Action in the NBL1 West resumed on Saturday night and we saw six Women’s matches take place with the Warwick Senators celebrating the 400th game of Nicole Jorre de St Jorre in style with wins also for Cockburn, East Perth, Rockingham, Perry Lakes and Joondalup.
After such an exciting opening weekend in the first ever NBL1 West season, it had been quite the anxious and frustrating wait over the past two weeks with the rounds having to be postponed thanks to the COVID-19 lockdown and then restrictions put in place.
Then the restrictions were still in place as of Friday night, but finally on Saturday the season was able to resume and all 12 of the women’s teams were in action across the six matches that took place.
It had been a three-week wait but Nicole Jorre de St Jorre finally got to celebrate her 400th state league appearance in WA on Saturday night as well. Her team ensured it was a night to remember as well with the Warwick Senators beating the South West Slammers 111-32 at Warwick Stadium.
The Cockburn Cougars continued their winning start as well hitting the road to defeat the Mandurah Magic 71-50 at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre while the East Perth Eagles caused an upset beating the Lakeside Lightning 80-75 at Lakeside Recreation Centre.
The Perry Lakes Hawks won their first ever game in NBL1 West after the opening round bye defeating the Perth Redbacks 74-70 at Belmont Oasis with the last ever SBL championship winners the Rockingham Flames beating the Willetton Tigers 85-72 at Mike Barnett Sports Complex.
The West Coast Classic champions from last year the Joondalup Wolves also were impressive at HBF Arena defeating the Kalamunda Eastern Suns 78-65.
NBL1 WEST – 2021 WOMEN’S SEASON
ROUND 4 – SATURDAY NIGHT
MANDURAH MAGIC 50 lost to COCKBURN COUGARS 71
Despite scoring just three points the entire fourth quarter, the Cockburn Cougars continued their impressive start to life in NBL1 West with a 21-point road win over the Mandurah Magic.
The Cougars won their first game of the season back in Round 1 at home to the Rockingham Flames and backed it up on Saturday night against a Magic team who split their first two games with a win over the South West Slammers and loss to the East Perth Eagles.
Coming off the two-week break, it was Cockburn who started the better at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre racing to a 15-2 advantage over the opening six minutes.
The Magic were able to steady the ship and did close the first period scoring 13 of the last 19 points, but still the Cougars led 21-15 and took back control in the second term with 28 points to 10 to go into the half-time break leading 49-25.
Cockburn extended their lead further in the third quarter but then went ice cold in remarkable fashion in the fourth. The Cougars scored just three points the entire period but the Magic only scored 10 points themselves with Cockburn still comfortably winning 71-50.
The Cougars forcing the Magic into 29 turnovers was a significant factor in the final result even if they did have 24 of them themselves.
Gun recruit Jessie Edwards top-scored for the Cougars with 14 points and four assists with another new arrival, Taylah Simmons finishing with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
Olivia Bassett-Scarfe was playing her first game against her former team and was impressive with 12 points and five rebounds for Cockburn while Molly Matthews contributed 10 points, Emma Burke eight and Haylee De Sousa seven.
Serika Shillingsworth finished with 13 points for Mandurah but she was the only Magic player to score in double-figures. Rachel Pettit put up nine points, Casey Mihovilovich seven (five assists, five steals, three rebounds), Bronte Corke six and Emma Klasztorny six.
Carly Boag ended up with just two points and seven rebounds on 1/8 shooting.
WARWICK SENATORS 111 defeated SOUTH WEST SLAMMERS 32
The Warwick Senators continued their hot start to the NBL1 West season with a thumping 79-point victory at home to the South West Slammers on Saturday night.
It was a memorable occasion on Saturday night at Warwick Stadium with veteran Senators guard Nicole Jorre de St Jorre celebrating her 400th state league appearance, and there turned out to be plenty of reasons to celebrate with the 111-32 victory in the end.
It was a journey for Jorre de St Jorre that started back in 1999 with the now defunct Swan City Mustangs. She began her life at the Senators over the next three seasons before joining the Wolves for four years between 2006-2009.
It was then onto the East Perth Eagles where she really became a mainstay and built her reputation as one of the best and most consistent all-round players in the league, frequently threatening triple-doubles with her ability to score, run her team, grab rebounds and playing strong defence.
At the end of 2017, she returned to the Senators and that’s where she remains desperate to win that elusive championship as she now becomes just the seventh woman in league history to reach 400 games.
The Senators and Slammers had already locked horns back on the opening weekend of the season at Eaton and on that occasion Warwick also came away with the 102-52 victory.
