NBL1 West Recap | Thursday Semi Finals

The championship dream of Casey Mihovilovich with Mandurah Magic is alive after NBL1 West semi-final win over Joondalup Wolves while Rockingham Flames thumped Warwick Senators, and Perth Redbacks and Wolfpack men upset the higher ranked Perry Lakes Hawks and Willetton Tigers.

The NBL1 West semi finals took place on Thursday night with the women's results seeing the Rockingham Flames beat the Warwick Senators 95-70 and the Mandurah Magic defeat the Joondalup Wolves 77-73.

That sets up Saturday's preliminary finals with the Cockburn Cougars hosting the Mandurah Magic, and the Willetton Tigers at home to the Rockingham Flames.

The men's semi finals saw the lower ranked teams prevail with the Joondalup Wolves defeating the Willetton Tigers 99-94 before the Perth Redbacks downed the Perry Lakes Hawks 89-78.

The preliminary finals will now feature the Rockingham Flames at home to the Joondalup Wolves, and the Geraldton Buccaneers hosting the Perth Redbacks.

NBL1 WEST RECAP | SATURDAY WEEK 1 FINALS

NBL1 WEST RECAP | FRIDAY FINALS WEEK 1

FINDING SOLACE IN BASKETBALL AFTER LOSING FAIRYTALE LIFE

WOMEN

Flames dominate Senators to set up Tigers clash

The Rockingham Flames made quite the statement in their semi-final at home to the defending champion Warwick Senators on Thursday night, advancing to the preliminary final with the 95-70 victory.

Rockingham did come into the finals having won 14 of the last 17 games, but found the going tough in the qualifying final losing to the Cockburn Cougars by 14 points.

However, by finishing fourth they earned the right to host Thursday's semi-final and they came up against not only the defending NBL1 West but the National Champion Senators who were fresh off a 27-point elimination final thumping of the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.

So it shaped as a fascinating semi-final battle on Thursday at Mike Barnett Sports Complex with a spot in the preliminary final against Willetton up for grabs.

3??-points and the foul ?

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Rockingham made the fast start with the opening six points of the game courtesy of Mehryn Kraker, Lisa Koop and Tayah Burrows before Chloe Forster got Warwick on the board in the semi-final.

Her Perth Lynx WNBL teammate Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard then hit a three as well for the Senators but the Flames then pulled away in the back end of the opening quarter.

Christina Boag hit a three to make the Flames' lead six and that started a 12-0 run that was capped off with triples also from Marissa Pangalos and Teyla Evans to see Rockingham open up a 28-13 lead by quarter-time.

The lead for Rockingham got out to as much as 17 points midway through the second term on the back of five quick points from Casey Samuels, but the Senators soon fought back to remain in touch.

Stacey Barr and Clinch Hoycard both hit three balls for the reigning champions and the Senators had soon cut the margin to nine, but it was then Tiahna Wilson-Palmer who turned the game back in the favour of the Flames.

She hit consecutive three-point daggers to put Rockingham back up by 15 points, and they were still up 53-35 by half-time with another three ball just before the break from Pangalos.

There was no let up from the Flames to start the second half including another three-point make from Evans and when Samuels also landed one from behind the arc, the Rockingham advantage was out to 22.

It would get to as much as 32 late in the third quarter when Wilson-Palmer connected on yet another three-point bomb and the Flames were still up 81-49 by three quarter-time.

From there Rockingham was able to cruise to the 25-point victory to set up their preliminary final battle on Saturday night against the Willetton Tigers.

Casey Samuels might have found the going tough on Saturday night against Cockburn, but bounced back impressively to lead Rockingham with 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

Tayah Burrows added 15 points, 10 boards, four assists and three steals, Teyla Evans 13 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists, and Christina Boag 13 points, eight boards and two steals.

Mehryn Kraker also had 11 points and four assists for the Flames, Marissa Pangalos 10 points, and Tiana Wilson-Palmer nine points on 3/4 three-point shooting.

Two-time MVP winner Stacey Barr top-scored for the Senators with 21 points to go with five rebounds, four steals and three assists with Chloe Forster adding 12 points, two boards and two assists.

Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard added 11 points, nine rebounds and four assists, Karly Murphy 10 points, 11 boards and three assists, Nicole Jorre de St Jorre nine points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals, and Nat Burton seven points, five boards and four assists.

Casey Samuels found the perfect pass ?

