Geraldton Buccaneers gear up for double-header on the road against Lakeside and Willetton
After handing the Warwick Senators their first loss of the season, the vibes are up in the Buccs' camp, with the squad now preparing for their next challenge as they travel to Perth this weekend in round nine of the NBL1 West season.
Local star Johny Narkle has been the Buccs' best player so far this season, shining bright in the Buccs' last game against the Senators.
The star guard put on a show with 30 points, 11 rebounds and two steals and was named player of the round in the NBL1 West. Arguably in career best form, Narkle said preparation had been the key for his performances.
'Preparation for me is a big part of it,' he said.
'Both the physical and mental side of the preparation are equally important.'
After the win against Warwick, Narkle said coach Dayle Joseph got the best out of his side, with new inclusions this season in Verle Williams and Akeem Springs slotting perfectly into the side.
'For me I felt good going into the game obviously they're (Warwick) the top team but as Dayle said we're rarely the underdogs going into a home game so obviously winning felt great because it shows us what we're capable of,' he said.
'With the addition of Verle and Akeem I feel like we're starting to gel real good after that loss to East Perth. It was like a wakeup call but since then we're starting to understand how each other play.'
The Buccs now face a road trip to Perth where they will first play Lakeside Lightning on Saturday night. Lakeside sit 12th on the league ladder and are coming off three straight losses.
The Buccs will be looking to walk away with a win on Saturday before their other game on Sunday against sixth-placed Willetton Tigers. The Buccs are yet to play the Tigers this season. The last time the two met Willetton knocked the Buccs out of the finals in 2024.
Currently sitting fourth on the ladder, the Buccs will be looking to get one back on Willetton as they aim to go two-from-two on the road.
Narkle said the squad was rearing to go with confidence high after last round's win.
'We're feeling good, it's a great opportunity to come away with two wins especially knowing what we can do as a team and how we performed the last week,' he said.
The Buccs play Lakeside on Saturday from 7pm at Lakeside Rec before their clash against Willetton on Sunday from 12pm at Willetton Basketball Stadium.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Canterbury preview: Trainer Bjorn Baker aims to close out his record season on a high note
Trainer Bjorn Baker has had by far and away his greatest season and is keen to keep adding to it at Canterbury today as he eyes more milestones in 2025/26. Baker has so far this season prepared 155 winners, topping his previous best of 128, with his runners earning in excess of $25 million. 'It's been an amazing season. I have a great team, great clients and I have a lot of nice horses around me,' Baker said. 'As good as this season has been, I'm looking forward to next season as well.' Baker is looking to get off to a quick start at Canterbury with Shalaa Gold and Olufsen kicking off their preparations in the Benchmark 64 TAB Handicap (1100m). Shalaa Gold was runner-up in his first four starts before a breakthrough win over 1100m at Warwick Farm in January. He showed he is on track to kick off his campaign on a positive note with two very good trials including a win over King Of Roseau in his Randwick heat on July 11. 'He's a promising horse. He did a good job to finally win a maiden last start after placing a number of times,' Baker said. 'He has trialled well and he is definitely forward enough so I think he's in there with a good chance. 'I'm also happy to see that the weather is pretty good this week so we will get a decent track for him.' Shalaa Gold gets the gold in the Warwick Farm opener! 🥇 @BBakerRacing ðŸ¤� @JoshuaParr8 — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 27, 2025 • Olufsen doesn't have the race experience of Shalaa Gold but showed he possessed plenty of ability with a debut win at Wyong in March. He has also trialled very well with a second to Mirra Impact in his Randwick trial on June 27 and a fourth to Amreekiyah in a Hawkesbury heat on July 7. 'He is a full brother to Ozzmosis,' he said. 'He was very good in winning at his first start. 'He is still a little bit green and putting it all together but he has been good in his couple of trials. 'There probably isn't much between these two and he has drawn a lovely gate as well. 'I guess Shalaa Gold will probably be a little more forward that Olufsen but it will come down to luck in running a little bit as well.' Olufsen starts the career off right with a win for the @BBakerRacing stable at Wyong! ðŸ'Œ — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 19, 2025 Baker has O'Invincible engaged at Canterbury and Wyong on Thursday and will weigh up the two options. The daughter of I Am Invincible is in the Broadsiding @ Darley Handicap (1250m) for which she has drawn barrier 13 while she has gate 7 in the Benchmark 64 at Wyong. 'She has got a wide gate but there is already three scratchings inside of her,' Baker said. 'We will just have a think about whether she runs or we wait for the next day.' O'Invincible was below her best first-up when a well beaten sixth to Livin' Thing at Randwick's Kensington track but better when just over a length behind Divine Vicky when sixth at Gosford. 'She was too bad to be true first-up and I think she may have had atrial fibrillation but she definitely had an excuse that day,' he said. 'She was okay last time out and she is definitely fit and well. I think stepping up to the 1250 metres suits her as well.' 'I thought he was good first-up and had excuses last time out on a very wet track at Rosehill. 'His work on Saturday was good and off that alone, I think he's got a good chance.'
