Week 17 Men's SBL Wrap

THE Cockburn Cougars and Joondalup Wolves continued to build towards a final round clash to potentially decide top spot after both won twice in Week 17 of the Men's SBL while the Buccaneers and Flames stayed in the top four race, and the Eagles again replaced the Hawks in eighth.

The Cougars have now won 10 straight matches after wins over the South West Slammers and Stirling Senators in Week 17 while the Wolves are on a five-game winning run by an average of 40 points following victories over the Willetton Tigers and Mandurah Magic on the weekend.

The two teams are now out of reach of the rest of the competition in the top two positions with the Cougars one game ahead of the Wolves with them set to meet in the final round at Wally Hagan Stadium.

The fight over third and fourth heated up over the weekend as well with losses for the Tigers and Senators, and wins for the Buccs and Flames. A surprise loss for the Perth Redbacks saw them fall out of top four contention while East Perth beat Mandurah to move into eighth with Perry Lakes losing to Geraldton.

At the other end of the table, the Lightning not only ended their 13-game losing run but won twice on the weekend beating both the Eastern Suns and Redbacks.

Week 17 Friday night SBL wrap
Double win on Friday night for Cougars over Slammers 
Slammers quickly refocus on hosting Suns after loss at Cockburn 
Week 17 Saturday night SBL wrap 

There were four matches on Friday night with the Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars beating the Print Sync South West Slammers 105-81 and the Lakeside Lightning defeating the Kalamunda Eastern Suns 105-99.

The Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves also defeated the Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers 121-98 and the Vorian Agency East Perth Eagles beat the Mandurah Magic 108-98.

There were then six matches on Saturday night starting with the S&K Electrical Contracting Geraldton Buccaneers defeating the Perry Lakes Hawks 119-97 and the Nags Head Tavern & Bistro Rockingham Flames beating the Silver Lake Resources Goldfields Giants 96-82.

The Kalamunda Eastern Suns also beat the Print Sync South West Slammers 119-106, the Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars won in overtime 110-104 over the Bethanie Stirling Senators, the Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City thumped the Mandurah Magic 130-78 and the Lakeside Lightning defeated the Texture WA Perth Redbacks 99-91.

Following Week 17 of the SBL, the Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars (19-3) remain atop the standings ahead of the defending champion Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves (19-4).

The Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers (15-7) remain third with the S&K Electrical Contracting Geraldton Buccaneers (15-8) now fourth just ahead of the Bethanie Stirling Senators (15-8).

The Nags Head Tavern & Bistro Rockingham Flames (13-9) are just two games back ahead of the Texture WA Perth Redbacks (12-9) with the Vorian Agency East Perth Eagles (10-13) eighth just in front of the Perry Lakes Hawks (9-14).

The Silver Lakes Resources Goldfields Giants (7-15) sit 10th ahead of the Lakeside Lightning (6-16), Print Sync South West Slammers (6-16), Kalamunda Eastern Suns (5-17) and Mandurah Magic (5-17).

Across the 10 matches there were plenty of standout performers starting on Friday night with the Cougars pulling away from a Slammers team minus imports Tre Nichols and Royal Crouch to win by 24 points.

Marcus Goode again enhanced his MVP credentials with 30 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots for the Cougars while Najee Lane added 20 points, eight boards, five assists and four steals, Rhett Della 17 points and Julian Pesava 10.

Sharieff Nepe top-scored for the Slammers with 15 points and five rebounds with Teny Puot contributing 13 points, seven assists and five boards, Corey Easley 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots, Trent Worthington 12 points and Clive Weeden 10.

The Lightning then ended their 13-game losing slide by beating the Eastern Suns by six points with TJ Hallice leading the way with 26 points and nine rebounds while Daniel Grida added 25 points and Tom Parkinson 24 to go with nine rebounds and three steals.

Daniel Alexander also had eight points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two steals for Lakeside.

Courtney Belger did all he could for the Suns finishing with 35 points, seven rebounds, six assists and six steals with Brandon McGill adding 14 points and seven assists, Geordie Murray 13 points and Jarrad Prior 10 before fouling out in just 18 minutes.

The Wolfpack then secured a top two position by beating the third placed Tigers by 23 points with Greg Hire notching his 150th SBL appearance with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

Kevin Davis top-scored for Joondalup with 29 points, 12 rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals with Trian Iliadis contributing 26 points and seven boards, and Seb Salinas 12 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Jay Bowie top-scored for the Tigers with 26 points and six rebounds with Kyle Armour contributing 21 points and seven assists, Damien Scott 13 points and Josh Johnson 10 points and five rebounds.

East Perth returned to eighth position with a 10-point victory over Mandurah with Rhys Vague top-scoring with 25 points and 10 rebounds with Nikola Donlagic adding 22 points, Tom Jervis 18 (11 rebounds) and Sunday Dech 15 (eight boards).

