West Spotlight | Flames lock away top two finish

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The Rockingham Flames confirmed a top two NBL1 West finish with Isaac White, Blake Jones and Michael Harris combining for 78 points and 22 rebounds in the 107-91 home win over the Willetton Tigers.

The Flames came into the game at home at Mike Barnett Sports Complex with a two-game advantage over the third placed Joondalup Wolves and one more win would lock in a top two spot.

It would also keep them within touch of the Geraldton Buccaneers should they lose in the last two rounds but there was plenty for Willetton to play for too trying to stay in the top four mix after the Friday night loss for the Cockburn Cougars.

It was a high-quality opening quarter from both teams but Rockingham were able to work their way on top with an 8-0 run to go into quarter-time on top 30-12 with 12 points already from Blake Jones.

The lead for the Flames got out to 13 points early in the second quarter but the Tigers worked back into it with a 7-0 run and by half-time the Rockingham lead was just 51-44.

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The Flames had 14 points from Jones, 13 from Isaac White and 11 from Michael Harris in the first half with the home team shooting 49 per cent to the 43 from Willetton but the Tigers were fighting hard and had 12 points from Damien Scott and 10 from Taeshon Cherry.

Rockingham took control further in the third quarter, though, with a 12-0 scoring run to open up a game-high lead of 20 points and to go into three quarter-time on top by 15 after 11 points in the quarter from reigning MVP White.

The Flames went on with the from there too to secure the 16-point victory having outscored the Tigers 56 points to 47 in the second half to consolidate at least a top two finish at 17-4.

Rockingham finished the night shooting 55 per cent from the field to 45 along with making an impressive 17/36 from the outside to 10/31.

Isaac White would have to be raging favourite to make it back-to-back MVP awards and had another 29 points, five assists and four rebounds with 7/12 three-point shooting.

Michael Harris added 26 points, six rebounds and six assists, Blake Jones 23 points, 12 boards and two assists, Laquinton Ross seven points, 10 rebounds and three assists, and Emmett Naar seven points and eight assists.

The Tigers now can't make the top four but can still secure a home final by locking in a fifth or sixth place finish at 12-9.

Taeshon Cherry finished with another 25 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals for Willetton with Damien Scott adding 19 points, seven assists and four boards in the 396th game of his remarkable career.

Tom Gerovich also had 14 points, eight rebounds and two steals, Tom Musumeci 10 points and four assists, and 344-game veteran big man Michael Vigor 10 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Rockingham remain home to close the regular on Friday night hosting the Perth Redbacks while Willetton plays host to the Kalamunda Eastern Suns with a potential home final up for grabs.

NBL1 WEST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 17

ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 107 (White 29, Harris 26, Jones 23)

WILLETTON TIGERS 91 (Cherry 25, Scott 19, Gerovich 14)