THE Willetton Tigers were able to keep their hot form this NBL1 West season going on Saturday night at a packed Willetton Basketball Stadium, but they had to withstand 31 points and a shot on the buzzer from Mandurah Magic debutant Scott Machado.
The Saturday night encounter in Round 10 of the NBL1 West Men’s division took on plenty of extra significance at Willetton Basketball Stadium with the news that Cairns Taipans NBL superstar Machado would be marking the occasion with his first appearance for the Magic.
It was a significant boost for last year’s NBL runner-up MVP, All-First NBL member and Taipans MVP to not only join the NBL1 West competition, but to do so with a Magic team that have been perennial strugglers but had already shown signs of improvement in 2021.
It was a significant test for Machado first up, though, up against the league-leading Willetton team who came into Saturday night with a 7-1 record with a largely young, emerging group of locals while led tremendously by the scoring punch of Damien Scott and big man Michael Vigor.
However, this was a Mandurah team that already had shown exciting signs and now suddenly became the talk of the league with the signing of Machado.
He very well could be the best credentialed player to come west to play in the state league while in the prime of his career.
Before joining the Taipans for the 2019/20 season, he had already played in the NBA with the LA Lakers along with spending plenty of time in the G-League as well as playing in France, Estonia, Germany and Spain.
Now as he joins the Magic, he certainly makes them quite the show to follow the rest of the NBL1 West season with them coached by 422-game NBL veteran Aaron Trahair while Ricky Grace is his assistant and son Jerami one of the emerging stars on the team.
It also includes Americans Brian Carlwell and Fred Williams, the veteran big Ben Smith and good young talent Riley Parker and Cousteau Kyle.
So that all set the stage for Saturday night’s contest and it certainly didn’t disappoint with Machado doing all he could to keep the Magic alive against the league-leaders.
Machado was happy to play the role of distributor early but the Tigers raced to a 12-4 lead. Eventually Machado drained a three just before quarter-time and he helped the Magic level up with Willetton at 22-22.
Machado got a lot more aggressive in the second quarter putting up 17 points himself including knocking down three huge three-pointers in the final two minutes including one from way downtown.
However, Willetton went into half-time lead 48-45 with former Cockburn championship winner and Wildcats development player Damien Scott on fire with 17 points himself.
The Tigers then changed things up defensively on Machado in the second half with coach Adam Nener giving the job to the longer Dylan Hampson.
He hounded the superstar point guard the rest of the game and limited his scoring influence, and up the other end Willetton was able to pull away with emerging star Connor Mincherton catching fire to appear to shoot the Tigers to a match-winning advantage.
Willetton led by 14 points with just under five minutes to go after an impressive Scott bucket on the on-point pass from big man Michael Vigor, but the Magic and Machado weren’t done yet despite still being down 14 with 3:30 left.
They were working harder and eventually a putback from Jerami Grace got him going and he hit a three on the next trip down, and suddenly Mandurah was back within seven as Willetton called for time.
Machado found Akau Deng inside for a finish to make the deficit five. Vigor responded with a strong and-one up the other end but still Mandurah weren’t with Machado hitting two free-throws and Mincherton missing two.
Machado then found Cousteau Kyle to hit the open three and it was a three-point ball game.
Machado forced Vigor into a travel and from that turnover, the Magic called for time to talk over their last play. It ended up with Machado getting a good look at the three too, but it rimmed out and Willetton clung to the 94-91 victory to improve to 8-1 and retain top spot on the table.
All eyes were on Machado and he didn’t disappoint with the game in his hands as the buzzer expired as he tried to force overtime. He ended the night with 31 points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals on 11/18 shooting and 6/12 from downtown.
However, there was a lot to like from a Willetton perspective with the extra eyes watching. Damien Scott was brilliant with 31 points, four rebounds and four assists while Connor Mincherton continued his emergence hitting 6/8 from deep for 22 points.
Hunter Clarke delivered 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Willetton, Michael Vigor 13 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, and Roosevelt Williams seven points while Dylan Hampson’s second half defence on Machado was impressive.
On top of what Machado did, Jerami Grace had 21 points and nine rebounds for Mandurah, Fred Williams 12 points, nine boards and four assists, and Riley Parker 11 points.
Willetton coach Adam Nener was obviously delighted to lead his team to the win but also for two of his youngsters to get so much out of going up against Machado with Hampson’s defensive effort and then Mincherton taking it up to him offensively.
“It’s definitely always good to get a win no matter how you get it, but for the boys to come and play against someone like Machado is exciting, and I think it’s exciting for the league. It only adds extra pressure I guess too, but it was really good to get that win tonight,” Nener said post-match.
“Dyl was really good tonight. He is an up and coming guy, and he still fades in and out sometimes but that effort was awesome. You can’t deny that. Machado still finished with 31 points and he’s a top talent, and he’s a great player but it’s great for all our players to get to play against someone like that.
“Connor is doing really well. He works his butt off every day and he broke that game open in that third quarter when he just went bang, bang, bang with his three-point shots. He has taken his game to another level this year and we’re happy to have him around, and he’s a great kid. I hope he keeps on working hard to get to the next level because he can show something.”
The Tigers remain on top of the NBL1 West Men’s Division table at 8-1 win the win and Nener can’t fault how they are playing, but is cautious with what lies ahead starting in Round 11 away to the Slammers and at home to Senators.
“It’s always good to be winning games obviously but we’re not getting ahead of ourselves, there’s still a long season to go,” he said.
“The boys are definitely playing hard and we’re enjoying it, and they’re enjoying it but we have a tough stretch coming up now though. We have three double-headers in-a-row ahead of us so that’s going to be a big test for us, but we’re looking forward to it.”
Nener is in his first season as coach at the Tigers having taken over from Stephen Black who he assisted last year following his stint at the helm of the Cockburn Cougars.
But it means a lot to come back to coach at Willetton where he did play 178 of his 246 games during his career.
“It’s good to obviously be the coach of Willetton this year because I do love the club but you can’t take anything away from the team. The guys are working their bums off and are playing hard, and that’s all you can ask for,” Nener said.
“Willetton has always been one of the best destinations for junior basketball and basketball as a whole, and hopefully we are continuing that and now we can get a bit more success in the NBL1 ranks now especially with our men’s team and keep on emulating what the junior basketball is about here as well.”
NBL1 WEST MEN’S DIVISION 2021
ROUND 10
FRIDAY
Perth Redbacks 100 defeated Joondalup Wolves 87
Lakeside Lightning 94 defeated Warwick Senators 80
SATURDAY
Geraldton Buccaneers 81 defeated East Perth Eagles 62
South West Slammers 53 lost to Perth Redbacks 88
Cockburn Cougars 71 lost to Perry Lakes Hawks 89
Willetton Tigers 94 defeated Mandurah Magic 91
Goldfields Giants 96 lost to Kalamunda Eastern Suns 99
Rockingham Flames 81 lost to Lakeside Lightning 95
SUNDAY
Geraldton Buccaneers v Joondalup Wolves – Active West Stadium, 2.00pm