It was a similar story this Saturday night with the Senators getting off to a flying start piling on 28 points to just six in the opening quarter.
It continued on in the same trend for the rest of the evening with 27 points to 11 in the second quarter, 31 to seven in the third and 25 to eight in the fourth for the Senators to improve to 2-1 on the season winning by 79 points.
Stacey Barr put up 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Senators while Mackenzie Clinch-Hoycard contributed 24 points, 10 rebounds, six steals and four assists.
Tayla Hepburn also had 17 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, Jayda Clark 12 points and three boards, Caitlyn Jones 11 points and five rebounds, and Jorre de St Jorre celebrated her 400th game with 10 points, eight assists, seven steals and four rebounds.
It was another tough outing for the Slammers to start the NBL1 West season with Zaya Black top-scoring with nine points, four rebounds and two steals. Jasmine Barrett had five points and five boards, and Imogen Van Iaere five points and seven rebounds.
LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 75 lost to EAST PERTH EAGLES 80
This is an all-new East Perth Eagles team in NBL1 West for the 2021 and they’ve already got their second win on the board after beating the Lakeside Lightning on the road 80-75 on Saturday night.
To say the Eagles have struggled in the last years of the SBL competition to be competitive would be quite the understatement, but they look to be on a path upwards in 2021 based on how the start to the NBL1 West season has gone.
East Perth did lose on the opening night to the Joondalup Wolves but bounced back to beat the Mandurah Magic on the Saturday night of the opening round, and then backed it up this Saturday night at Lakeside Recreation Centre.
Lakeside won the Women’s SBL championship back in 2018 and have likely caused more pain on East Perth in recent years than any other club, but the Eagles were able to turn the tide this time around to come out with the five-point victory.
The Lightning did get off to the better start leading early 13-6 with Ash Isenbarger on fire, but Opal Mader then caught fire for East Perth to help them turn the tide and end up leading 24-21 by quarter-time on the back of a couple of triples from Tahlia Fejo.
East Perth was able to take control in the second quarter with 22 points to 11 to go into half-time leading 46-32. The Lightning made a run at a fightback through the second half but ultimately the Eagles held on to win by five.
There was plenty to like about the East Perth performance with Mary Goulding finishing with 26 points, seven rebounds, four steals and two assists.
Opal Mader showed she’s going to be a more than handy addition with 17 points and six rebounds while Tahlia Fejo has made the move in the off-season from Cockburn and hit 4/6 from deep for 14 points, seven rebounds and six steals.
Experienced point guard BJ Moyes had nine points and five assists as she makes her return to state league basketball.
It’s a decidedly new looking Lakeside team in 2021 under the coaching of Dave Daniels, but one thing the same is the presence of Ash Isenbarger who delivered 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Emma Clarke added 16 points and eight rebounds, Jae Flynn 11 points and three assists, and Mikayla Pirini 11 points and four assists.
ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 85 defeated WILLETTON TIGERS 72
The Rockingham Flames put together a huge third quarter to set up their win over the Willetton Tigers at home on Saturday for their second win of the NBL1 West season.
The Flames won the last SBL championship back in 2019 in an eventful season, but they have now got a new coach Tom Knowles at the helm and had a fascinating challenge up against Willetton on Saturday night with the Tigers winning big over Lakeside back in the opening round.
Little separated the two teams at Mike Barnett Sports Complex through the first half with Rockingham leading by four points at quarter-time but Willetton turning that around for their own one-point lead by half-time.
But the third period proved the difference in the contest with the Flames piling on 27 points to 11 to then go on to win 85-72 in impressive fashion from there on their home floor.
Jorjah Smith played some good basketball under coach Tom Knowles back at the Eastern Suns a couple of years back, and looks capable of being a key player now at the Flames after putting up 20 points and five rebounds on the back of shooting 4/8 from three-point territory.
Tayah Burrows is on the verge of leaving for college but added 19 points and four assists for Rockingham while Christina Boag contributed 12 points and eight rebounds.
Zoe Richards also had 11 points, four boards and four assists, Ariana Hetherington nine points and six rebounds, and Alex Ciabattoni nine points, nine boards, seven assists and three steals.
Alex Sharp had a big night for Willetton with 24 points, 14 rebounds and four assists while Sam Lubcke added 16 points and eight boards, Hayley Winter 15 points, four rebounds and three assists, and Desiree Kelley seven points and four boards.
PERTH REDBACKS 70 lost to PERRY LAKES HAWKS 74
The Perry Lakes Hawks opened their life in the NBL1 West competition with a thrilling four-point win on the road to the Perth Redbacks on Saturday night.
