West Spotlight | Wolfpack finish on fire in Kalgoorlie

Featured image: Travis Anderson | @andmediaphoto

The Goldfields Giants missed a golden chance to secure a home NBL1 West final with the Joondalup Wolves taking charge after Yemiyah Morris fouled out finishing with a 21-5 run to secure the 93-86 win to enhance their playoff hopes.

It was a big game for both teams at Kalgoorlie's Evolution Mining Stadium in their second last matches of the season with the Giants secure in the top eight but a chance to earn a home while the Wolfpack were trying to return to the top eight.

It was an exciting first quarter display from both teams as they combined for 55 points with Joondalup leading 30-25 by quarter-time with Kim Pierre-Louis having nine points and four rebounds.

The Wolfpack were shooting at 59 per cent to 40 from the Giants but Goldfields responded with 23 points to 18 in the second frame on the way to levelling scores at 48-48 by half-time.

Joondalup were shooting better still at 47 per cent to 38 but Goldfields had attempted an extra eight shots and three more free throws with the eight offensive rebounds their way and seven turnovers from the Wolves.

>> GANDINI MILESTONE TO SAVOUR BACK HOME AT TIGERS

>> MARISA STARRING IN NBL1, WOULD JUMP AT ANOTHER WNBL CHANCE

>> WEST SPOTLIGHT | MAGIC DOMINATE EARLY FOR BIG WIN

>> WEST WRAP | WOMEN'S ROUND 16

The Giants were able to work on top in the third quarter with a 9-0 run seeing them lead by 10 and still being in front 73-65 by three quarter-time with MVP favourite Sierra Moore already having another double double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Joondalup did land 4/6 from deep for the third term led by Awatea Leach, but the Giants still worked on top by collecting another seven offensive rebounds and forcing the visitors into another five turnovers.

Yemiyah Morris picked up her fifth foul early in the fourth quarter for the Wolves and not long after the Giants were leading by nine when her direct opponent Delaynie Byrne scored.

That's when the game underwent a dramatic transformation starting with a three ball to the Wolves from Rosie Deegan.

A few minutes later and Pierre-Louis scored to put Joondalup in front all of a sudden after an 11-1 run before she also nailed a huge three to push the lead out to four to make it a 14-1 run from when they were down nine.

Leach then sealed the seven-point win for the Wolfpack with another three ball and it moves them back up to seventh position at 8-11 as a result while the Giants do stay sixth but now must beat the Warwick Senators on the road next week to stay there.

From the time the Giants were leading 81-72 with seven minutes to play and the Wolves were without Morris, the visitors took control outscoring the home team 21 points to five.

Goldfields will be kicking themselves for the missed opportunity to lock in the home final on a night where they had 11 more shots, 10 more free throws and collected 21 offensive rebounds.

But credit to Joondalup for hanging in there and then for the style of play they were able to deliver once they were forced to go smaller without Morris out there when she fouled out.

Kim Pierre-Louis has had an outstanding first season in the NBL1 West to be going closer every time she steps on the court to locking in a spot in the All-First Team. She had another 23 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and three steals with 3/4 three-point shooting.

Awatea Leach added 19 points with 5/6 shooting from the outside, Asianae Johnson 17 points, nine boards, five assists, two steals and two blocks, Rosie Deegan 10 points, five boards and two assists, and Yemiyah Morris eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks before fouling out.

Sierra Moore was playing her second game back from an ankle injury and the MVP favourite produced 20 points, 13 rebounds and five assists while front court partner Delaynie Byrne had another 15 points, 19 boards, three assists and two steals.

Chloe Zorzi also had 15 points, two rebounds and two assists, Hazelle Yam 12 points, 10 boards and four assists, Lexi Pana 11 points, five assists, five steals and three rebounds, and Rachel Pettit eight points and five boards.

The Giants now finish their regular season next Saturday on the road to the Warwick Senators while the Wolves are at home to the Mandurah Magic on Friday night.

NBL1 WEST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 17

GOLDFIELDS GIANTS 86 (Moore 20, Zorzi 15, Byrne 15)

JOONDALUP WOLVES 93 (Pierre-Louis 23, Leach 19, Johnson 17)