West Finals | Cougars stun Buccs in Geraldton

Featured image: @ArcticMoonPhotography

All focus beforehand might have been on Johny Narkle's return to play Geraldton Buccaneers but by the end of the NBL1 West qualifying final it was on how lethal and brash the Cockburn Cougars after a stunning 110-95 road victory.

Given Narkle was unavailable when Cockburn beat Geraldton at Active West Stadium earlier in the season and then was unwell two weeks ago for the rematch at Wally Hagan Stadium, it was the most anticipated match up of the season.

Narkle is a hometown hero in Geraldton and won two championship with the Buccaneers where he was Grand Final MVP on both occasions which led to him earning an NBL opportunity at the Illawarra Hawks.

He has now joined the Cougars in 2026 and has gone on to sign a full NBL deal at the Hawks too, but his return to Geraldton was a whole different frontier and it all came together in a qualifying final on Saturday night.

Cockburn got off to a scorching start to try and take the vocal local crowd out of it and by quarter-time that saw the Cougars leading 29-17 on the back of having six offensive rebounds to one, and forcing Geraldton to three turnovers to get up an extra six shots.

Narkle already had five points and five rebounds while just shooting 1/2 while Joe Bradshaw was proving a real difference maker with the big man having eight points already with 2/4 three-point shooting.

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Geraldton were able to turn that momentum around in the second quarter on their home floor and ended up scoring 34 points on 12/17 shooting including 6/9 from downtown while having just two mire turnovers.

Verle Williams was leading the way with 15 points on 3/3 shooting from the outside and Matt Norman showed why he's the Best Sixth Man with 12 points in 4/6 three-point shooting having given up his starting spot to Devondrick Walker again.

Cockburn still added another 24 points themselves and Narkle was up 14 points by half-time with Jonah Palelei adding a handy cameo with 12 points and as a result the Cougars were still leading narrowly 53-51 by half-time.

The Buccs did briefly grab the lead early in the third quarter but the Cougars took back over with eight straight points to be leading 78-71 by three quarter-time with Bradshaw landing another pair of three balls.

The Cougars then took total control in the fourth quarter and ended up leading by as much as 19 points and forced the Buccs into eight turnovers in the last 10 minutes including a host of steals from getting in the passing lanes with Bradshaw showing the way on that front.

Cockburn scored seven of those 32 points in the fourth quarter from turnovers and had all the answers from the reigning champions to secure the 15-point win and now set up a home preliminary final on Saturday night against either the Rockingham Flames or Perry Lakes Hawks.

Johny Narkle finished his return home withs20 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Cougars while Joe Bradshaw was outstanding with 23 points, 11 boards and four steals with 4/7 shooting from the outside.

Rowan Mackenzie also had 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals with Akeem Springs another former Buccaneers championship winner returning and having 15 points, five assists and three steals.

Fletcher Klasztorny also started and returned to Geraldton for 12 points and two rebounds on 5/7 shooting with Jonah Pelelei doing his best work in the first half for 12 points and four boards.

The Buccs will still remain at home but instead it's in a cut throat semi-final on Friday night against a Willetton Tigers they have faced in the past two preliminary finals where the visitors have won on both occasions.

Matt Norman still top scored for Geraldton despite coming back off the bench and playing just 25:35 for 22 points, four rebounds and three assists on 6/9 shooting from the outside.

Verle Williams also had 20 points, five rebounds and four assists, Josh Keyes 18 points, six boards, five assists and three steals, and Liam Hunt 13 points, eight rebounds and two assists.

It was a night to forget for two-time MVP Devondrick Walker with nine points, six assists and three rebounds on 2/14 shooting with five turnovers.

NBL1 WEST 2026 SEASON | QUALIFYING FINAL

GERALDTON BUCCANEERS 95 (Norman 22, Williams 20, Keyes 18)

COCKBURN COUGARS 110 (Bradshaw 23, Mackenzie 22, Narkle 20)