NBL1 West Recap | Friday Men's Round 10

There might have been only two matches in the NBL1 West Men's Division on Friday night but they saw the Perth Redbacks continue their outstanding form and the Lakeside Lightning overpower the Warwick Senators at home.

The two matches in Round 10 of the NBL1 West on Friday night always loomed as fascinating ones and it ended up seeing the Redbacks continue their hot form against the Joondalup Wolves while the Lightning handing the Senators a third defeat in their past five matches.

The two Friday night Round 10 match ups saw the Perth Redbacks beat the Joondalup Wolves 100-87 at Belmont Oasis while the Lakeside Lightning overcame the Warwick Senators 94-80 at Lakeside Recreation Centre.

The Redbacks were led by 23 points and 11 rebounds in their win over the Wolves with Lochlan Cummings top-scoring for Joondalup with 19 points.

Jay Bowie had a huge night for the Lightning putting up 31 points on 5/8 shooting from three-point range while Caleb Davis top-scored for the Senators with 15 points.

Round 10 in the NBL1 West Men's Division continues on Saturday night with the Geraldton Buccaneers hosting the East Perth Eagles, and the Goldfields Giants at home in Kalgoorlie to the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

The South West Slammers are also hosting the Perth Redbacks while the Cockburn Cougars face the Perry Lakes Hawks, the Willetton Tigers are at home to the Mandurah Magic and the Rockingham Flames play host to the Lakeside Lightning.

There is then the one game on Sunday afternoon with the Geraldton Buccaneers remaining at home to host the Joondalup Wolves at Active West Stadium in a tantalising rematch of the 2019 Grand Final.

NBL1 WEST – 2021 MEN'S SEASON
ROUND 10 – FRIDAY NIGHT

PERTH REDBACKS 100 defeated JOONDALUP WOLVES 87

Round 10 got underway with what always shaped as a fascinating match up at Belmont Oasis on Friday night with the Perth Redbacks hosting the Joondalup Wolves.

Both teams came into the game on the back of winning their past two matches as well to set the stage for an enthralling duel with both of them having double-headers to look forward to in Round 10.

The Redbacks came into the game in the best form of their season on the back of wins against the Cockburn Cougars and Warwick Senators while the Wolves have done well to bounce back from a spanking from the Perry Lakes Hawks to beat the Goldfields Giants and Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

Back on their home floor, the Redbacks started impressively on the back of their last two wins to produce a strong first quarter made up of 29 points while holding the Wolves to just the 17.

It was quite the up-tempo and high-scoring second quarter then from both teams as they combined for 65 points. Neither coach might have been too impressed with the defence on display with the Wolfpack putting up 33 points to 32 from the Redbacks.

Perth still managed to lead 60-50 by half-time, though, and then their lead was down to eight by three quarter-time setting up a tremendous finish.

The Redbacks locked in on their defence, though, to hold the Wolves to just 12 points in the fourth term while scoring 17 themselves to go on and record the 100-87 victory.

The win improves the Redbacks to a 5-4 record having now won three in-a-row ahead of a road clash with the Slammers on Saturday. The Wolfpack now head to Geraldton to face the Buccs on Sunday with a 6-4 record.

It was a dazzling shooting display from the Redbacks as they went at 38/68 at 56 per cent from the field and 15/29 at 52 per cent from three-point land. The Wolves didn’t shoot too badly at 46 per cent from the floor and 29 per cent from deep but they just couldn’t keep pace with the home team.

Tevin Jackson produced his best game of the season for the Redbacks with 23 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals on hitting 10/17 of his shots.

Louis Timms maintained his outstanding form too with another 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals while the Redbacks welcomed back Marshall Nelson for the first time in 2021 and he had 15 points.

Zac Gattorna also had 15 points on 3/6 shooting from deep for the home team while Kyden Edman contributed 11 points and captain Joel Wager eight points and 13 assists.

Lochlan Cummings top-scored for the Wolfpack with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals while Jonathan Wade added 17 points and nine rebounds, Trian Iliadis 13 points and two steals, and Joel Vaiangina nine points and three rebounds.

LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 94 defeated WARWICK SENATORS 80

The Lakeside Lightning enhanced their championship credentials in the NBL1 West Men's Division by beating the Warwick Senators already for a second time this season on Friday night.

The Lightning and Senators met in a fascinating semi-final match up in last year's West Coast Classic with Warwick prevailing at home on the way to winning the Grand Final, and both teams look like being strong contenders in the NBL1 West again in 2021.

They had already played earlier this season three weeks ago with the Lightning beating the Senators 90-61 at Warwick Stadium. That was a first loss of the season for Warwick and since then the Lightning have beaten the Slammers, Giants and Flames while going down to the Hawks.

The Senators have struggled a little since too losing another game to the Redbacks since while beating the Hawks and Giants coming into Friday night's clash at Lakeside Recreation Centre.

Lakeside sure knows how to put quick points on the board and especially to jack up three-point shots, and that was on display in the opening quarter as they put up 29 points to lead by 12 by quarter-time already.

It was more of the same in the second quarter with another 27 points to 18 from the Lightning and the home team went into half-time leading 56-35 with the game just about out of reach of the Senators.

Lakeside stretched that lead further in the third quarter to lead by 24 points at three quarter-time. Warwick might have won the final term 27 points to 17 but the Lightning still cruised to the 94-80 win.

The result improves the Lightning to an 8-2 record on the season while the Senators have now lost three of their past five games to be 7-3.

It was a dominant showing on the glass from the Lightning with 49 rebounds to 33 including 18 offensive boards to nine. That saw them end up taking 14 more shots in the game than the Senators which proved pivotal.

Jay Bowie delivered another standout performance for Lakeside with 31 points and five rebounds while shooting 13/18 from the field and 5/8 from three-point range.

Kyle Armour had a strong night too with 19 points and five assists while Rowan Mackenzie contributed 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, Jack Isenbarger 10 points, five boards and three assists, and Jarrad Prue another eight points and 16 rebounds.

Caleb Davis finished with 15 points for the Senators on the back of getting to the foul line nine times, where he made eight of his attempts.

Cody Ellis added 12 points, six assists and four rebounds for Warwick, Justin King 10 points, Ethan Elliott 10 points and five assists, and Jay Thwaites 10 points and eight rebounds.