.

Ben Pether's prediction: Gorjok Gak or Sunday Dech

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

There are some standout candidates as Most Improved Player across the league so far this season including Josh Hunt, Lachlan Bertram, Brody England and Tyler Shand.

Hunt is having the best season of his 100-game career and is putting up 17.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists for Cockburn all the while doing it on 21.4 minutes. That's up from 12.8, 3.3 and 1.9 a season ago on 24.3 minutes.

Bertram struggled to get on the court in recent seasons at the Perth Redbacks but he's become the starting point guard on his move to Mandurah. He is thriving too going at 15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

England did threaten at times to be a breakout star starting his career at the South West Slammers, but it's his form at the Senators so far in 2024 that could be seeing him realise his potential.

He is delivering 10.0 points and 2.1 assists while shooting the three ball at a career-best 41 per cent after just 3.3 points in 11 minutes a game last season at the Wolves.

Shand is another player to take giant strides under Andrew Cooper at the Senators going up to 7.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 2024 in 25 minutes after just 15 minutes in 2023 for 4.8, 4.2 and 1.2.

Ben Pether's prediction: Lachlan Bertram

BEST YOUNG PLAYER

The Best Young Player award has the criteria of being awarded to a player aged 24 or under by the end of the season and can't be awarded to a player to have won previously.

The standout candidates appear to be Josh Hunt, David Okwera, George Pearl, Roosevelt Williams, Josh Ibukunoluwa and Kyiah O'Donohue.

Hunt has now played 100 games in the league, but is still only 22 years of age and is producing 17.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the Cougars.

Okwera has played over 50 NBL games but the Perth Wildcats big man is still just 21 years of age and is starring at East Perth with 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 blocks.

Pearl is a 22-year-old who continues to go from strength to strength playing varied roles at the Warwick Senators. He's averaging 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 2024 on the back of shooting 54 per cent from the field.

Roosevelt Williams has come back from college playing a key point guard role for Willetton producing 10.1 points, 3.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds.

His Tigers teammate Ibukunoluwa is still only 18 years of age but is quite the excitement machine delivering 10.8 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting at 62 per cent from the floor.

O'Donohue is a 20-year-old grabbing his chances at Perry Lakes putting up 5.4 points and 1.5 rebounds including a 20-point performance against the Eastern Suns.

Ben Pether's prediction: David Okwera or Josh Hunt

BEST SIXTH MAN

This can be a difficult category to judge but some leading candidates after eight rounds would be Jono Janssen, Tyler Shand, Josh Ibukunoluwa and Aaron Ralph.

Janssen has had to start in recent weeks for the Rockingham Flames in the absence of Gorjok Gak, but he'll likely settle into a Sixth Man role. Right now he is impressing with 20.4 points and 9.4 rebounds.

Shand is the Mr Everything at the Senators and he is just a bundle of energy who is currently averaging 7.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

Ibukunoluwa has long been an exciting talent emerging in Australian basketball, and he's now realising that playing at NBL1 level. He is an important part of the Willetton team with 10.8 points and 6.8 boards.

Then there's Ralph at the Buccaneers. The championship winning captain has had to start at times, but will settle back into the bench role when Johny Narkle and Josh Braun are healthy.

The 443-game veteran is closing in on being the all-time three-point leader and is averaging 14.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in 2024 while shooting the three ball at 38 per cent.

Ben Pether's prediction: Josh Ibukunoluwa

ALL FIRST TEAM

Narrowing it down to an All-First Team is quite the challenge right now and starting with the front court, Sebit Reath, David Okwera, De'Sean Parsons, Gorjok Gak, Michael Durr and Todd Withers appear the top candidates so far.

Reath is in his second season with East Perth and despite a two-game absence with a finger injury, is performing strongly with 16.0 points and 8.7 rebounds a game.

His front court partner Okwera is also playing well in his first season at the Eagles with the Perth Wildcats young gun delivering 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

Parsons is in his first season in the league at the Giants and is performing strongly up front with 22.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

Gak had a strong season at the Willetton Tigers last season and now in his eight appearances with Rockingham in 2024, he's been a significant influence with 21.9 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks.

Durr is providing Mandurah with a strong inside presence and putting up 17.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 2.8 assists a game.

It's no surprise given his pedigree what Withers is doing at the Warwick Senators, but he's living up to the billing with 23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

If we turn our attention to the back court, Sunday Dech, Nik DeSantis, Randy Bell, Buay Tuach, Michael Dupree, Marshall Nelson, Michael Harris, CJ Turnage and Joel Murray look to be leading the race.

Dech has returned to East Perth in 2024 where he won a championship in 2014, and the 156-game NBL veteran has been terrific with 22.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

DeSantis is fresh off winning an NBL1 Central championship and wasted no time settling in to run the point with the Buccaneers. He is delivering 21.1 points, 5.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds.

Bell is another new face to the league having an immediate impact at the Giants so far producing 24.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists.

Tuach is now in a third season with the Slammers and continues to be one of the standout all-round players in the league. He is putting up another 24.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

Dupree is settling in nicely in his first season in the league at Willetton with 20.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists including 44 points against Rockingham.

His Willetton back court teammate Nelson is also enjoying his arrival at the Tigers by delivering 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

Harris is having a significant impact in his first season at the Senators. The Perth Wildcats guard is delivering 25.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists including two 42-point outbursts.

Turnage is in a third season with the Wolves but performing at an MVP level so far in 2024 with 26.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

Another MVP candidate is Murray at the Mandurah Magic who has been spectacular going at 31.8 points, 7.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds.

Ben Pether's prediction: (5) Must see new players in the League: Joel Murray, Michael Harris, Todd Withers, Nik DeSantis, Randy Bell