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Magic dig deep to end season of Wolves

The never-say-die Mandurah Magic have done it again heading north to upset the Joondalup Wolves with the 77-73 semi-final victory on Thursday night to set up a preliminary final battle with the Cockburn Cougars.

The Magic finished the regular season in sixth position before beating the Perry Lakes Hawks in an elimination final but it was going to be a tall order against the Wolfpack at HBF Arena on Thursday night.

The Wolves ended the regular season in third position but on the same record at 17-3 of the Willetton Tigers and only one win behind the Cougars in top spot, but they were desperate to avoid a straight sets exit after losing to Willetton to open the playoffs.

It was in the last five minutes of the first quarter where the Magic caught fire with their long-range shooting and opened up a handy gap beginning with a three-pointer from Kat Tudor. She added another soon after to make it a nine-point ball game and then Sarah Toeaina hit another from downtown.

That had the Magic up 10 and they were still leading 25-17 by quarter-time on the back of shooting 4/6 from behind the three-point line.

Hannah Hank opened the scoring in the second quarter to push the Mandurah lead out to 10 points and Tudor landed another three-pointer soon after to make it a 12-point ball game.

Joondalup needed to respond and it was through Teige Morrell that the Wolfpack worked back into the contest as she scored the next six points to cut the deficit in half.

Then by the time Isabelle Miotti hit from downtown right in front of the Wolves bench on the half-time buzzer, the home team had outscored the Magic 16 points to four after falling down 12 with scores all level at 37-37 by half-time.

Hannah Hanks saves it for the triple ?

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The Magic again started the second half well and by the time they pulled off eight straight points, they were leading by six again with five minutes gone and Wolves coach Marcus Wong called for time to talk it over.

It didn’t change the momentum, though, with Toeaina scoring out of the timeout to stretch that run to 10 points to put the Magic up eight.

That Mandurah lead got out to 16 shortly before three quarter-time but a couple of late threes for the Wolves from Tia Ucich kept the home team in touch.

Robbi Ryan then scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to cut the Magic lead to six before the Magic pulled away once more with seven consecutive points to go back up 13.

Joondalup wasn’t done with, though, and got to within six with Ryan knocking down a three with three minutes to play. All of a sudden a pair of jumpers to Ucich, including a three ball, had the Wolves back within two and with all the momentum with just under 20 seconds to play.

The Wolfpack had no choice to foul on the subsequent possession and the enormous experience of Sam Richards saw her knock down two free-throws for the Flames with eight seconds to play.

The margin was four and there would be no miracles from the Wolves with the Magic ending their season and advancing to a preliminary final against a Cougars team they have already beaten impressively in 2023.

Sarah Toeaina produced an outstanding performance in the win for Mandurah with 29 points and four rebounds on 12/19 shooting from the field.

Kat Tudor added 23 points, 10 boards and two assists on 4/7 three-point shooting before now facing her old team in the preliminary final with Hannah Hank delivering 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Casey Mihovilovich's dream of that championship is alive and she had seven points and five assists in the 552nd game of her record setting career.

Robbi Ryan finished her second season at Joondalup with 28 points, six rebounds and five assists with Tia Ucich adding 19 points, Teige Morrell 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Ne'seya Parker-Williams two points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Too easy for Teige Morrell ?

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— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 3, 2023

MEN

Wolves win on the road to earn battle with Flames

Mathiang Muo rediscovered some of his best form and with Quintin Dove leading the charge, the Joondalup Wolves beat the Willetton Tigers 99-94 on the road in Thursday's semi-final to set up a battle with the Rockingham Flames.

The additions of Gorjok Gak, Darnell Hoskins Jr and Mark Worthington have taken the Tigers a long way this season and after a nail-biting qualifying final loss in Geraldton on Saturday night, they earned the right to host Thursday's semi-final at Willetton Basketball Stadium.

They came up against a Wolfpack team who finished the regular season in sixth place before beating the Warwick Senators in the elimination final, but they were without point guard Bryan Michaels for Thursday's semi-final.

Mark Worthington took him to school ?

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Michael Vigor gave Willetton the good start when he hit an early three ball and then Gorjok Gak scored inside to put the home team up five after three minutes, but Mathiang Muo steadied Joondalup with the next five points.

Scores were all tied up when Mark Worthington entered the game for Willetton and he soon backed down Muo to score in the post while earning a foul and converting the three-point play to help the Tigers to the 22-20 lead after one.

The Tigers did also outscore the Wolves 27 points to 21 in the second quarter to head into the half-time break leading 49-41.

