The men’s Collie Crane South West Slammers have dropped to sixth on the SBL ladder after consecutive defeats to Willetton and Perry Lakes at the weekend.

On Friday, the Slammers could not keep up with the sharp shooting Tigers, folding 123-110 under a persistent barrage of three-pointers.

Willetton hit 15 of its 34 attempts from beyond the arc, including an incredible nine in the first quarter alone.

That display of long range shooting helped the Tigers orchestrate a 17-point lead at quarter time which the Slammers were never able to reel in, despite the best efforts of big man Clive Weeden who went 13 of 16 from the field for 34 points and added 11 boards for good measure.

The Slammers also had double digit contributions from Markus Monroe (20), Trent Worthington (19), Ty Harrelson (18) and Wade Hitchcock (15) but it was ultimately not enough to combat the impressive firepower of the Tigers.

Nicholas Cody top-scored for Willetton with 30 points but it was John Dickson (29 points, 10 rebounds, four three-pointers) who led the way for the home side with strong support from Jacob Reed who had five triples in his 19 point tally.

On Saturday the Slammers fought back from an eight-point half-time deficit to hold a five-point lead midway through the final quarter before eventually losing 93-89 to the Hawks.

Weeden put the Slammers in front for the first time with five minutes to play and Harrelson extended the lead to five with a clutch three-pointer on the next possession but the Slammers struggled to find the basket from there.

The South West put up 13 more shots than the visitors for the same number of made baskets and also lost the foul count 23-17 with Perry Lakes icing the game from the stripe late in the fourth.

With 11 points, 16 rebounds and five assists Worthington turned in a herculean effort for the Slammers and was well supported by Monroe (25 points, four steals), Harrelson (18 points, seven rebounds) and Weeden (16 points, nine rebounds).

Imports Corey Easley (25 points, nine rebounds) and Justin Cecil (20 points, 11 rebounds) led the way for Perry Lakes while captain Ben Purser (14 points, six rebounds, seven assists) hit an outrageous fade away under heavy pressure to put the game beyond doubt in the final minute.

The result means the Slammers fall a game outside of the top four.

Article by Josh Zimmerman: South Western Times & Bunbury Herald

Photo by Mick Cronin