West Spotlight | Flames sunk by another buzzer-beater

Featured image: @slmediaau

For the second time this NBL1 West season the Rockingham Flames have fallen courtesy of a stunning walk off buzzer-beater at home this time with Terrandus Smith playing the hero role for the Eastern Suns who took out the 94-91 victory.

Both teams had lost just once so far this season with Rockingham's defeat courtesy of a Josh Davey three at the buzzer for the Lakeside Lightning while Kalamunda lost to the Willetton Tigers on Anzac Day after five consecutive wins to open 2026.

Making life more challenging for the Eastern Suns was the absence of Joe Cook-Green and Jesse Simpson, but they weren’t to be deterred even on the road at Mike Barnett Sports Complex.

The Suns built up a 16-point lead by the third quarter and then were still up eight with just over a minute to go, but the Flames don't have superstar playmakers for nothing.

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Eventually with 5.3 seconds on the clock, reigning MVP Isaac White tied scores up for Rockingham with a three-pointer and then just when the game looked set for overtime, White stepped up.

He pulled up on the Harcourts Rockingham logo on the wing just before the buzzer, got up the well-balanced three and it never looked like missing to give the Eastern Suns the three-point win to improve to 6-1 and to respond perfect to that first loss of 2026.

It was the most dramatic way for the Eastern Suns to bounce back from that first loss with Smith not only hitting the game winner, but ending the night with 29 points, seven rebounds, four steals and two assists with 5/11 shooting from beyond the arc.

Teen sensation Marley Sam was tremendous once more particularly with his defensive pressure but the 17-year-old also had 18 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals.

Jesse Pollock hit 5/13 from behind the three-point line for 15 points and two assists with Hayden Price having the game of his short career with 12 points, 16 rebounds and two steals while captain Lewis Thomas contributed 11 points, four boards and two assists.

The Flames are now 4-2 on the season with those defeats both coming at home and remarkably both coming from three-point buzzer beaters firstly from Lakeside's Josh Davey and now from Kalamunda's Smith.

Reigning MVP Isaac White had a tough shooting night but still hit a huge three late that looked like sending the game to overtime. He finished with 24 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals on 6/19 shooting from the field and 2/13 from downtown but he went 10/10 at the line.

Emmett Naar added 17 points and five assists with 3/6 three-point shooting, Tevin Jackson 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists, Blake Jones 14 points and 13 boards, and Michael Harris 11 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals despite shooting 1/11.

The two teams had only lost once so far this season coming into the tantalising Friday night match and it was Jesse Pollock who hit two quick three-pointers to give the Eastern Suns the 6-2 start.

Rockingham soon hit back and with Tevin Jackson delivering nine points, the home team was leading 27-24 by the end of the opening period with them shooting 57 per cent from the field 43 and overcoming their nine turnovers.

Rockingham had another five turnovers in the second quarter with the pressure applied by Kalamunda paying dividends. The Suns were able to score 12 points off those turnovers they created, and they also went into half-time leading 51-43.

The Eastern Suns did have 11 turnovers themselves, but they got fire shooting in that second term on the way to outscoring the Flame 27 points to 16 and that saw them up eight heading into the locker room.

That lead for Kalamunda grew to as much as 16 in the third quarter too but Rockingham had pulled the deficit back to 10 at three quarter-time despite another six turnovers in the period.

The Flames were never going to do anything but throw everything at avoiding a second home defeat of the season but the Suns were on a mission too to avoid consecutive defeats.

Kalamunda were still leading 88-80 with 1:15 remaining on the back of Terrandus Smith hitting a huge three and then going 1/2 at the free-throw line.

The Flames responded starting with a free-throw to Jackson who then scored again and when Emmett Naar landed a three ball, the home team was back within two with 20 seconds to go.

There was plenty more drama left with Smith hitting a pair of free throws before Jackson got a wide open tip-in from the in-bounds pass to bring Rockingham back within two.

They sent Lewis Thomas to the line with 9.2 seconds left and he made one which left the door open for the Flames and reigning MVP Isaac White took advantage with the three ball to tie scores up with 5.3 seconds left.

There was still time for the Eastern Suns and Smith made the game winner from halfway between halfway and the three-point line for the walk off triple and for the second time this season the Flames had lost at home thanks to an opposition buzzer-beater.

Rockingham will now look for the quick bounce back on the road to the Warwick Senators on Saturday as they return to the scene of last year's heartbreaking preliminary final loss at the buzzer.

The Eastern Suns now don't play again until playing host to the East Perth Eagles next Saturday night.

NBL1 WEST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 6

ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 91 (White 24, Naar 17, Jackson 16)

KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 94 (Smith 29, Sam 18, Pollock 15)