NBL1 West Recap | Friday Round 11

The Perry Lakes Hawks and Rockingham Flames put on two amazing spectacles to open Round 11 of the NBL1 West with the visiting Women winning in overtime at Bendat Basketball Centre and the defending champion Men prevailing in style despite having to overcome a remarkable Marshall Nelson triple-double.

Bendat Basketball Centre was the only venue in action on Friday night to open Round 11 in the NBL1 West competition and the Women's and Men's contests sure delivered two remarkable contests.

It got underway with the Women's contest and despite the absence of Mia Satie, Maddy Dennis, Annika Renkema and Millie McCarthy, Perry Lakes dominated the opening three quarters against Rockingham.

However, the Flames took over in the fourth quarter until a buzzer-beating three from Sara Loomis sent the game into overtime. But in the extra period it was Rockingham who continued on with the momentum to end up winning 81-74.

That led into the Men's clash and it was a Grand Final rematch marking the first time the two teams have met since Perry Lakes prevailed in last year's decider on the very same floor.

Plenty of the faces involved changed, but it didn't stop the tremendous battle where Perry Lakes dominated the first half but then had to overcome the Flames catching fire in incredible fashion to pile on 43 points in the third period.

The Hawks responded and came away with the eventual 102-93 victory to snap the four-game winning run of the Flames and end their own run of losing the last two matches.

Perry Lakes had to overcome a triple-double from Marshall Nelson to get the win after he produced 26 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for Rockingham.

Round 11 in the NBL1 West competition will continue on Saturday with the East Perth Eagles hosting the Joondalup Wolves while the Geraldton Buccaneers and Perth Redbacks Men lock horns at Active West Stadium.

The Warwick Senators also host the Mandurah Magic with the South West Slammers taking on the Kalamunda Eastern Suns, the Cockburn Cougars are at home to the Lakeside Lightning and the Willetton Tigers battle the Goldfields Giants.

The round's action will then wrap up on Sunday with the Rockingham Flames at home to the Goldfields Giants.

NBL1 WEST – 2022 SEASON
ROUND 11 – FRIDAY NIGHT

WOMEN
PERRY LAKES HAWKS 74 lost to ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 81

For most of the evening the Perry Lakes Hawks were on track to return to the NBL1 West Women's winner's list despite being shorthanded before the Rockingham Flames took over in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The Hawks came into the Friday night's clash at Bendat Basketball Centre having lost their past three matches and then Mia Satie, Maddy Dennis, Millie McCarthy and Annika Renkema were all missing for the clash against a Rockingham team who had won their past two matches.

Desperate for a win to maintain their hold on a position inside the top eight, the job for Perry Lakes got all that much harder with Rockingham opening the contest with a pair of three-pointers from Carlton AFLW signing Taylor Ortlepp.

The Hawks were able to hit back and an 8-0 run saw them grab a six-point lead but by quarter-time scores were locked together at 22-22.

Perry Lakes was able to pull away late in the first half to lead 43-39 at the main break on the back of an Ellie Newman triple on the buzzer.

The Hawks saw their lead grow to as much as nine points in the third quarter and this time it was a Sara Loomis three ball on the three quarter-time buzzer to see the home team lead 59-50.

However, Rockingham lifted its defensive intensity significant in the fourth quarter and Perry Lakes scored one point from a free-throw to Emma Clarke to start the quarter but then went scoreless for the next five minutes before another pair of free-throws to Clarke.

In the meantime, Rockingham piled on 12 straight points and then a Denae Civich three-pointer put the Flames in front with four minutes remaining.

The Hawks' first field goal came from Newman seven minutes into the quarter before they suffered another blow with Clarke forced from the floor with what appeared a combination of cramp and a lower leg injury.

Mehryn Kraker grabbed hold of an offensive rebound for an instant putback to give Rockingham a three-point edge with a minute to play but it was all set for a grandstand finish too.

