NBL1 West Recap | Thursday Men's Round 16

It was quite the star-studded and entertaining night at Warwick Stadium to open Round 16 in the NBL1 West Men's Division with the Rockingham Flames surviving a prayer on the buzzer to beat the Warwick Senators.

With both teams fighting over a position in the top four entering the final three rounds of the NBL1 West season, there was always plenty at stake for the Warwick Senators on their home floor against the Rockingham Flames welcoming back NBL champions Tom Jervis and Greg Hire.

In the end, Rockingham worked their way on top after quarter-time and looked to have the game on ice but Warwick kept on coming and still gave themselves a chance on the buzzer, but the Flames held on for the important 88-86 victory.

Atem Bior scored 24 points for Rockingham with Tom Jervis showing flashes of dominance with 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds while teen sensation Ethan Elliott hit six triples on his way to 20 points for the Senators.

That all leads into Round 16 of the NBL1 West Men's Division continuing on Friday night with the Perth Redbacks taking on the Kalamunda Eastern Suns at Belmont Oasis and the East Perth Eagles hosting the backing up Rockingham Flames at Herb Graham Recreation Centre.

The Lakeside Lightning are also hosting the on-fire Mandurah Magic in a fascinating match up at Lakeside Recreation Centre.

Round 16 then concludes on Saturday evening with the Geraldton Buccaneers playing host to the Warwick Senators with the Goldfields Giants also at home in Kalgoorlie to the South West Slammers.

The Joondalup Wolves take on the Willetton Tigers with the Cockburn Cougars facing the Lakeside Lightning, the Perry Lakes Hawks at home to the East Perth Eagles and the Kalamunda Eastern Suns playing the Perth Redbacks for the second time in Round 16.

NBL1 WEST – 2021 MEN'S SEASON
ROUND 16 – THURSDAY NIGHT

WARWICK SENATORS 86 lost to ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 88

Two teams trying to build some momentum into the NBL1 West playoffs locked horns at Warwick Stadium on Thursday night and delivered a performance that certainly didn’t disappoint.

The Senators were back on their home floor having won four of their past five matches, but still in the back of their minds was that overtime loss in stunning fashion to the Cockburn Cougars last Friday night.

The Flames, meanwhile, had won their past three matches but they were all against the out of contention Slammers, Buccaneers and Giants so Thursday night was a good chance for coach Ryan Petrik to see where exactly his team is at.

With both teams entering the game on identical 11-6 records and trying to book in a top four finish as well there was a lot on the line but it's a different looking Rockingham team with the presence of triple NBL champion, and SBL champion Tom Jervis standing in the middle.

The presence of Jervis became especially tough to cover with the Senators without a genuine big with Ash Litterick sidelined with a shoulder injury as they continue to deal with the loss of what would have been their starting backcourt, Corban Wroe and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk too.

Not only did Rockingham welcome back Jervis, but four-time NBL champion Greg Hire too and it turned into a tremendous contest all evening.

Rockingham got off to a fast start with Jervis establishing himself inside and they led 11-7, but Warwick responded well to a Mike Ellis timeout. The Senators scored the next nine points and went on an 18-2 streak before Ryan Petrik was forced into a timeout for the Flames.

Warwick still led 31-23 by the end of the first quarter but the Flames were working their way on top to only be trailing by a solitary point at half-time.

The Flames did appear to have too much and were pulling away through the second half but every time they looked like opening up a match-winning lead it would be Warwick's 17-year-old point guard Ethan Elliott who had the answers with big shot after big shot.

Elliott hit his sixth three-pointer of the game with just under four minutes to go before Jervis answered with a three-point play for Rockingham, and then another tough bucket down low.

However, Caleb Davis knocked down a three to keep Warwick within three and it was a two-point ball game still with the shot clock turned off as Rockingham called for time with possession after a Justin King triple kept it a one possession game.

The Senators actually tried to foul Ryan Godfrey to deny time expiring once the Flames got the ball in play. But the referees ignored it, instead the Senators were able to force the turnover and as time was about to expire, King threw up a prayer from half-court.

It didn’t fall but it was quite the dramatic finish to an intense, physical and dramatic contest, and the eventual 88-86 win could be crucial for Rockingham who improve to 12-6 while Warwick are 11-7.

There was a lot to like about the Rockingham performance and with what they are capable of producing now heading into the playoffs with this group under coach Ryan Petrik.

Atem Bior ended up top-scoring with 24 points, six rebounds and two assists while shooting 11/17 from the field with Cirkook Makuac Riak producing 21 points, nine rebounds and three assists including hitting 4/8 from the three-point line.

Tom Jervis showed enough to suggest he can still be a dominant presence with 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and while Greg Hire didn’t score, his 17 minutes for seven rebounds, three assists and two steals was crucial.

Captain Ryan Godfrey also had 16 points and six assists for Rockingham with Justin Beard adding nine points, six rebounds and four assists while Travis Durnin still a chance to return to the line-up before season's end.

The Senators battled hard but in the end having just the one genuine point guard and with him being only 17, and missing the size up front proved costly.

Having said that they still had a chance on the buzzer and if you think missing a couple of free-throws during a game doesn’t play on star players' minds, you only had to see Cody Ellis come back out and shoot from the line virtually until Warwick Stadium closed for that to be evident.

It was a stunning game, though, from the teenager Elliott who hit 6/9 from three-point land on the way to 20 points and three steals.

Justin King finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and three assists for the Senators, Caleb Davis 17 points, four boards and four assists, Cody Ellis 14 points and four rebounds, Jay Thwaites seven points and eight boards, and Alier Riak seven points and six rebounds.

Both teams back up again this weekend with the Flames to take on the East Perth Eagles on the road on Friday night as the Senators travel to Geraldton to take on the Buccaneers on Saturday.