West Spotlight | Narkle debuts and Cougars down Magic

Featured image: Tiarna | @tiarnarosephoto

There was star power everywhere you looked on either side and the Cockburn Cougars Johny Narkle debut saw the two-time NBL1 West Grand Final MVP play a key role in their 94-87 road win over the Mandurah Magic.

Both teams have put together loaded up rosters for 2026 that have taken some time to come together with Michael Christmas, Michael Dupree and Matt Kenyon all on deck for the Magic as they scored a first win of the season last week in Geraldton.

Gun recruits Rowan Mackenzie and Narkle were then available together for the first time for Cockburn on Friday night at Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre along with Buccaneers championship winning import Akeem Springs.

The Cougars were still missing import big Joseph Bradshaw for a second straight game and what the two teams put on was quite the spectacle that shows that they are going to provide must-watch viewing for the rest of 2026.

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Neither team had a double-figure lead the entire match highlighting how tight the contest was but in the end the Cougars had the answers late to secure the seven-point win and improve to 4-3 on the season in the process with three straight wins.

Mandurah are now 1-7 with 23 turnovers proving costly even though they somewhat made up for that with 18 offensive rebounds of which Jock Perry collected seven of.

On the back of winning two Grand Final MVP's in the past three seasons with Geraldton and then playing an NBL season with the Illawarra Hawks, Johny Narkle was finally able to debut for the Cougars on Friday night.

He stepped up when it mattered too finishing with 20 points, four steals, three rebounds and two blocks in his 26 minutes off the bench.

While he only shot 2/9 from three-point range for the game, they were at important times with one going into half-time and then another at a crucial moment in the fourth quarter.

Rowan Mackenzie also delivered another 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Cockburn while shooting a supremely efficient 9/13 from the floor and 4/4 at the free-throw line.

Akeem Springs added 16 points and five rebounds, Nathan Pond 12 points and three boards, Josh Hunt nine points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals, and Jonah Palelei eight points, four boards and two steals.

Michael Christmas was playing his first home game with the Magic and produced a standout performance made up of 24 points, five assists and three rebounds with 14 of those points in the second half while shooting 4/8 from three-point territory.

Michael Dupree was also playing his first home game for his third club having previously played with the Goldfields Giants and Willetton Tigers. He ended up with 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Lachlan Bertram had another 19 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals with 4/8 shooting from behind the three-point line but all 19 of his points came in the first three quarters.

Jock Perry also contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds, Matt Kenyon five points, eight boards, three assists and two steals, and Ryan Blanchett eight points and two boards on 4/4 shooting in his 14 minutes.

There was plenty of talent out there from both teams now that they are full strength and it was a hotly anticipated match up, and the first quarter delivered with the Magic opening up an early nine-point lead.

The Cougars responded with a run of 16 straight points before Mandurah answered again and went into quarter-time leading 26-25 with 59 per cent field goal shooting while the Cougars went at 56.

Cockburn took control in the second term and Johny Narkle on debut for his new club was at the forefront and he hit a trademark contested three ball going into half-time to have 11 points.

The Cougars outscored the Magic 21 points to 12 in the second term and were leading 46-38 by half-time while still shooting 48 per cent to 44 while a big difference was the 14 turnovers that Cockburn forced Mandurah into.

The Magic were able to turn things back around in the third quarter with 28 points to 18 on the back of shooting 6/12 from long-range and going 6/7 at the foul line.

That had Mandurah go into three quarter-time leading 66-64 by three quarter-time but then the Cougars too over once more with the game on the line.

Michael Christmas hit back-to-back three balls for Mandurah to draw scores back level with 2:30 to play but then Cockburn responded firstly with a put back from Nathan Pond and then an athletic finish from Narkle.

The shot that clinched the win ultimately was a three ball to Akeem Springs with Cockburn sending a message of what they're capable of with the seven-point road win over a high-powered Mandurah team.

The Cougars now don't play again until hosting the East Perth Eagles next Friday night while the Magic head south to try and bounce back on Saturday against the South West Slammers.

NBL1 WEST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 7

MANDURAH MAGIC 87 (Christmas 24, Bertram 19, Dupree 17)

COCKBURN COUGARS 94 (Mackenzie 23, Narkle 20, Springs 16)