And once again it was a buzzer-beater for Perry Lakes, this time a triple from Newman to force the game into overtime.

Then in the extra period, Ortlepp dropped two three-pointers to give the Flames the early advantage. A three-point play to captain Ariana Hetherington stretched the Flames' lead out further and Perry Lakes couldn’t buy a basket down the stretch with Rockingham going on to win 81-74.

The result improves Rockingham to a 7-4 record on the season having now won three straight while Perry Lakes has lost four in-a-row at 5-8.

While she's going to soon be moving to Melbourne to start life in the AFLW with Carlton, Taylor Ortlepp put up 16 three-point attempts for Rockingham, nailed six of them and finished with 18 points and two assists.

Patty Brossmann did another power of work for the Flames with 17 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and two blocks with Mehryn Kraker contributing 15 points and five rebounds, Ariana Hetherington 10 points and seven boards, and Christina Boag 10 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists.

It was a brave effort from the shorthanded Hawks with Emma Clarke finishing with 22 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, four blocked shots and two steals.

Ellie Newman stepped up for 21 points and six rebounds with Morgan Ballantyne finishing with 13 points and three boards, Malia Tharpe eight points and nine rebounds, and Sara Loomis six points and 10 boards.

MEN
PERRY LAKES HAWKS 102 defeated ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 93

The script wrote itself with a Grand Final rematch at Bendat Basketball Centre with the stage all set for the Perry Lakes Hawks and Rockingham Flames on Friday night.

This was the first time the teams have met since Perry Lakes beat Rockingham in last year's NBL1 West Grand Final but there's been plenty of changes for either side.

And the Hawks' changes have been recent too on the back of losing their past couple of games. This week they parted ways with guard Adam Thoseby who had been solid off the bench with 16.3 points a game.

However, Perry Lakes decided to make the hard call and in the meantime welcomed former Lakeside Lightning import Jack Isenbarger into the fold. 

He had played 68 games with the Lightning dating back to 2018 while having to overcome a horrific leg injury, but his dynamic play and scoring range is exactly what the Hawks needed to add.

His debut for the Hawks on Friday night coincided with the absence of fellow sharpshooter Ryan Smith, though, even though they also welcomed back Lewis Thomas while Rockingham was without key experienced pair Justin Beard and Ryan Godfrey.

Perry Lakes came out on fire, though, despite coming into the game having lost two straight up against a Rockingham team having won four in-a-row.

The Hawks closed the opening term with a 9-0 run to lead 26-20 by quarter-time and then the home team continued on with that momentum in the second term with another nine straight points to end up leading 54-39 at the break.

The Flames have too much talent and experience to not make a run, though, and that came about with a remarkable third quarter performance. They shot out of the blocks with a 14-0 run during the quarter to end up grabbing the lead and turning a 15-point half-time deficit into a 12-point lead.

It had been a simply stunning transformation as they piled on 43 points to 22 for the quarter to head into three quarter-time on top 82-76.

It was back on Perry Lakes to respond and the home team and reigning champs were up to the task dominating the fourth term with 26 points to 11 to end up winning 102-93.

Matt Leary enjoyed increased responsibility in the absence of Ryan Smith to put up 20 points on the back of draining 6/8 from three-point land for Perry Lakes.

Co-captain and games record holder Ben Purser also produced 19 points, nine assists and five rebounds with Jack Isenbarger marking his Perry Lakes debut following 68 games with Lakeside with 15 points and three long balls that connected.

Cooper Hamilton added 14 points for the Hawks, Andrew Ferguson 12 points and nine rebounds, and Lewis Thomas 11 points and eight boards.

The Flames might have seen their four-game winning run come to an end but Marshall Nelson did all he could with 26 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to produce a stunning triple-double.

Devondrick Walker nailed 6/16 from downtown on his way to 29 points, six rebounds and five assists for Rockingham with Tom Jervis adding 20 points and 12 boards, and Greg Hire two points, eight rebounds and three assists.