Trevor Setty put in 28 points to go with 17 rebounds and four assists for the Magic while Ben Smith delivered 25 points and nine boards, Tom Remmerswaal 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, and Jordan Barlow 11 points.

The Eastern Suns won their fifth game of the season then on Saturday night beating the Slammers at Eaton Recreation Centre by 13 points.

Courtney Belger led the way for the Suns with 27 points, eight rebounds, four steals and four assists with Brandon McGill adding 23 points, Ryan Blanchett 17 points and Travis McIlroy 10 points.

Trent Worthington battled hard for South West with 23 points and 12 rebounds with Clive Weeden contributing 20 points and 13 boards, Teny Puot 13 points, Travis Durnin 13 points and seven rebounds, and Wade Hitchcock 13 points, five boards, four assists and two steals.

It took overtime for the Cougars and Senators to be split at Warwick Stadium but it was Cockburn who prevailed by six points with Marcus Goode again starring with 30 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks and four assists.

Najee Lane also had 27 points and 15 rebounds for the Cougars, Julian Pesava 16 points, 12 boards and eight assists, Rhett Della 12 points and six rebounds, and Jaarod Holmes 10 points and five boards.

Cody Ellis led the way for the Senators with 28 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots with Kyle Lindbergh adding 15 points and 12 boards, Ashley Litterick 14 points and five rebounds, Austin Bruton 12 points and Corban Wroe 12 points, six boards, six assists and two steals.

The Lightning won a second game inside 24 hours beating the Redbacks by eight points with Daniel Alexander outstanding with 35 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists and three blocked shots shooting 13-of-21 from the field, 3-of-6 from three-point range and 6-of-6 at the charity stripe.

Daniel Grida added 19 points for Lakeside, Tom Parkinson 12 points and seven rebounds, TJ Hallice 11 points and seven boards, and Hayden Bell 10 points and seven rebounds.

Jourdan DeMuynck top-scored for the Redbacks with 26 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and five steals with Ben Smith contributing 22 points, Reed McConnell 20 (eight rebounds, six assists) and Lewis Thomas 12 to go with 11 rebounds, five blocks and four assists despite shooting 3-of-24.

The Wolves delivered another big win over the Magic by 52 points with Kevin Davis leading the way with 23 points, 12 rebounds and three steals while Seb Salinas celebrated his 350th SBL appearance with 23 points and four rebounds shooting 8-of-15 from the floor and 5-of-10 from deep.

Trian Iliadis contributed 17 points for Joondalup, Jordan Wellsteed 12 and Damian Matacz 12 to go with seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

Trevor Setty top-scored for the Magic with 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals with Ben Smith adding 17 points and James Paringatai 14.

The Flames hit the road and came away with an important 14-point win in Kalgoorlie over the Giants with Cooper Land top-scoring with 25 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

Taylor Land also had 18 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and three steals for Rockingham, Matthew Honey 12 points, Justin Beard 12 points and seven boards, Jarryd Griffin 11 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Kyle Beard 10 points.

Kenny Manigault finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks for the Giants while Jerome Reid added 16 points, Jacob Holmen 13 (18 rebounds, six assists) and Daniel Goodluck 11 points, five assists and four boards.

The Buccs then improved to fourth position and bundled the Hawks to ninth with a 22-point win at Active West Stadium with Matthew Adekponya unstoppable with 41 points and eight rebounds shooting 17-of-18 from the field, 2-of-3 from three-point range and 5-of-8 at the foul line.

Maurice Barrow added 29 points and 13 rebounds for Geraldton and Jackson Hussey 13 points, 19 boards and eight assists.

Bryton Hobbs top-scored for the Hawks with 28 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals while Josh Garlepp had 15 points, Ben Purser 15 points, eight rebounds, four assist and three steals, and Ryan Smith 11 points.

FRIDAY MEN'S SBL MATCHES
Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars 105 defeated Print Sync South West Slammers 81
Kalamunda Eastern Suns 99 lost to Lakeside Lightning 105
Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves 121 defeated Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers 98
Mandurah Magic 98 lost to Vorian Agency East Perth Eagles 108

SATURDAY MEN'S SBL MATCHES
S&K Electrical Geraldton Buccaneers 119 defeated Perry Lakes Hawks 97
Silver Lake Resources Goldfields Giants 82 lost to Nags Head Tavern & Bistro Rockingham Flames 96
Print Sync South West Slammers 106 lost to Kalamunda Eastern Suns 119
Bethanie Stirling Senators 104 lost to Lapa Brazilian BBQ Restaurant Cockburn Cougars 110
Lakeside Lightning 99 defeated Texture WA Perth Redbacks 91
Mandurah Magic 78 lost to Merriwa Tavern & Bistro Joondalup City Wolves 130

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Mick Cronin




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