THE Lakeside Lightning women narrowly missed their first win of the 2015 SBL season but Jordan Swing led the men's team to a strong win over the Kalamunda Eastern Suns as part of the Friday night Week 8 action.

The three women's matches on Friday night saw the Kalamunda Eastern Suns beat the Lakeside Lightning 87-79 at Lakeside Recreation Centre, the Orange Autos Rockingham Flames down the Stirling Senators 94-59 at Mike Barnett Sports Complex and the Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers defeat the Perry Lakes Hawks 71-42 at WA Basketball Centre.

The three men's matches on Friday night saw the Lakeside Lightning beat the Kalamunda Eastern Suns at Lakeside Recreation Centre, the Nags Head Tavern & Bistro Rockingham Flames down the Bethanie Stirling Senators 101-95 at Mike Barnett Sports Complex and the Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers defeat the Perry Lakes Hawks 96-90 at WA Basketball Centre.

In the women's action, the Lightning again came close to recording their first win of the season but came up eight points short at home to the Eastern Suns.

Once again, Lakeside was leading entering the fourth quarter but then Kalamunda outscored the Lightning 26 points to 18 in the final period to end up winning by eight points.

Thea Lemberger top-scored for the Suns with 22 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals while Melissa Moyle added 16 points, five boards, three assists and three steals.

Abbey Duinker contributed 14 points and eight rebounds as well for Kalamunda with Madeleine Dennis adding 14 points, four boards and three steals off the bench.

Megan Craig top-scored off the bench for the Lightning with 23 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 10-of-18 from the field.

Courtney Byrnes also had a good night with 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals while Ashleigh Grant contributed 18 points and eight boards.

The Tigers improved to a 7-1 record with a solid 29-point win over the now 6-3 Hawks in a battle featuring two teams currently positioned inside the top five.

Kate Malpass led the way for the Tigers with 21 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists while shooting 9-of-15 from the field.

Louella Tomlinson added 16 points, nine rebounds, seven blocked shots and three assists also for Willetton with Emma Gandini contributing 12 points and Desiree Kelly seven points to go with eight boards and four steals.

Lauren Jeffers top-scored for the Hawks with 11 points with Kassi Conditt adding 10 points and five rebounds. Danika Pisconeri also had six points and 17 rebounds for Perry Lakes.

The Flames bounced back in style from their first loss of the season last weekend to the Magic by beating the Senators at home by 35 points on Friday night.

Jacinta Bourne was the star of the night for the Flames with 24 points, five assists, three steals and two rebounds on the back of shooting 9-of-13 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point territory.

Darcee Garbin added 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while also shooting 8-of-12 from the floor with Samantha Whitcomb contributing 16 points and nine boards for Rockingham, and Tarsha Fletcher 10 points and Lizel Buckley eight points, nine rebounds and four assists.

Cassie Bates did all she could for the Senators finishing with 22 points and 10 rebounds with Amber Land adding 15 points, 12 boards, three assists and two blocked shots. Emma Berryman also scored 12 points for Stirling.

And in the men's action on Friday night, the Lightning made it three wins from their last four matches with a 23-point win in a high-scoring affair with the Eastern Suns.

Jordan Swing had another massive game for the Lightning finishing with 45 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and five steals on the back of shooting 17-of-23 from the field and an incredible 10-of-13 from three-point territory.

Tom Parkinson had a good game as well for Lakeside with 33 points, eight boards, four assists, four blocks and two steals shooting 11-of-14 from the floor and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.

Luke Thomas contributed 12 points and eight rebounds as well for the Lightning while Jarrad Prue finished with 11 points, 14 boards, three blocks and two steals with Brad Jackson adding 10 points and six assists.

Kevin Anthony top-scored for the Eastern Suns with 36 points, six steals and four rebounds with Lien Phillip adding 26 points, 19 boards, six assists and two steals.

Seva Chan also had 21 points, six assists and four rebounds for the Suns.

The Flames bounced back with a six-point win at home over the Senators to improve to a 6-5 record and to see Stirling slip to 5-5 and bring to an end its four-game winning streak.

Ryan Godfrey top-scored for the Flames finishing the night with 31 points and six rebounds with Cooper Land also terrific with 26 points, 15 boards, two assists and two steals.

Tom Remmerswaal celebrated his 250th SBL match in style with 15 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots in the win for Rockingham with Taylor Land also adding 12 points, 13 boards and eight assists, and Andrew Bowman 11 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Austin Bruton led the way for the Senators with 26 points and five rebounds with Kyle Lindbergh adding 21 points, 14 boards, eight assists, six blocked shots and two steals.

Tom Witts also had 12 points and Ashley Litterick 10 points to go with 13 rebounds and three blocks for Stirling.

The Tigers then won their third straight match to improve to an 8-2 record by beating the Hawks at home by six points with Perry Lakes now having lost five matches on the trot to hold a 2-8 record.

Five Willetton players scored in double-figures on Friday night in the win over Perry Lakes led by 20 points and 11 rebounds off the bench from Corey Easley.

Kyle Armour added 18 points, four rebounds and four assists while Mitch Clarke contributed 17 points and four assists, Ephrem Davis 15 points, 10 boards and three blocked shots, and Nic Cody 10 points and seven rebounds. Damien Scott also had nine points and seven rebounds.

Bryton Hobbs did all he could for the Hawks finishing with 31 points, five rebounds and two assists while hitting 4-of-7 from three-point range.

Ben Purser also had 19 points, eight boards and five assists for Perry Lakes, Josh Garlepp 16 points and 10 rebounds, and James Elliott nine points and 11 boards.

FRIDAY WOMEN'S SBL MATCHES
Lakeside Lightning 79 lost to Kalamunda Eastern Suns 87
Orange Autos Rockingham Flames 94 defeated Stirling Senators 59
Perry Lakes Hawks 42 lost to Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers 71

FRIDAY MEN'S SBL MATCHES
Lakeside Lightning 130 defeated Kalamunda Eastern Suns 107
Nags Head Tavern & Bistro Rockingham Flames 101 defeated Bethanie Stirling Senators 95
Perry Lakes Hawks 90 lost to Goodlife Homes Willetton Tigers 96

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Mick Cronin