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IN the end the size and quality inside from the Perry Lakes Hawks led by Nat Burton and Megan McKay saw them record a crucial win on Saturday night but not without a strong fighting effort against them by the Cockburn Cougars.

It was a crucial game coming into it for Perry Lakes especially as they continue to be locked in a dog fight to reach the playoffs again in 2019 entering the final month of the regular season.

The Hawks did come into Round 17 in eighth position but with the South West Slammers and Kalamunda Eastern Suns breathing down their necks, they needed to keep winning.

While Cockburn might be out of the playoff race and remain significantly under strength from the team they would have hoped to have in 2019 at the start, the Cougars have been playing some good basketball and been a real chance of winning more than their three matches they have this season.

The Cougars once again put in a strong showing at Wally Hagan Stadium on Saturday night to push the Hawks, but with Nat Burton and Megan McKay powerful forces inside, and Jamie Cherry leading the backcourt, Perry Lakes came away from Cockburn with the important 76-60 victory.

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Perry Lakes started solidly enough to lead 21-15 by quarter-time before adding another 19 points to 18 in the second period to head into the half-time interval leading 40-33.

The Lady Hawks pulled away a little more in the third quarter to lead 59-45 heading into the fourth period, and then going on to win by that 14-point margin.

It was an important win for the Lady Hawks who now improve to a 9-9 record as a result to retain their position inside the top eight for the end of Round 17.

With three rounds of the regular season remaining, the Hawks now finish with home games against the Perth Redbacks and Lakeside Lightning, and on the road to the South West Slammers and Willetton Tigers.

The Redbacks and Slammers are two teams they are locked in a fight for a playoff position against while the Tigers and Lightning currently occupy top four position so it’s a massive final three weeks for Deanna Black and her Lady Hawks team.

Despite the fact that it was a fifth consecutive loss for Cockburn that sees them slip to a 3-15 record on the season, it was yet another competitive showing from the Cougars who made themselves tough to beat and never threw in the towel.

Cougars coach Megan Thompson paid credit to the Hawks for the win, but at the same time was proud of the fighting effort from her team.

“They are a big team obviously. With Megan McKay coming back in, she’s a real solid presence in the paint but I thought Mike (Vanessa Michael) and Sontay did a really good job on her as much as they could,” Thompson said.

“But then you have Nat Burton coming through so they have some quality players there and they are a tough, tough outfit to beat. I did know that their season was on the line and we wanted to push it to them, and do everything to get a win on our home court.

“But testament to them and their poise definitely in the end down the stretch. They had the smarts to go to their strengths and credit to them for the win.”

The Cougars have battled shorthanded all season long once star point guard BJ Moyes ruptured her ACL, but along the way they’ve also now found themselves without key players like Kisha Lee, Ruby Benn, Akim Lual and veteran big Steph Jones hasn’t managed to step on the floor at all.

Despite all those obstacles, the Cougars have earned plenty of respect over the course of the season for their fighting qualities.

It’s not unreasonable to expect with a bit of luck they could have plenty more wins – especially both games against the Slammers along with last time opposed to the Magic, Senators and even going back to the Eastern Suns in Round 3.

But with Alina Hartmann battling hard inside for the Cougars on Saturday night against Perry Lakes with help from veterans Vanessa Michael and Jodee Sontay, they put in a strong showing on their home floor.

It was Cockburn’s second last home game of the season for the Women’s SBL and the club took the opportunity to present life memberships to long-time servants Darlene Field and Mike Forsyth after the game at Wally Hagan Stadium.

Reflecting on the game on the season so far with three matches to go, Thompson has nothing but pride for the way the Cougars have conducted themselves to remain a competitive outfit even if the wins haven’t been coming.

“I don’t like to use the injury excuse or what not, but we started our season and lost our star point guard. Then Ruby Benn we’ve obviously lost for a bunch of games and I don’t know if we’ll get her back, and then we haven’t had Steph Jones at all,” Thompson said.

“We started losing key players early and then obviously with the exit of Kisha Lee, but I have to say that I’m so proud our local girls. They actually are improving, they are playing like I’ve never seen them play before and that’s testament to their character and also to our program.

“We’re working hard with what we’ve got and Alina was a nice little bonus to come in and she’s somebody who we will look to retain for the future because she’s really enjoying being part of the club.”

Perry Lakes started solidly enough to lead 21-15 by quarter-time before adding another 19 points to 18 in the second period to head into the half-time interval leading 40-33.

The Lady Hawks pulled away a little more in the third quarter to lead 59-45 heading into the fourth period, and then going on to win by that 14-point margin.

It was an important win for the Lady Hawks who now improve to a 9-9 record as a result to retain their position inside the top eight for the end of Round 17.

With three rounds of the regular season remaining, the Hawks now finish with home games against the Perth Redbacks and Lakeside Lightning, and on the road to the South West Slammers and Willetton Tigers.

The Redbacks and Slammers are two teams they are locked in a fight for a playoff position against while the Tigers and Lightning currently occupy top four position so it’s a massive final three weeks for Deanna Black and her Lady Hawks team.

Despite the fact that it was a fifth consecutive loss for Cockburn that sees them slip to a 3-15 record on the season, it was yet another competitive showing from the Cougars who made themselves tough to beat and never threw in the towel.

The Cougars have battled shorthanded all season long once star point guard BJ Moyes ruptured her ACL, but along the way they’ve also now found themselves without key players like Kisha Lee, Ruby Benn, Akim Lual and veteran big Steph Jones hasn’t managed to step on the floor at all.

Despite all those obstacles, the Cougars have earned plenty of respect over the course of the season for their fighting qualities.

It’s not unreasonable to expect with a bit of luck they could have plenty more wins – especially both games against the Slammers along with last time opposed to the Magic, Senators and even going back to the Eastern Suns in Round 3.

But with Alina Hartmann battling hard inside for the Cougars on Saturday night against Perry Lakes with help from veterans Vanessa Michael and Jodee Sontay, they put in a strong showing on their home floor.

It was Cockburn’s second last home game of the season for the Women’s SBL and the club took the opportunity to present life memberships to long-time servants Darlene Field and Mike Forsyth after the game at Wally Hagan Stadium.

WOMEN’S SBL FIXTURES – WEEK 17
FRIDAY
Chambers Franklyn Joondalup City Wolves 92 defeated Lakeside Lightning 83
Cachet Homes Mandurah Magic 81 defeated Class 1 Orthodontics Rockingham Flames 65
Texture WA Perth Redbacks 72 lost to Kalamunda Eastern Suns 75

SATURDAY
Lakeside Lightning 90 defeated Schweigen East Perth Eagles 35
Round 1 Fitness Cockburn Cougars 60 lost to Scarboro Toyota Perry Lakes Hawks 76
Print Sync South West Slammers 90 lost to Chambers Franklyn Joondalup City Wolves 91
Kalamunda Eastern Suns 103 defeated Bethanie Warwick Senators 101