West Wrap | Women's Round 4

Featured image: Madeleine Clark @madeleineclarkmedia

There were first NBL1 West wins for the Eastern Suns, Joondalup Wolves and Willetton Tigers while the Lakeside Lightning pushed the Cockburn Cougars to the brink before beating the Perry Lakes Hawks in overtime with Esme Morales spectacular.

>> WEST SPOTLIGHT | MORALES, RETTSTATT IN SPECTACULAR SHOWINGS

>> WEST SPOTLIGHT | BRONSON LEADS WAY IN FIRST SUNS WIN

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>> RENDULIC TO CHERISH RECORD BUT SUCCESS THE FOCUS

FRIDAY

Perth Redbacks (62) lost to Warwick Senators (80)

The Warwick Senators bounced back impressively from their first loss of the 2026 season beating an Anneli Maley-less Perth Redbacks 80-62 at Belmont Oasis.

Seven days earlier at the same venue and Maley created history with her 65-point record setting performance as the Redbacks scored their first win of the season, but she is now at the New York Liberty trying to earn a WNBA contract.

The Redbacks were trying to back up that win without her against a Senators team who arrived on a mission to respond to their loss the previous Friday night as well to the East Perth Eagles.

Warwick built a 16-point lead in the first quarter and were in control the rest of the way from there with that advantage out to 31 points in the third term after a 16-0 run.

Perth kept fighting and did score 18 points in-a-row but still the Senators won to improve to 3-1.

Chloe Forster continued her terrific form with 21 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals in the win with her back court partner Jayda Clark adding 15 points, eight boards and seven assists.

Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard also had 10 points and nine rebounds, Kiara Waite 10 points and 11 boards, and Izzy Miotti nine points, four rebounds and two assists.

Sam Ashby played her second game with the Redbacks and was outstanding with 31 points and five rebounds with 6/14 three-point shooting with Shenae Hartree adding 12 points and nine boards, and Sophie Doran five points, four rebounds and two assists.

Joondalup Wolves (77) defeated East Perth Eagles (72)

Asianae Johnson and Kim Pierre-Louis combined for 49 points and 13 rebounds to help the Joondalup Wolves open their account for 2026 with the 77-72 and to give the East Perth Eagles a first defeat.

The Wolfpack might have been winless after their opening three matches but had been especially impressive to be just three points down to Cockburn the previous week.

They were back home at Arena Joondalup on Friday hosting the undefeated Eagles who had mixed news coming into the game welcoming in two-time championship winner Sarah Mortensen but without on-fire guard Jasmin Fejo with a knee injury.

East Perth were leading 24-20 by the end of the first quarter but Joondalup took over with a 9-0 run in the second quarter to open up an 11-point lead.

The Eagles did manage to briefly get back in front in the last quarter, but the Wolves responded again and secured the five-point win to improve to 1-3 with East Perth now 3-1.

The duo of Johnson and Pierre-Louis was a match winning one for the Wolfpack with the former having 25 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, and the latter 24 points, six boards and two assists.

It's a first loss of the season for East Perth with Stacey Barr putting up 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists with Jade Williams having 17 points and six boards, Brooke Malone 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and Mortensen six points, seven boards and two assists.

Lakeside Lightning (85) lost to Cockburn Cougars (97)

The Lakeside Lightning made a blistering start to the fourth quarter to throw the gauntlet down to the Cockburn Cougars to keep their winning streak going and the defending champs rose to the challenge outscoring them 24 to five the rest of the way to win 97-85.

The Cougars arrived at Lakeside Recreation Centre on a 26-game winning streak and had escaped the week before to a big third quarter from the Joondalup Wolves to power away to win by 19.

Cockburn were then leading by seven to start the fourth quarter before the Lightning came out and scored 14 points in the space of three minutes with a barrage of three-pointers from Regan Turnour-McCarty against her told team, Sarah Allen and Esme Morales.

Suddenly the Lightning were leading 80-73 with seven minutes to play but Cockburn responded with the next 12 points over the next two and-a-half minutes and from there were able to secure the 12-point win to make it 27 in-a-row.

Alex Ciabattoni put up another 25 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Cockburn with Jessie Edwards delivering 22 points and 12 rebounds, Jaya Scafidi 16 points and six boards, and Alira Fotu 12 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

It might have been a loss, but there was plenty to like from the Lightning with 32 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals with 6/11 three-point shooting from Morales.

Turnour-McCarty also had 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals against the team she won a championship with last year with 5/11 shooting from deep while Molly Wilson added 12 points and three boards.

Kalamunda Eastern Suns (102) defeated South West Slammers (81)

Gaby Bronson set the tone early and the Eastern Suns delivered their first win of the season beating the South West Slammers 102-81 with Alyssa Bowen and Ella Averill also combining for 39 points and 17 rebounds.

The Suns played host to the Slammers at Ray Owen Sports Centre hunting a first win and they were right on track with 34 points in the first quarter with 15 of those courtesy of Bronson.

Marshaun Bostic and Bri Bailey fired the Slammers back into the contest in the second quarter, but the Eastern Suns took control again after half-time on the way to the 21-point win and first victory since July 17 last year.

