White, Flames seek ultimate glory
Star recruit Isaac White was named league MVP on Saturday night to further justify his shift west during the NBL off-season.
White, who led the Flames with 30 points per game, was also named in the league's All Star team alongside the man many had tipped for the best player award, Stirling Senators shooter Elijah Pepper.
Pepper comfortably led the league in scoring, with a record 59-point game last month against the South West Slammers one of four times he dropped 50 or more in a game.
He averaged 36.5 points per game, six more than White who was closest.
But White, who is bound for the Adelaide 36ers this NBL season, polled 170 votes and led the count all night to finish 22 votes clear of Pepper.
Head coach Ryan Petrik was honoured for guiding the Flames to a league-best 19-3 record, while Emmitt Naar — who also moved west with White after both had played for the Brisbane Bullets — led the league in assists, averaging more than eight per game.
The individual accolades came one day after the Flames' 101-79 rout of Lakeside Lighting in their final tune-up before the playoffs begin this weekend.
The Flames — chasing a second title in three years — will host fourth-placed Willetton in a qualifying final on Saturday night at Mike Barnett Sports Complex, with the winner just one step from a grand final berth.
The loser will get a second chance and hosting rights for the semi-final round.
Rockingham cruised to victory against the Lightning on Friday night, with the match effectively over by three-quarter time and the hosts up by 23 points.
White led the way with 24 points but was able to spend more time on the bench than normal as Petrick shared the playing minutes around.
Justin Beard hit five three-pointers and Jervon Pressley impressed with 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds as Rockingham's depth players chimed in with a combined 39 points.
Lakeside relied heavily on import Isaiah Lewis (27 points) and Rowan Mackenzie (28 points) for their scoring, with captain Josh Davey and ex-Wildcat Corey Sherville kept to single figures.
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