Walker running show for league-leading Buccaneers

• Geraldton and Cockburn lead the men's and women's minor premiership races.
• Top-four positions and finals seedings remain up for grabs.
• MVP contenders look to strengthen their claims with two rounds remaining.

Editor's Note – August 6, 2026: Errors were identified in this article. basketball.com.au endeavours to report accurately and this falls short of our standards. The mistakes have been corrected. We apologise for the errors.

The penultimate round of the NBL1 West regular season promises another pivotal weekend, with minor premierships, top-four finishes, finals positions and MVP races all still to be decided.

Geraldton Buccaneers and Cockburn Cougars sit atop the men's and women's ladders respectively, but with Rounds 17 and 18 remaining, neither competition has been settled.

NBL1 West Men

Geraldton Buccaneers (16-3) remain in control of the race for the men's minor premiership, but Rockingham Flames (16-4) are still within striking distance.

The Buccaneers face East Perth Eagles this weekend, while Rockingham hosts Willetton Tigers.

Behind them, the race for the double chance and the final playoff positions remains fierce. Joondalup (14-6), Cockburn (13-6), Willetton (12-8), Eastern Suns (12-8), Perry Lakes (10-9) and East Perth (10-10) all have significant games ahead before the postseason begins.

Lakeside (8-12) also remains mathematically alive but needs help over the final two rounds.

NBL1 West Women

Cockburn Cougars (15-2) have led the competition for much of the season but cannot relax.

The Cougars still have four games remaining across the final two rounds and need to hold off Rockingham Flames (14-4), who remain within striking distance of first place.

East Perth (14-5), Warwick (12-6) and Mandurah (11-6) are also fighting for top-four positioning and the valuable home-court advantage that comes with it.

Unlike the men's competition, the women's finals teams are largely settled, but the final two rounds will determine the path each club must take through the playoffs.

NBL1 West Men's MVP Race

With two rounds remaining, the men's MVP race has developed into a battle between the competition's standout individuals.

🥇 Devondrick Walker (Geraldton Buccaneers)

Walker has been the driving force behind the league leaders. While others boast bigger scoring numbers, he has consistently delivered on both ends of the floor for the competition's best team. If Geraldton secures the minor premiership, Walker's case strengthens considerably.

MVP scenario: Geraldton finishes first and Walker continues to lead the Buccaneers over the final two rounds.

🥈 Sharif Black (Joondalup Wolves)

‍Black has been one of the league's most explosive offensive players and a large part of why Joondalup have held third. If the Wolves close the gap over the final fortnight, his case builds.

‍MVP scenario: Joondalup finish in the top two while Black maintains his elite offensive production.

🥉 Sean Conway (Perth Redbacks)

Conway has quietly put together one of the most complete seasons in the league, carrying the Redbacks with consistent scoring, rebounding and efficiency on a side well outside the finals race.

‍MVP scenario: Conway's individual numbers are strong enough that voters look past where Perth finish.

Joshua Keyes (Geraldton Buccaneers)

Keyes may be the best two-way player in the competition. His scoring, rebounding and defensive versatility have been vital to Geraldton's success, although sharing the spotlight with Walker may split votes.

MVP scenario: Geraldton finishes first and Keyes dominates the closing fortnight.

Isaac White (Rockingham Flames)

Statistically, reigning NBL1 West Men's MVP White has been extraordinary again, producing some of the league's biggest offensive performances for a Rockingham side sitting second and still within reach of Geraldton.

‍MVP scenario: White maintains his output and the Flames run down the Buccaneers over the final two rounds.

NBL1 West Women's MVP Race

The women's race is even tighter, with five players producing outstanding seasons, some for genuine contenders and some for teams well down the ladder.

🥇 Makenna Marisa (Perry Lakes Hawks)

Before she left in July, Marisa had been almost unstoppable offensively, averaging more than 26 points a game for a Perry Lakes side outside the finals race.

‍MVP scenario: Marisa was one of the league's leading scorers and voters reward the individual season over the team result.

🥈 Sierra Moore (Goldfields Giants)

Moore has been the complete package, dominating both ends of the floor with elite scoring, rebounding and defensive impact.

MVP scenario: Goldfields finish strongly and Moore continues posting double-doubles.

🥉 Samantha Ashby (Perth Redbacks)

Ashby has been the Redbacks' focal point all season and has two more opportunities in Round 17 to add to her numbers.

‍MVP scenario: Ashby closes with a pair of big performances and forces her way into the conversation despite where Perth sit.

Sara Puckett (Rockingham Flames)

Puckett has been one of Rockingham's standout performers, producing consistently elite numbers while leading the Flames toward the finals.

MVP scenario: Rockingham finishes strongly and Puckett continues her all-round production.

Claire Jacobs (Mandurah Magic)

Jacobs has again been one of the competition's most reliable stars, combining scoring, rebounding and leadership for a team pushing for home-court advantage.

MVP scenario: Mandurah secures fourth place and Jacobs finishes the season with another pair of dominant performances.

The X-factor

Interestingly, neither ladder leader has the clear MVP favourite.

• Geraldton's success has been shared between Devondrick Walker and Joshua Keyes.
• Cockburn's remarkable 15-2 season has been built on depth, with Darcee Garbin, Jessie Edwards, Cierra Walker and Jewel Williams all making significant contributions rather than one player dominating the statistics.

That leaves the MVP races finely balanced between individual brilliance and team success – a debate likely to continue until the final votes are cast after Round 18.

How the season finished – Added 6 August 2026.

Geraldton Buccaneers won the men's minor premiership at 18-3, with Rockingham Flames second at 18-4. Cockburn Cougars took the women's at 17-3, ahead of Rockingham at 16-4.

• Isaac White (Rockingham Flames) was named the men's Most Valuable Player, his second in succession.
• Jessie Edwards (Cockburn Cougars) won the women's award and was also named Women's Defensive Player of the Year.
• Josh Keyes (Geraldton Buccaneers) was named Men's Defensive Player of the Year.
• Jack Browder (Perry Lakes Hawks) led the men's competition in scoring at 29.9 points a game, and Makenna Marisa (Perry Lakes Hawks) led the women's at 26.4.
• Marley Sam was Men's Youth Player of the Year and Jayda Clark the women's. Darcee Garbin won Sixth Woman of the Year, Ryan Godfrey Sixth Man, and Rockingham
• Flames were named Club of the Year.
• The finals began on 31 July, with both grand finals to be played on 15 August.