Bronson delivered 27 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals on 11/15 shooting from the field and 5/8 from the foul line while also pulling down four offensive boards.

Bowen had 21 points across the first three games of 2026 but she matched that in one night with 21 in the victory with six rebounds and two assists while going 4/10 from behind the arc.

Averill also had a season-best 18 points with 11 rebounds with five of those at the offensive end while Emma Strelein contributed nine points, four boards, four assists and three steals, and Jaymee Firkins eight points and three rebounds.

The Slammers are now 1-3 following the loss despite 27 points on 7/11 three-point shooting from Bri Bailey on her return to the NBL1 West after previous stints at the Perth Redbacks and East Perth Eagles.

Marshaun Bostic also provided 25 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five assists with Hana Lacey-Rameka contributing eight points, eight boards, two assists and two steals, and co-captains Bree Chalk and Javene Fitch six points apiece.

SATURDAY

Willetton Tigers (69) defeated Mandurah Magic (62)

A near triple-double from Ruby Porter saw her play a big role in the Willetton Tigers breaking through for a first win of the season with the 69-62 victory at home against the Mandurah Magic.

The Tigers had lost their first three games of the season having gone through an off-season of great change with significant turnover to the playing roster and also for the first time since midway through the 2013 season, Simon Parker is no longer coach with 512-game playing veteran Sue Williams taking over.

They were back at Willetton Basketball Stadium on Saturday hunting a breakthrough win and they took over the game in the second quarter and went into half-time leading 42-33.

They went on with the job from there to win by seven with last year's Grand Final MVP Porter producing 21 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and six steals.

Emma Calvert delivered 14 points and eight rebounds, Abi Durdin 12 points and eight boards, and Emma Gandini 11 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and two assists.

Mandurah are now 2-2 following the loss with Claire Jacobs delivering 19 points, seven assists and six rebounds but sister Mia didn’t suit up through injury.

Jade Gowland added 14 points and four rebounds, Sharn Hayward 10 points and four assists, Georgia Adams six points and nine rebounds, and Olivia Bassett-Scarfe five points and nine boards.

 

Perry Lakes Hawks (90) lost to Lakeside Lightning (95)

It was a night of two of the most spectacular individual performances with Esme Morales' 41 points getting Lakeside Lightning the 95-90 overtime win despite 34 points and 32 rebounds for the Perry Lakes Hawks from Bridgette Rettstatt.

Rettstatt ended up with 34 points, 32 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block on 13/19 shooting and 7/10 from the free-throw line with eight of those boards offensive.

Then dynamic guard Morales produced 41 points and six assists while playing all 45 minutes for Lakeside on 11/25 shooting from the field and 16/21 at the free-throw line.

Lakeside took over the game in the second quarter and had a 12-point lead early in the second half before a 10-0 run from Perry Lakes set up a thrilling finish where two free throws from Morales levelled scores at the end of regulation to get the game to overtime.

Then it was all the Lightning in the extra five minutes for the five-point win to improve to 3-2 on the season while the Hawks are 1-2 under new coach Marcus Embury.

As well as the spectacular Morales performance for Lakeside, Regan Turnour-McCarty continues to embrace her bigger role than last year with Cockburn with 22 points, 13 rebounds and two steals with 5/12 shooting from downtown.

Kiriana Hawaikirangi also had 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, Sarah Allen seven points, and Sam Roscoe six points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals before fouling out.

On top of what Rettstatt did for Perry Lakes, Emma Clark finished with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals, Emilie Beggs 11 points before fouling out, Maddy Zugna 10 points and four rebounds, Ellie Newman eight points and three boards, and Mila Wawszkowicz eight points, three rebounds and two assists.

 

Goldfields Giants (84) lost to Rockingham Flames (104)

Delaynie Byrne and Sierra Moore did all they could to give the Goldfields Giants a chance to stay unbeaten at home to start the season but the Rockingham Flames did take charge in the third quarter to set up the 104-84 win.

The Giants won their lone game of the season so far also at Evolution Mining Stadium against the South West Slammers while the Flames arrived having won their last two and while Sami Whitcomb has now returned to the WNBA, they added in Sara Puckett.

While Rockingham did lead by as much as 15 points in the second quarter, it was in the third quarter they took control to lead by as much as 24, and then to secure the 20-point victory from there in Kalgoorlie to improve to 3-1.

Reigning MVP Teige Morrell produced 24 points, 11 rebounds and three assists with Stef Berberabe contributing 22 points, seven boards and five assists, and Tiana Wilson-Palmer 22 points with 4/6 three-point shooting.

Puckett put up 14 points and five rebounds in her first appearance with Amy Atwell adding 10 points on just 3/5 shooting dealing with foul trouble all night.

The Giants are now 1-1 to start the season with Moore producing another 25 points, 11 rebounds and four assists while new face Byrne added 20 points, 14 boards and five steals.

Chloe Zorzi also had 12 points, three rebounds and two assists, Hazelle Yam 12 points and two assists, and Rachel Pettit six points, seven rebounds and five assists.