West Spotlight | Wolves fire in Wellsteed milestone

Featured image: Michael Farnell @sportsimageryau

Just six days after Ryan Blanchett starred in his NBL1 West milestone game for Mandurah Magic, Joondalup Wolves captain Jordan Wellsteed did the game in game 300 as his team kept their impressive form going beating the Perry Lakes Hawks 110-99.

The Wolves and Hawks locked horns at Arena Joondalup on Friday night with plenty to play with both locked into top eight positions, and both capable of putting on quite the show.

That certainly happened in the first half with 66 points between them in the first quarter and another 59 in the second, but the firepower of Joondalup saw them on fire in that opening 20 minutes to already be leading 68-57 with 9/14 three-point shooting.

Both teams then had 42 points in the second half with the Wolfpack confirming the 11-point win to celebrate the 300th game of captain Wellsteed while improving to a 13-4 record to retain top spot with the Hawks now 8-8 just missing what would have been a fourth consecutive win.

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While there was a big contrast in the output of both teams from the first half to the second where they combined for 125 points in the first 20 minutes and just 84 in the second, the Wolves put in another standout all-round performance.

Joondalup were still going at 51 per cent from the field by the end of the game to the 43 from Perry Lakes with 15/32 three-point shooting to 12/31, and forcing the Hawks into 16 turnovers while doing well taking care of the ball themselves with just six.

It will be a night to remember for Wolfpack captain Jordan Wellsteed not only with the win in his 300th game, but also the way he played with a season-best 18 points, five assists and four rebounds.

Sharif Black once again top scored with 27 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals with Caleb Davis 26 points, six boards and four assists, CJ Turnage 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals, and Gabe Chadinha 11 points, three rebounds and two steals.

Taylor Young then might not have scored on just four shot attempts, but did another standout job running the ship for the Wolfpack with seven assists and four rebounds.

Jack Browder battled foul trouble and the league's leading scorer had just the 21 points and 10 rebounds but the fact you can say that's a down night is a credit to the high levels he has set since arriving.

Cam Huefner top scored for Perry Lakes with 28 points and eight rebounds on 10/11 free-throw shooting with Isaiah Moses adding 24 points, four boards and four assists, and Andreas Grubisa eight points, three assists and two rebounds with all his scoring done in the opening term.

Both teams came into the game in winning form and with the Wolves in third and Hawks in seventh, and both with plenty of weapons, it had all the hallmarks of a terrific contest and the first quarter lived up to the billing.

They combined for 66 points over the opening 10 minutes with the Wolfpack leading 34-32 by quarter-time with some hot shooting with the Wolves hitting 6/11 from downtown to the 7/11 from Perry Lakes.

Caleb Davis already had 13 points for Joondalup with Sharif Black adding 10 while both Cam Huefner and Andreas Grubisa had eight each for Perry Lakes.

The Wolves then maintained that pace with another 34 points in the second frame on the back of shooting 13/19 from the field with and 3/3 from downtown to go into half-time leading 68-57.

That was on the back of shooting 63 per cent from the floor with 9/14 from downtown with Black backing up his 46 points from last week with 23 again to half-time.

Perry Lakes were still doing well offensively with Isaiah Moses up to 15 points with them shooting 51 per cent despite missing all five three-point attempts in the quarter, but giving up 68 points in a half was never going to lead to good things.

Neither team could quite keep the scoring going after half-time at the same level but the Wolves remained in control of the contest leading by as much as 19 points in the third quarter and ending up winning by 11.

After half-time, the Wolves put up 42 points on 14/37 shooting from the field and 6/18 from downtown to the 42 points as well from Perry Lakes on 13/37 shooting and going 5/15 from beyond the arc.

Joondalup will now look to maintain third place and stay in touch of the top two when away to the Willetton Tigers on Friday night with Perry Lakes trying to bounce back in Albany against the Perth Redbacks on Saturday night.

NBL1 WEST 2026 SEASON | ROUND 14

JOONDALUP WOLVES 110 (Black 27, Davis 26, Wellsteed 18)

PERRY LAKES HAWKS 99 (Huefner 28, Moses 24, Browder 21)