⁠BSBL men’s A-grade: Top four set after Conquerors vanquish Tornadoes Black

The top four in the Bunbury Senior Basketball Association men’s A-grade is now set, with the Conquerors sealing the final spot thanks to a 10-point victory over Tornadoes Black. Needing a win to keep their finals hopes alive, Tornadoes Black came out of the blocks with a bang, jumping out to an 8-2 lead inside the opening minute after three-point bombs from Luc Perkins and Callum Heap. The Conquerors got themselves into the game but could not break it open, taking a 60-52 lead into the main break. Tornadoes Black refused to go away, closing the margin to as close as four points in the third and fourth terms, but the Conquerors did enough in the clutch to run out 100-90 victors. Star Jordan Yarran (13 points) had a quiet game by his own lofty standards for the winners but Jaikie Hastie (28) stepped up to fill the scoring void, while Callum Heap (21 points) and Kent Placente (20) led the way for Tornadoes Black. In the other games, the second-placed Bulls Gold were challenged by third-placed Tornadoes Red, but still managed to claim a 101-88 win. A basket from Jack Flynn saw the lower-ranked side take a 75-74 lead midway through the final term, but Bulls Gold dialled up their offence with the game on the line, scoring 31 last-quarter points to seal the result. Pharell Keats was huge when the game was there to be won for Bulls Gold, dropping 15 points in the final frame as part of his 33 on the night, going head to head with Tornadoes Red’s Harry Mooney (21 points), who nailed three long bombs as part of his 13 points in the period. Aces White had their best result of the season, taking down Eaton by 28 points. The seventh-placed side set up the win with a dominant 74-47 run across the second and third quarters. Ben Lawler (27 points) was the best of seven double-digit scorers for the winners, while Jacob MacLeod-Paterson (36) and Dylan Moir (27) had big nights in defeat for the Eagles. Ladder-leaders Bulls Maroon won over Aces Sky by forfeit.