NBL1 West 2023: South West Slammers men’s team roll over in last quarter of Rockingham’s 117-62 rout

There were moments late in Saturday night’s 117-62 loss against Rockingham Flames when the South West Slammers men’s team could have been tempted to call the fire brigade.

Unfortunately for the Slammers, these Flames inside the Mike Barnett Sports Complex, known as the “Hot House”, were wearing black-and-red singlets and unable to be doused by a firefighter.

There were moments during this game where Shane Goff’s side displayed tremendous heart — from Manyiel Wugol’s composure beyond the arc, to Pharell Keats’ hustle mid-court.

Sadly, most of this work was undone during a lamentable final quarter, when the Slammers scored a paltry four points and conceded 30 to the hungry reigning national NBL1 men’s champs.

It was an awful ending to a game which could have ended so much better for the visitors.

Further salt was also rubbed into the Slammers’ wounds, with former players Travis Durnin (11 points, 11 rebounds), Rivar Evans (10 points, one rebound, one steal) and Cody Hill (six points, one rebound, two steals) all coming off the bench to play some of their best basketball of the season to date.

Earlier in the evening, Goff’s side did a tremendous job defensively against reigning league MVP Devondrick Walker (26 points, eight rebounds, four assists), holding the electric American import to seven first-quarter points.

However, with no Clive Weeden available under the offensive glass to jam running lanes into the paint, potent offensive threats Tom Jervis (nine points, 15 rebounds, four blocks), Jeremy Combs (11 points in the first quarter) and Marshall Nelson (17 points, four rebounds, five assists, three steals) were all able to get off the chain periodically, which put the Slammers down for the count thereafter.

Keeper stats

Overall offence (Flames 41/87, Slammers 24/70); Field goals (Flames 24/41, Slammers 15/44); three-point attempts (Flames 17/46, Slammers 9/26); free-throw attempts (Flames 18/28, Slammers 5/10); total rebounds (Flames 61-38 Slammers); assists (Flames 21-7 Slammers); steals (Flames 12-8 Slammers); turnovers (Slammers 22-12 Flames); fouls (Slammers 24-15 Flames).