NBL1 West Recap | Men's Friday Round 18

It might have been an entertaining Friday night of NBL1 West basketball in the last round of the regular season but in the end it didn’t change anything in terms of what's happening to start the finals for 2022 next weekend.

The only teams not in action on Friday night to open Round 18 were the regional teams the Geraldton Buccaneers and Goldfields Giants, and in the end the playoff bound Cockburn Cougars, Joondalup Wolves, Rockingham Flames, Mandurah Magic, Perry Lakes Hawks and Warwick Senators all recorded victories.

The Friday night last round action saw the Cockburn Cougars prove too strong for the out of contention Willetton Tigers, winning 88-72 at Wally Hagan Stadium.

Six Cougars players scored in double-figures led by 17 points from Josh Hunt while Gavin Field flirted with a triple-double with 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists as the Cougars now prepare for a qualifying final match up with the Geraldton Buccaneers.

Willetton finished its tough season at 7-15 with Damien Scott top-scoring with 15 points.

The Joondalup Wolves had to fight hard but ended up overcoming the East Perth Eagles at home to win 90-84 and avoid heading into the finals on a losing streak.

The Wolfpack finished the season with a 16-6 record in third position with Jonathan Wade delivering 28 points as they gear up for a qualifying final with the Rockingham Flames.

East Perth's season isn’t quite done yet as they host the Buccs on Saturday after Lee Roberts led their charge on Friday night against one of his former teams with 26 points and 19 rebounds.

The season couldn’t end quick enough in the end for the Lakeside Lightning and the Rockingham Flames flexed their muscles once more with a seventh consecutive win, 117-81 on the road.

The Flames celebrated the 200th game of Tom Jervis with the 36-point win to finish the season on a seven-game winning run in second spot at 18-4. Devondrick Walker strengthened his playoff claims with 24 points and six rebounds.

Dom Jackson and Justin Bennett both scored 14 points for Lakeside.

The Mandurah Magic geared up for their playoff assault by beating the South West Slammers 86-71 at home on Friday night.

The Magic will finish the season in seventh position and most likely play the Warwick Senators on the back of their win on Friday made up of 22 points from Jay Bowie and Dequan Abrom's 20 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and five steals.

The Slammers finish the season with just three wins but encouraging signs especially from Caleb Van De Griend (25 points, 16 rebounds) and Buay Tuach (16 points).

The Perry Lakes Hawks had destiny in their own hands at home to the Kalamunda Eastern Suns on Friday night with a win to book in their playoff spot and eliminate the Perth Redbacks, and they scored the 117-81 win.

Perry Lakes guaranteed its playoff spot and knocked out the Redbacks at the same time with the 36-point win that saw Nick Floyd put up 27 points and Matt Leary 24.

The season of the Eastern Suns ended at 4-18 with Seb Salinas winding back the clock in game 490 with 18 points and six three-pointers.

The Warwick Senators then returned to the winner's list ahead of the finals with a home win against the Perth Redbacks 94-85.

The Senators guaranteed at least a sixth placed finish depend on what happens Saturday with the win that saw Majok Majok dominate with 28 points and nine rebounds with his Perth Wildcats teammate adding 24 points and five assists.

It wasn’t the start to the farewell weekend that the Redbacks hoped for Joel Wagner and the Sydney Kings-bound Zac Gattorna's absence certainly didn’t help. Jerami Grace top-scored with 25 points and Louis Timms had 22.

The NBL1 West Men's regular season now wraps up on Saturday afternoon with the Perth Redbacks hosting the Goldfields Giants in Wagner's farewell with the East Perth Eagles at home to the regular season champion Geraldton Buccaneers ahead of the NBL1 West Awards Dinner on Saturday night.

NBL1 WEST – 2022 MEN'S SEASON
ROUND 18 – FRIDAY NIGHT

COCKBURN COUGARS 88 defeated WILLETTON TIGERS 72

JOONDALUP WOLVES 90 defeated EAST PERTH EAGLES 84

LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 81 lost to ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 117

MANDURAH MAGIC 86 defeated SOUTH WEST SLAMMERS 71

PERRY LAKES HAWKS 117 defeated KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 81

WARWICK SENATORS 94 defeated PERTH REDBACKS 85