NBL1 West Recap | Saturday Round 17

The Perth Redbacks ended the NBL1 West season with a pair of Saturday home wins against the Goldfields Giants including celebrating the 300th game of Denielle Ashworth while the Geraldton Buccaneers won their dress rehearsal over the Willetton Tigers.

There was a pair of Saturday games at Belmont Oasis to close the regular season with the Perth Redbacks women beating the Goldfields Giants 87-82 before the Redbacks men won big 132-83 against the Giants.

The other venue in action on Saturday was Willetton Basketball Stadium with the Geraldton Buccaneers beating the Willetton Tigers 89-81.

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Redbacks finish season on a high

The Perth Redbacks and Goldfields Giants both had their challenges throughout the 2023 season and it was the home team who got the win on the final day, prevailing 87-82 at Belmont Oasis.

The Redbacks played host to the Giants on the final day of the regular season on Saturday and with Denielle Ashworth celebrating her 300th game in the league.

Her career started back in 2007 at the Joondalup Wolves before spending five seasons with the East Perth Eagles and then joining the Redbacks in 2016 where she's remained ever since to now bring up her 300-game milestone.

It was the only game of the weekend for both teams and the visiting Giants started the better with 25 points to 18 in the opening quarter.

However, the Redbacks worked back into the contest in the second term and even grabbed the lead for a time, and by half-time the scores were all tied at 46-46.

Perth was able to work its way on top then throughout the second half outscoring Goldfields 20 points to 15 in the third quarter and to then lead by as much as 12 in the fourth stanza before holding on for the five-point victory.

The win sees the Redbacks finish on a 4-16 record for the season and ending on a high with three consecutive wins against East Perth, South West and now Goldfields. The Giants finish on 4-16 as well.

Redbacks co-captain Mikayla Pirini finished the season with a standout performance made up of 20 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals on shooting 7/14 from the floor, 2/5 from downtown and 4/4 at the foul line.

Emerging star Brooke Malone added 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Perth with Bri Bailey contributing 16 points with 3/6 three-point shooting, DaJah Daniel 13 points, 11 rebounds and three steals, and Shenae Hartree 11 points, three steals, two rebounds and two assists.

Denielle Ashworth also produced five points and six rebounds in her 300th appearance in the league.

Darcee Garbin produced a huge performance for the Giants to close the season with 30 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals.

Kiriana Hawaikirangi added 14 points and three rebounds, Aimee Borchet 12 points and eight boards, and Regan Turnour-McCarty 12 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four blocked shots.

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Statement win to close season from Redbacks

The Perth Redbacks have emphatically guaranteed themselves a fifth place finish to end the regular season with seven players scoring in double-figures in a 132-83 home victory over the Goldfields Giants on Saturday.

Both teams were playing their lone games of the last weekend of the regular season on Saturday at Belmont Oasis with the Redbacks needing to win to secure a fifth place finish while the Giants were just playing for pride.

The Redbacks came out a team on a mission and delivered a spectacular opening to the game and by quarter-time had opened up a 23-point lead over the Giants, leading 35-12.

It was another 32 points to 17 from Perth in the second quarter as well and that had the result already beyond doubt by half-time with the Redbacks leading 67-29.

There was no let up from the Redbacks coming out of the half-time break either as the lead got out to as much as 53 points in the third quarter, and then 55 in the fourth before they settled on the 49-point victory.

The result sees the Redbacks finish the regular season in fifth position with a 14-8 record and they will now host the Lakeside Lightning in an elimination final. The challenging season for the Giants ends at 7-15.

Even with only getting a combined seven points and 24 minutes out of imports Bryton Hobbs and Brian Voelkel, it was a dominant showing from the Redbacks with Joel Vaiangina leading the way with 21 points and seven rebounds.

David Okwera added 19 points, five boards and three assists, Chuatwech Reath 19 points and three rebounds, Devan Craig 13 points, three boards and two assists, Kyden Edman 13 points and four rebounds, and Jacob Formosa 13 points, 11 assists, four boards and two steals.

Lous Timms added 11 points and two rebounds with Voelkel still contributing 13 assists, seven rebounds and two steals.

Mayo Malek ended up top-scoring for the Giants with 19 points and seven rebounds on 8/11 shooting from the field with Michael Gardner adding 12 points, seven assists and five boards.

Jerome Reid also had 11 points and four assists for Goldfields, Kon Anguik 10 points, six rebounds and three steals, and Michael Dupree 10 points and three assists.

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Buccs win dress rehearsal with Tigers

The Willetton Tigers and Geraldton Buccaneers played out a dress rehearsal for their qualifying final next Saturday with the Buccs prevailing 89-81 at Willetton Basketball Stadium.

It was the last day of the regular season and both the Tigers and Buccs scored victories on Friday night to confirm their spots on the table and a match up with one another next Saturday. 

Willetton beat the South West Slammers 108-83 on Friday night at Eaton Recreation Centre while Geraldton started their road double to close the season beating the previously in-form East Perth Eagles 115-96.

Those results meant that Geraldton was locked into second spot and Willetton third with Perry Lakes losing at the same time to the Joondalup Wolves, so for all intents and purposes it was a practice run for next Saturday night when the two teams locked horns.

It was Willetton who got the better of the start opening up a 14-point lead in the opening quarter and then still being on top 32-24 by quarter-time.

That lead was again out to 10 in the second term for the Tigers but then the Buccaneers warmed into the contest by scoring 13 straight points to end up with 25 points to nine from Willetton for the quarter to go into the half-time break leading 49-41.

Geraldton would maintain that advantage through most of the second half including leading by as much as 12 in the fourth stanza as well on the way to the eventual eight-point win.

The two teams will now do it all again next Saturday night at Active West Stadium where Geraldton is undefeated this season as part of a final record of 17-5 in second spot. The Tigers end up third at 15-7.

Zac Gattorna once again led the charge in the win for the Buccaneers with 22 points, five rebounds and four assists with Johny Narkle contributing 12 points, nine boards and three assists, and Shaun Stewart 13 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Malik Meunier also had 11 points, six assists and three rebounds, Aaron Ralph 11 points and five boards, and Liam Hunt 10 points, six rebounds and two assists.

Damien Scott produced another 15 points for Willetton to go with three assists and two rebounds with Darnell Hoskins Jr contributing 15 points and two steals, and Gorjok Gak 15 points, 12 rebounds and two assists.

Tom Gerovich also had 13 points, five rebounds and two steals for the Tigers, Michael Vigor 10 points, seven boards and four assists, and Travis Fee five points, eight rebounds and four assists.