Quintin Dove opened the second half with seven points in less than two minutes to bring Joondalup right back into the contest and soon after big man Ioannis Dimakopoulos hit a three to make it a one-point ball game.

After a three-point play from Dove, CJ Turnage then put the Wolfpack in front where they stayed with a one-point advantage by three quarter-time.

Muo and Turnage then combined to extend the Joondalup lead to five points to start the final period and then every time the Tigers would get close, the Wolves had responses including three balls Dimakopoulos and Muo.

Willetton wasn’t done with yet, though, and a Michael Vigor three-pointer had the home team back within three with two minutes on the clock, but ultimately a strong make from Turnage that turned into a three-point play sealed the five-point win for the Wolves.

Joondalup now advances to a preliminary final in Rockingham against the Flames on Saturday while the season is over in straight sets for Willetton.

Quintin Dove once again led the way for the Wolfpack with 28 points, seven rebounds and two assists on 9/17 shooting from the floor and 10/13 at the foul line.

Mathiang Muo produced his best game of the season for the Wolves and saved it just for the right time with 27 points and four rebounds on shooting 8/14 from the field, 3/7 from behind the arc and 8/8 at the foul line.

CJ Turnage added 15 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks for Joondalup, Ioannis Dimakopoulos 13 points, eight boards and six assists, and Christian Jurlina 10 points, three rebounds and two assists.

It was a heartbreaking way for Willetton's season to end with two narrow finals losses but Gorjok Gak stood tall ahead of his NBL season at the South East Melbourne Phoenix with 26 points and 13 rebounds.

Darnell Hoskins Jr added 21 points, three assists and two rebounds for the Tigers, Damien Scott 13 points and two assists, Michael Vigor 11 points, six boards and four assists, and Mark Worthington seven points, four assists and two rebounds.

Gorjok Gak cleans up the mess ?

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Redbacks book in trip to Geraldton by beating Hawks

The dramatic season of the Perth Redbacks will extend at least two more days after scoring a stirring 89-78 semi-final victory on Thursday against the Perry Lakes Hawks at Bendat Basketball Centre.

The Hawks had earned the second chance and the rights to host the semi-final following a fourth place finish before a loss in the qualifying final last week to the Rockingham Flames.

The Redbacks kept their season alive last week beating the Lakeside Lightning in an elimination final and they had no shortage of motivation up against the Hawks as coach Charles Nix, captain Tevin Jackson and star import Bryron Hobbs were all facing their former team on their old home floor.

It took more than two minutes for either team to score and it was Bryton Hobbs opening the game's scoring for the Redbacks against his former team when he made one of his free-throws.

The first field goal of the contest was made after almost two and-a-half minutes with a nice pull up mid-range jumper for Perry Lakes from Mitch Clarke.

Daniel Alexander then hit a three a minute later to put the Hawks on top 5-1 with the Redbacks not hitting a field goal until Louis Timms finished under the rim and converted it into a three-point play.

The scoring really picked up from there and the Hawks might have only had nine points in the first five minutes, but they piled on 16 in the next five to head into quarter-time leading 25-14 on the back of scoring the last nine points beginning with a three ball from Jack Isenbarger.

However, the Redbacks turned the tide from there with 26 points to 17 in the second quarter to head into half-time with the Hawks' lead cut to 42-40.

Perth was able to keep the momentum going through the second half with another 28 points to 14 in the third period to lead 68-56 by three quarter-time.

Perry Lakes had to find something special to avoid its season ending in straight sets and the Hawks did do their best to fight back, but couldn’t get closer than seven points when Clarke knocked down a three-pointer in the dying stages.

The Redbacks closed it out from there to win by 11 and set up a tantalising semi-final battle in Geraldton against the Buccaneers now on Saturday night.

Redbacks captain Tevin Jackson led the charge for his team with 26 points and three rebounds on 10/18 shooting from the floor while another former Hawk, Bryton Hobbs delivered 25 points, six boards and three assists.

Maris Colton added 11 points and nine rebounds, Joel Vaiangina nine points, four boards and two blocks, and Louis Timms six points, 11 rebounds and two assists.

It was a tough way for Perry Lakes' season to end having been right in the hunt for a top two finish all season to now be out with two finals losses.

Daniel Alexander finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and two assists with Mitch Clarke adding 16 points, eight boards and six assists, Andrew Ferguson 12 points, three assists, two rebounds and two blocks, and Matt Leary 11 points, four boards, three steals and two assists.

How did Tevin Jackson pull that off ?

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— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 3, 2023