West Recap | Round 15 Thursday

Image credit: Tiarna | @tiarnarosephoto

Seva Chan almost got to be the hero in celebration of his 300th NBL1 West game against his former team but Cockburn Cougars made it four straight wins after their women stayed perfect against Perry Lakes Hawks.

WEST RECAP | FIRST NATIONS ROUND SATURDAY

WEST RECAP | FIRST NATIONS ROUND FRIDAY

300-GAMER CHAN SAVOURS LIFELONG BONDS

CONSTANT EVOLUTION THE GOAL FOR JOSEPH'S BUCCS

BERTRAM LIVING THE DREAM SINCE MANDURAH MOVE

THE MYSTERY OF JOHNY NARKLE NOT BEING IN THE NBL

WOMEN

Perry Lakes Hawks (81) lost to Cockburn Cougars (93)

The Cockburn Cougars were pushed perhaps the most they have so far this season to date by a shorthanded Perry Lakes Hawks but kept their perfect record intact with the 91-83 victory.

The Cougars arrived at Bendat Basketball Centre returning to the scene of their 2023 championship triumph and so far undefeated in 2025 having won all 16 of their matches.

That left it a big task for the eight placed Hawks to take it up to them who were without WNBL pair Jayda Clark and Alex Fowler while also trying to bounce back from a loss in Albany against the third placed Perth Redbacks.

It was an exciting start to the contest from both teams as they combined for 52 points in the first quarter with Perry Lakes leading 27-25 on the back of shooting 9/15 from the floor to the 9/22 from Cockburn.

The Cougars were able to work their way on top in the second quarter largely on the back of getting up nine extra field goal attempt on the way to outscoring the Hawks 26 to 15 and to go into the half-time break leading 51-42.

Cockburn was able to stretch that lead out to 15 points in the third quarter and then 20 in the fourth with 2:30 to play when the Centre of Excellence bound Reece Anticevic scored.

That guaranteed the Cougars would keep their undefeated streak in 2025 alive even though Perry Lakes still fought the game out with the game's last eight points including a three-pointer to Ruby Vlahov.

Despite only shooting 39 per cent from the field to the 44 from the Hawks, the Cougars took 30 extra shots for the night while pulling down 29 offensive rebounds to 13, and forcing Perry Lakes into 18 turnovers.

The victory improves Cockburn to a perfect 17-0 record on the season as they chase a third consecutive grand final appearance with Sarah Mortensen showing the way once more with another standout performance.

The MVP fancy is having a standout second season with the Cougars finishing with another 32 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two steals on 14/22 field goal shooting.

Jewel Williams shook off a lagging illness to still play and the captain had 20 points, three rebounds and three steals for Cockburn with Daniel Raber adding 17 points, eight boards, seven assists and two steals, and Steph Gorman 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals.

The Hawks remain in eighth position with a 7-8 record and continue to understandably find the going tough without star pair Alex Fowler and Jayda Clark.

Amy Jacobs top-scored for Perry Lakes for 20 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals with 3/6 three-point shooting while Grace Stone contributed 18 points and five assists on 7/13 shooting.

Megan McKay ended up with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists, Mia Satie eight points, five boards and four assists, and Maddy Dennis six points, four rebounds and two assists.

PERRY LAKES HAWKS 81 (Jacobs 20, Stone 18, McKay 15)

COCKBURN COUGARS 93 (Mortensen 32, Williams 20, Raber 17)

MEN

Perry Lakes Hawks (99) lost to Cockburn Cougars (101)

Seva Chan put the Perry Lakes Hawks ahead in the final minute celebrating his 300th NBL1 West game, but his former team responded thanks to a pinpoint pass from Josh Hunt to find Riley Eves for the thrilling 101-99 Thursday night win.

It was already an emotional evening by the time of tip-off with Cougars life member and championship winner Seva Chan celebrating his 300-game milestone in what is his first season with Perry Lakes.

His 2012 championship teammate Grant Davey presented him with his award after he played his 300th game in Albany on Saturday night before Chan lined up for the Hawks and Davey returned to his Cockburn assistant coaching role.

It was a crucial game in the context of the season for Perry Lakes too with them clinging to playoff contention after beating the Perth Redbacks in Albany, but still being without Davin Miller, Keegan Phillips and then Nick Floyd during the game to an ankle injury.

Cockburn arrived at Bendat Basketball Centre out of the playoff race but having won their past three matches to have built their best form of the past two seasons albeit with each of those victories against teams also out of a playoff spot.

It was an enterprising start to the contest by both teams as they combined for 56 points and 8/12 three-point shooting with the Hawks leading 31-25 by quarter-time.

Perry Lakes managed to push out to an 11-point lead in the second quarter but the Cougars hit back with an 8-0 run of their own and on the back of taking 23 shots to 13 for the quarter, were able to cut the lead of the Hawks back to five at half-time.

Cockburn was able to work on top in the third term with 26 points to 20 and the Cougars were still up four early in the last term before Perry Lakes delivered a 10-0 scoring run including three balls to Luke Phillips Jaden Stanley-Williams.

That saw the Hawks turn that four-point deficit into a six-point lead, but the Cougars again responded starting with a three ball from the lethal Kortland Martin.

Riley Eves then add another from deep to tie scores up but then Phillips also landed from downtown for Perry Lakes against his old team.

Nathan Pond brought the Cougars back within a point before Martin hit another three ball, and then Pond made two free throws to give Cockburn the two-point lead with 1:45 to play.

The biggest play of the game then appeared to come from Seva Chan in his 301st game against his former team when he scored going to the rack and drew the foul. He made the extra with 40 seconds to play and Perry Lakes were up one.

Cockburn responded out of the time out with a perfectly executed play that saw Josh Hunt find Eves rolling to the basket for the easy score.

Perry Lakes still had time on the last possession to win the game but not for the first time in 2025 with a game on the line, Phillips barged his way to the hoop and was called for the offensive foul with Cockburn going on to score the two-point win.

It's a fourth straight win on the season for the now 5-13 Cougars as they continue to finish 2025 with some momentum with their two imports again showing the way combining for 54 points and 10 three-pointers.

Kortland Martin delivered 29 points and three assists with 6/12 three-point shooting while Terrandus Smith had 25 points, five rebounds and four assists on 4/8 shooting from behind the three-point arc.

Riley Eves also had 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals, Chan Nai 14 points, and Nathan Pond 10 points, five rebounds and three assists.

The loss could be a cruel blow to the playoff hopes of Perry Lakes who are now 7-10 on the season having lost five of their past six matches.

Luke Phillips had a frustrating finish against his former team but had 25 points, five rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals up to that point with 7/12 field goal shooting, 3/5 three-point shooting and going 8/9 at the foul line.

Matt Leary made 5/9 from downtown for 25 points and two assists with Jaden Stanley-Williams contributing 15 points, five rebounds and three assists, Cooper Hamilton 14 points, five boards and three assists, and Seva Chan five points and seven assists in game No. 301.

PERRY LAKES HAWKS 99 (Phillips 25, Leary 25, Stanley-Williams 15)

COCKBURN COUGARS 101 (Martin 29, Smith 25, Nai 14)