West Spotlight | Lightning too strong for Tigers

Featured image: @drewmolodstov.media

Esme Morales scored another 25 points and Sam Roscoe delivered 16 points, 15 rebounds and five assists as the Lakeside Lightning consolidated their NBL1 West playoff spot with the 89-68 home win over the Willetton Tigers.

The Lightning were back home at Lakeside Recreation Centre on Friday night fresh off a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Cockburn Cougars seven days earlier, while the Tigers knew how they felt.

They also fell to the Cougars six days earlier thanks to a walk off three on the buzzer and 24 hours prior to that lost in overtime for the Perry Lakes Hawks so even though they had lost eight straight, they had been significantly more competitive than that suggests.

But Lakeside took over the contest in the second quarter to be leading 44-32 by half-time with 26 points combined to Morales and Roscoe before the Lightning went on with the job for the eventual 21-point victory.

The win improves the Lightning to a 7-9 record on the season to be in seventh position while the Tigers are now 3-12 having lost nine in-a-row.

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While Lakeside did only end up shooting 41 per cent from the field with 7/35 from downtown and 16/17 at the foul line, they dominated the possession game thanks to 19 offensive rebounds to 10, and forcing the Tigers into 20 turnovers and having just 14 themselves.

The saw the Lightning get up 15 extra shot attempts and seven more free throws than Willetton for the eventual 21-point victory to move into seventh position in the standings.

Esme Morales once again starred in the win for Lakeside with 25 points, five steals and four rebounds with Sam Roscoe coming up huge with 16 points, 15 boards, five assists and two blocked shots.

Delanie Crawford also had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Sarah Allen 15 points and three boards on 3/6 three-point shooting, and Sam Lubcke 14 points, 11 rebounds and two steals.

Willetton fought hard but couldn’t stop the eventual ninth straight defeat with Ruby Porter delivering 26 points, four steals and two assists with 5/12 three-point shooting.

Nija Collier added 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Emma Gandini seven points, 10 boards and two assists, and Remy Hearn seven points, three assists and two rebounds.

The Lightning were back home and couldn’t afford a slip up against the Tigers if they wanted to retain their playoff position and they started strongly with an 11-0 run to lead by 10, but that advantage was back to just 20-18 by the end of the first quarter.

Lakeside then took over further in the second frame with 24 points to 14 to open up the 44-32 advantage by half-time with Sam Roscoe and Esme Morales both up to 13 points apiece.

The Lightning were only shooting 35 per cent from the field to the 33 from the Tigers, but the home team had got up 13 extra shots thanks to 14 offensive rebounds to five, and with forcing Willetton into five turnovers while having just five themselves.

Lakeside retained control with another 24 points to 16 in the third period too even if they didn’t manage another offensive rebound. But they did force Willetton into five more turnovers and by three quarter-time were in control leading 68-48.

That lead for the Lightning blew out to as much as 27 in the last quarter as well before they secured the eventual 21-point home victory to consolidate their hold on a playoff position.

Lakeside now don't play again until hosting the Goldfields Giants next Saturday night while the Tigers are back in action at home next Friday night against the Joondalup Wolves.

NBL1 WEST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 14

LAKESIDE LIGHTNING 89 (Morales 25, Roscoe 16, Crawford 15, Allen 15)

WILLETTON TIGERS 68 (Porter 26, Collier 13, Gandini 7, Hearn 7)