The Lady Hawks had the bye in the opening round of the season with their men playing in Kalgoorlie as they came up against a Redbacks team who debuted going back three weeks ago, beating the Warwick Senators on the road.
Perry Lakes was coming off an appearance in the West Coast Classic Grand Final last year but had their work cut out against a Redbacks team playing their first NBL1 West home game at Belmont Oasis and looking to back up their impressive start to the 2021 season.
Megan McKay gave Perry Lakes the fast start as she hit her team’s first seven points before fellow WNBL big Nat Burton joined in on the fun.
Sarah Donovan then gave the Hawks a 17-8 edge but Sarah Allen and then Makailah Dyer kept the Redbacks close by quarter-time to cut Perry Lakes’ lead to 22-18 after one.
The Hawks were again able to pull away to a nine-point lead early in the second quarter before Jess Jakens steadied the Redbacks with a bucket on the back of a Dyer steal.
However, Perry Lakes triples from Maddie Dennis and Morgan Ballantyne saw the lead grow to 14 points again heading towards half-time before a Dyer three-point play steadied the ship for the home team.
Allen and Dyer then knocked down three balls, and Dyer connected on two free-throws and suddenly it was just a four-point game again with the Hawks ending up going into half-time up 44-37.
Dyer then nailed another three to give the Redbacks the perfect start to the second half but the presence of Burton and McKay inside for Perry Lakes was proving dominant as they again took their team out to a lead in double-figures.
This time it was Raya Thompson and Jakens who got the Redbacks back in touch but Perry Lakes still led by seven at three quarter-time thanks to a late three from Dennis.
Another triple from Dennis started the fourth period too to put Perry Lakes back up 10 but the Redbacks once again made a game of it thanks to a 7-0 run courtesy of Jakens and Dyer.
It was a three-point game with five minutes to go but McKay put the Hawks back up five and then Dennis stretched it back to seven although the Redbacks would make one last run.
Thompson hit a bucket to bring the margin back to two with two minutes on the clock, but it was McKay with the answer for Perry Lakes and that proved the last score of the game as they held on to win 74-70.
Maddie Dennis had an inspired night for Perry Lakes finishing with 22 points, 12 rebounds and three assists while Megan McKay backed up her impressive WNBL season by delivering 21 points, nine boards, three steals and two assists.
Sarah Donovan added nine points and four rebounds, Nat Burton eight points and eight boards, and Beige Harris six points and three rebounds.
Makailah Dyer was once again outstanding for the Redbacks with 23 points, six assists and three steals while hitting 4/8 from three-point range.
Jess Jakens added 19 points and 13 rebounds with Raya Thompson finishing with 12 points, three steals and two boards.
Maddie Allen racked up four points and 11 rebounds as well for the Redbacks with Sarah Allen adding seven points and two assists.
JOONDALUP WOLVES 78 defeated KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 65
The Joondalup Wolves continued their impressive start to the NBL1 West season beating the Kalamunda Eastern Suns at home on Saturday night by 13 points.
The Lady Wolfpack won the championship in the West Coast Classic a year ago and now have started off life in the NBL1 West impressively backing up their opening round win against the East Perth Eagles by overrunning Kalamunda at HBF Arena on Saturday night.
The Eastern Suns were playing their first game of the season and have a decidedly new looking team with championship winning coach Craig Mansfield at the helm, and with his wife Courtney Mansfield along with Mia Jacobs and Ellyce Ironmonger coming across from Lakeside with him.
The Suns certainly took it right up to the Wolves as well turning a four-point deficit at quarter-time into a 37-30 lead at the main break on the back of scoring 24 points to 13 during the second period.
But the Lady Wolfpack were able to turn things around in the second half to dominate proceedings outscoring Kalamunda 48 points to 28 to end up winning 78-65 and keeping their winning start to the NBL1 West season rolling.
The number of weapons and contributors Joondalup has was again key to their victory with Kayla Steindl top-scoring on the night with 24 points and 14 rebounds.
Nes’eya Williams added 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Wolfpack with Amber Land delivering 11 points and nine rebounds, Chelsea Belcher 10 points and three steals, and Tia Ucich eight points, seven boards, three assists and two steals.
Jewel Williams had a monster performance for the Eastern Suns finishing the night with 32 points, four rebounds and two assists while connecting on 7/11 of her three-point attempts.
Courtney Mansfield added 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists for Kalamunda, Rebecca Motroni nine points and four rebounds, and Ellyce Ironmonger seven points and four boards.