West Spotlight | Suns win on Salinas milestone

Featured image: Jack Foley, @jackfoleycreative

The Eastern Suns withstood 71 points from Marshawn Blackmon and Billy McRae to stay undefeated this NBL1 West season and celebrate Seb Salinas' 550th milestone with 98-92 win over the Warwick Senators.

Kalamunda were back home at Ray Owen Sports Centre looking to back up last week's first up win against the Lakeside Lightning as they hosted the grand finalists from last year still without a string of key players.

The Eastern Suns went on to build a 20-point lead and then despite the Senators getting back within five in the final quarter, their coach Andrew Cooper found himself tossed for two super quick technical fouls and the home team from there secured the six-point win to go 2-0.

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It was a night to celebrate the career of Salinas in game 550 against the team he started his SBL career with all the way back in 2003, but what he did show is what a contribution he can still make to winning.

He delivered 13 points and two assists with 3/5 three-point shooting in 20 minutes.

Terrandus Smith has fit right in with the Eastern Suns after joining Cockburn in 2025. He put up 24 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Joe Cook-Green added 14 points and three assists, Jordan Simpson 13 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks, Marley Sam 12 points, eight assists and four steals, Jesse Pollock nine points on 3/4 three-point shooting, and captain Lewis Thomas five points, six rebounds and four assists.

It's a Senators team still awaiting the availability of Ben Henshall, Keegan Phillips and Cody Ellis, and a potential second import, but Marshawn Blackmon and Billy McRae couldn't have done any more.

McRae has moved to Warwick from Perry Lakes with the young guard looking for more opportunities. He's embracing those and had a career night with 31 points, five rebounds and two assists on 12/16 shooting despite the five turnovers.

Blackmon also had five turnovers, but he also played all 40 minutes of the game and was brilliant to almost single-handedly give the Senators a chance with 40 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals with 13/27 field goal shooting and 12/14 at the foul line.

Tyler Shand also finished with nine points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.

On the back of last week's first up win, the Eastern Suns kept that momentum going racing out to a 14-4 lead before Andrew Cooper called a timeout, and his Senators team immediately responded with the next six points.

But still it was the Suns leading 25-22 by the end of the first quarter with milestone man Seb Salinas coming on and providing an immediate boost with five quick points.

The Suns managed to get up five extra shots in the first term and force Warwick into seven turnovers before moving further on top during the second quarter with 21 points to 13 to go into half-time leading 46-35.

New import forward Terrandus Smith already had 16 points to his name for the home team and Salinas eight in his 550th appearance while they had restricted the Senators to 39 per cent shooting and into the 13 turnovers.

The Senators still stayed in touch courtesy of the combined 25 points from Billy McRae and Marshawn Blackmon.

Both teams picked up the pace in the third quarter and would combine for 52 points across the 10 minutes with Kalamunda opening up a 20-point lead at one stage, but by three quarter-time the Senators had got back to within 15.

Warwick were always going to keep on coming and on several occasions during the fourth quarter did they get back within five points, but they could never quite get any closer.

Eventually the frustrations of coach Cooper spilled over and he got two quick technical fouls with just over a minute to play with his team down eight. The Suns from there went on to secure the six-point victory despite Warwick's 33-point fourth quarter.

The Eastern Suns are now on the road to play their former coach, Mark Utley, and his Mandurah Magic next Saturday night while the Senators are back home against the East Perth Eagles on Friday.

NBL1 WEST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 2

KALAMUNDA EASTERN SUNS 98 (Smith 24, Cook-Green 14, Simpson 13, Salinas 13)

WARWICK SENATORS 92 (Blackmon 40, McRae 31, Shand 9)