West Australian
4 days ago
- West Australian
Perth Wildcats guard Elijah Pepper sets NBL1 scoring record with 59 points for Warwick Senators
Perth Wildcats guard Elijah Pepper continued a dominant NBL1 West season by setting the competition's single-game scoring record with a 59-point performance on Saturday night. Pepper powered his Warwick Senators to a 51-point victory over last-placed South West Slammers with a phenomenal showing at Eaton Recreation Centre where connected on six of his nine three-point shots and was even more dominant inside the arc, where only six of his 22 attempts did not find the bottom of the net. In his side's 130-78 win, he also dished out nine assists, grabbed four rebounds and recorded two steals. The visitors held an insurmountable 38-point advantage at the final break but Pepper remained in the game and added another 14 points in the final frame to ensure he claimed the record. As well as the NBL1 West record, the showing saw Pepper claim the record across the entire NBL1, the NBL's second-tier competition which comprises of five leagues around the country. The performance has all but sealed the league's most valuable player award for Pepper, who has produced per-game averages of 36.3 points and 7.3 assists for the second-placed Senators this season. Remarkably, it was the fourth time the 24-year-old had scored more than 50 points or more in a game this year — three of which came within the opening four games of a white-hot start to his campaign where he fell only two points short of the mark in his other appearance. Pepper averaged 7.1 points per game in his first campaign with the Wildcats as he floated in and out of the rotation but is set for a bigger role this season due to the defection of superstar Bryce Cotton to Adelaide 36ers. He is one of two 2024-25 Wildcats on the Senators' roster, alongside Todd Withers, who spent last season as the club's nominated replacement player able to cover for their other imports when they were unavailable.
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Perth Wildcats guard Elijah Pepper sets NBL1 scoring record with 59 points for Warwick Senators
Perth Wildcats guard Elijah Pepper continued a dominant NBL1 West season by setting the competition's single-game scoring record with a 59-point performance on Saturday night. Pepper powered his Warwick Senators to a 51-point victory over last-placed South West Slammers with a phenomenal showing at Eaton Recreation Centre where connected on six of his nine three-point shots and was even more dominant inside the arc, where only six of his 22 attempts did not find the bottom of the net. In his side's 130-78 win, he also dished out nine assists, grabbed four rebounds and recorded two steals. The visitors held an insurmountable 38-point advantage at the final break but Pepper remained in the game and added another 14 points in the final frame to ensure he claimed the record. As well as the NBL1 West record, the showing saw Pepper claim the record across the entire NBL1, the NBL's second-tier competition which comprises of five leagues around the country. Camera Icon Elijah Pepper played his first season with Perth Wildcats in 2024-25. Credit: Paul Kane / Getty Images The performance has all but sealed the league's most valuable player award for Pepper, who has produced per-game averages of 36.3 points and 7.3 assists for the second-placed Senators this season. Remarkably, it was the fourth time the 24-year-old had scored more than 50 points or more in a game this year — three of which came within the opening four games of a white-hot start to his campaign where he fell only two points short of the mark in his other appearance. Pepper averaged 7.1 points per game in his first campaign with the Wildcats as he floated in and out of the rotation but is set for a bigger role this season due to the defection of superstar Bryce Cotton to Adelaide 36ers. He is one of two 2024-25 Wildcats on the Senators' roster, alongside Todd Withers, who spent last season as the club's nominated replacement player able to cover for their other imports when they were unavailable.
