NBL1 West Recap | Women's Friday Round 18

The eight teams set for the NBL1 West Women's finals was already set coming into Friday night but the Warwick Senators kept winning to lock away the regular season championship while five other playoff bound teams also recorded victories.

There were 12 of the 13 NBL1 West Women's teams in action on Friday night to open Round 18 in the regular season and there were still positions inside the top eight to be fought over even if the eight teams to take part in the playoffs had locked in their spots.

In the end, the Warwick Senators secured top spot, the Mandurah Magic improved to third and the Cockburn Cougars, Rockingham Flames and Perry Lakes Hawks all geared up for the playoffs to begin next week with last up wins.

The Cockburn Cougars will enter the NBL1 West Women's playoffs on a three-game winning run and from fifth position after beating the defending champion Willetton Tigers 91-81 at Wally Hagan Stadium.

Jessie Edwards delivered 23 points and seven rebounds for Cockburn, and Alina Hartmann 17 points and nine boards ahead of their elimination final at home to the Perry Lakes Hawks.

The Tigers slipped to fourth spot as a result of the loss despite 28 points and 12 rebounds from reigning MVP Alex Sharp. They will take on the Senators next week in a qualifying final.

The Joondalup Wolves needed until overtime to overcome the East Perth Eagles on Friday night but the eventual 94-87 win wasn’t enough to return to top position.

The Wolfpack finish the season in second spot to set up a qualifying final with the Mandurah Magic on the back of a monstrous performance from Teige Morrell who had 40 points and 16 rebounds in the absence of fellow import Robbi Ryan.

East Perth finished the season at 5-15 with Maria Blazejewski delivering 33 points and rebounds. Ellyce Ironmonger played the 195th and last game of her outstanding career and it was only fitting it was against the Wolves where most of her career was spent.

The Rockingham Flames couldn’t leapfrog the Lakeside Lightning into sixth position but they sure did send a message ahead of their elimination final next weekend with the 97-87 victory.

After losing seven straight, Rockingham now enters the finals on a winning streak with Mehryn Kraker putting up 33 points and eight assists, and Patty Brossmann 24 points and five rebounds.

Ruth Hamblin had another 20 points and 11 rebounds for Lakeside despite the loss.

The Mandurah Magic are looming as a genuine championship threat entering the playoffs from third position on an eight-game winning run after beating the South West Slammers 90-68.

Casey Mihovilovich might still have the chance at that ever elusive championship after playing in six Grand Finals already in her record setting career. She had another 11 points on Friday night while Alex Wittinger delivered 27 points and eight rebounds.

Tiahna Sears had 28 points and five rebounds for the Slammers who finish the season with one win.

The Perry Lakes Hawks had already guaranteed their playoff spot but Craig Mansfield's team showed no mercy on the Kalamunda Eastern Suns he coached in 2021 with the 106-41 thumping win.

Emma Clarke finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists to strengthen her MVP claims in her first season at Perry Lakes before heading to the Sydney Flames in the WNBL.

The Warwick Senators then locked away the regular season championship by winning a 15th consecutive match to beat the Perth Redbacks 90-69.

The Senators finish at 18-2 in top spot to set up a qualifying final with Willetton next week on the back of 25 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals from young gun Chloe Forster.

The Redbacks got 17 points from Mikayla Pirini but they now have to back up on Saturday morning at 11am playing host to the Goldfields Giants with neither team able to reach the finals ahead of the NBL1 West Awards Dinner on Saturday night.

NBL1 WEST – 2022 WOMEN'S SEASON
ROUND 18 – FRIDAY NIGHT

COCKBURN COUGARS 91 defeated WILLETTON TIGERS 81

JOONDALUP WOLVES 94 defeated EAST PERTH EAGLES 87

LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 87 lost to ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 97

MANDURAH MAGIC 90 defeated SOUTH WEST SLAMMERS 68

PERRY LAKES HAWKS 106 defeated KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 41

WARWICK SENATORS 90 defeated PERTH REDBACKS 69