West Spotlight | Hot Flames soar to eighth straight

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The Cockburn Cougars had a chance to signal their NBL1 West intentions but the Rockingham Flames would have none of it with another blistering first half to set up the 108-89 win to stay clear on top with eight straight victories.

The Cougars were back home at Wally Hagan Stadium on Friday night coming off a stunning finish the previous Saturday night in Kalgoorlie where Johny Narkle had 28 points in the fourth quarter in the win against the Goldfields Giants.

The Flames then arrived clear in top spot and having won seven games in-a-row and it didn’t take long for the visitors to stamp their authority with Cockburn struggling against their pressure at both ends, and sorely missing championship winning import Akeem Springs.

It was a hell of a first half performance once more from Rockingham with 67 points already to half-time on 56 per cent shooting with 16/21 at the foul line with Isaac White and Michael Harris already combining for 35 points.

Cockburn had just 40 themselves as a team in the first half to go with 12 turnovers and the tone was set with the Flames from there cruising to the 19-point win to improve to a 12-2 record with eight wins on the trot.

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The Flames finished the night going at 52 per cent shooting with 10/28 from three-point range and 22/30 at the foul line along with having 17 offensive rebounds and forcing the Cougars into 17 turnovers.

White ended up with 31 points, six rebounds and four assists with 9/16 shooting from the floor, 3/6 from downtown and 10/14 at the foul line.

Harris added 25 points, seven rebounds and two steals with Laquinton Ross contributing 12 points and six boards, and Blake Jones 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals.

Emmett Naar also had 10 points and nine assists, and Travis Durnin nine points and four rebounds.

The Cougars are now 8-5 following the loss on the back of shooting just 45 per cent from the field and just the 10 free-throw attempts with Johny Narkle top scoring with 23 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Rowan Mackenzie also had 18 points and five assists with 5/8 three-point shooting, Joseph Bradshaw 14 points and five rebounds, Jonah Palelei nine points and five boards, and Jack Pitt nine points and two assists.

It was a Friday night match up featuring two of the form teams of the competition but it didn’t take long for Rockingham to flex their muscles by going on an 11-0 run in the first quarter and to end up leading 35-23 by quarter-time.

That included Isaac White scoring 13 of those points and Michael Harris seven while they shot 57 per cent from the field and 9/10 from the foul line while the Cougars got eight from Joseph Bradshaw and were shooting 44 per cent as a team and got to the foul line just the two times.

The Flames then put their foot on the gas even more so in the second quarter with another 32 points to 17 on the way to leading 67-40 by half-time.

Rockingham shot another 11/20 from the field with 3/9 from downtown and 7/11 from the foul line in the second term with White adding another nine points and Harris six more for 13 points at half-time with the Flames being +32 with him out there.

It had been a rough first half for the Cougars with just 39 per cent shooting to go with only four free-throw attempts, 12 turnovers and then with Rowan Mackenzie, Bradshaw and Seva Chan all having three fouls.

That lead continued to grow for Rockingham in the third quarter and got out to as much as 33 points and it was only 28 points to 15 from Cockburn in the final term that cut the final winning margin for the Flames back to 19 as they scored the eighth consecutive victory to stay clear in top spot.

The Flames now don't play again until taking on the East Perth Eagles at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre next Saturday night while the Cougars are back home to host the Lakeside Lightning next Friday.

NBL1 WEST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 12

COCKBURN COUGARS 89 (Narkle 23, Mackenzie 18, Bradshaw 14)

ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 108 (White 31, Harris 25, Jones 12, Ross 12)