West Finals | Flames hold out fast-finishing Eagles

Featured image: @slmediaau

The East Perth Eagles sent an almighty scare into the Rockingham Flames late but they were able to hold on for the 86-84 home qualifying final victory to get to remain at home now for a preliminary final.

The Flames and Eagles were locked in a battle over a top two finish through most of the regular season with Rockingham ending up second at 16-4 and East Perth third at 15-5.

They had played one another twice throughout the season with the home team winning on both occasions as well and there's every reason for them each to enter this finals series having championship aspirations.

Amy Atwell was back on the bench with the Flames after winning gold with the Australian Gangurrus at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games while East Perth were at full strength aside from McKenna Dale with the former Flames guard, WNBL player and New Zealand representative out with a knee injury.

With a home preliminary final at stake there was a lot on the line and it was Rockingham who had the better of the start on their home floor to end up leading 23-17 by quarter-time with 10/18 shooting from the floor to the 7/17 from the Eagles.

Rockingham also had four offensive rebounds to one and then had the six-point lead with two-time MVP Teige Morrell showing the way with eight points having not even made one of the All-NBL1 West teams this season despite in many ways, having a better season than 2025.

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The Flames then took control in the second quarter with a 13-0 run that saw their lead grow to 16 points and by half-time they were still on top 44-34 with the 51 per cent shooting from the floor to just 32 per cent from the Eagles.

It was a simple equation and it was that shooting percentage that was the major difference with Morrell up to 12 points at half-time for Rockingham with East Perth captain Stacey Barr also up to 12.

East Perth tried to mount a fightback in the third quarter with another 14 points from Barr but couldn’t make any real inroads and the Flames were still leading 71-58 by three quarter-time.

But then the Eagles finally started to see their shots fall in the last quarter and suddenly with just under four minutes to play when Sarah Mortensen scored, it was back to a six-point game.

Mortensen scored with a minute to play on an offensive rebound to bring it back to five before the Eagles forced Rockingham into a shot clock violation and then Mortensen scored again on the break after another turnover.

That made the margin three before Stef Berberabe managed to get to the rack to make a layup for Rockingham that proved enough to secure the eventual two-point win with Jade Williams hitting a three on the buzzer for East Perth that was too late.

Rockingham did end up shooting 46 per cent from the field to 38 from East Perth with 13/33 from the outside to 9/27 while the Eagles went 17/17 at the foul line to 7/11.

The Flames are now locked into a home preliminary final on Saturday against either the Warwick Senators or Joondalup Wolves with Stef Berberabe finishing with 21 points, eight assists, three rebounds and three steals.

Paris Duffield landed 5/9 from the outside for 15 points and three rebounds with Teige Morrell providing 14 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, Sara Puckett 10 points, six boards and two steals, Tiana Wilson-Palmer eight points and six rebounds, and retiring three-time championship winning 332-game veteran Shani Amos five points, six assists and four rebounds.

The Eagles will now host the Goldfields Giants in a semi-final on Friday night with the winner to take on the Cockburn Cougars at Wally Hagan Stadium in a preliminary final on Sunday.

Captain Stacey Barr put up 34 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals with 5/14 shooting from the outside and 11/11 at the foul line.

Sarah Mortensen also had 15 points, 13 rebounds, four steals and three assists with Sydney Wright contributing 11 points and six assists, Jade Williams 11 points, three boards and two blocks, and Brooke Malone nine points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

NBL1 WEST 2026 SEASON | QUALIFYING FINAL

ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 86 (Berberabe 21, Duffield 15, Morrell 14)

EAST PERTH EAGLES 84 (Barr 34, Mortensen 15, Williams 11, Wright 11)