NBL1 West: Rockingham Flames seal the deal with two-game victory

The Rockingham Flames ended the weekend on a high after a win against Perry Lakes Hawks on Friday and Cockburn Cougars on Saturday. Perry Lakes Hawkes previously defeated the Flames in last year’s grand final but this time the Flames were back with a vengeance, securing a 25-point victory for round 14. The Hawks came into Friday night’s battle celebrating the 300-game milestone of dual championship winning co-captain Rob Cassir but the Flames had too much firepower as the night unfolded. Rockingham opened the game with a nine-point lead during the first quarter and by quarter-time were leading 27-24. Perry Lakes stayed close and during the second period they went on to take the lead. By half-time the scores were neck-and-neck at 45-45 and the stage was set for another battle. Flames hit back in the third quarter with 11 consecutive points and went on the seal the deal in the final quarter with 28 more points to 14, securing a home victory 104-79. On Saturday night, the Flames took out another win against the Cockburn Cougars at Wally Hagan Stadium. Rockingham Flames were in the lead 32-28 by quarter-time. Star players Marshall Nelson and Devondrick Walker helped increase the lead but at half-time it was still a close one, with the visitors up 54-51. Cougars’ Gavin Field put up 10 of the Cougars’ 23 points in the third quarter to put them in the lead 88-86 at the last break. Cockburn kept pushing in the fourth quarter before Walker went on a 7-2 run for the Flames and Greg Hire secured the night’s win with a three-pointer shot, taking the win 118-111. Walker was brilliant for the Flames with 39 points, eight assists, five steals and three rebounds while shooting 12/24 from the field, 7/13 from downtown and 8/10 from the charity stripe. Nelson added 28 points and 10 rebounds for Rockingham and Hire seven points, six boards and three assists.