# 2018 MSBL season

The 2018 MSBL season was the 30th season of the Men's State Basketball League (SBL). The regular season began on Friday 16 March, with round 1 seeing the reigning Champions the Perth Redbacks hosting the Lakeside Lightning. The 2018 MSBL All-Star Game was played on 4 June at Bendat Basketball Centre – the home of basketball in Western Australia. The regular season ended on Saturday 28 July. The finals began on Friday 3 August and ended on Saturday 1 September, when the Perry Lakes Hawks defeated the Joondalup Wolves in the MSBL Grand Final.

## Regular season

The regular season began on Friday 16 March and ended on Saturday 28 July after 20 rounds of competition. Again in 2018, all games over the Easter Weekend were played on a blockbuster Thursday night with six venues all hosting games before the league took a break for the Easter long weekend. Anzac Round took place in round 6 of the competition with the Kalamunda Eastern Suns and Willetton Tigers continuing their Anzac Day game tradition. There was also Women's Round in round 9, Rivalry Round in round 12, and Heritage Round in round 16.

### Standings

| Pos |
| Pos | Team | W | L |
| 1 | Geraldton Buccaneers | 23 | 3 |
| 2 | Joondalup Wolves | 21 | 5 |
| 3 | Perth Redbacks | 19 | 7 |
| 4 | Perry Lakes Hawks | 18 | 8 |
| 5 | Lakeside Lightning | 15 | 11 |
| 6 | Stirling Senators | 14 | 12 |
| 7 | Willetton Tigers | 13 | 13 |
| 8 | Rockingham Flames | 12 | 14 |
| 9 | Cockburn Cougars | 11 | 15 |
| 10 | Kalamunda Eastern Suns | 10 | 16 |
| 11 | East Perth Eagles | 9 | 17 |
| 12 | South West Slammers | 7 | 19 |
| 13 | Mandurah Magic | 5 | 21 |
| 14 | Goldfields Giants | 5 | 21 |

## Finals

The finals began on Friday 3 August and ended on Saturday 1 September with the MSBL Grand Final.

### Bracket

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final |
| 1 | Geraldton Buccaneers | 76 | 89 | X | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Rockingham Flames | 89 | 96 | X | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Rockingham Flames | 89 | 96 | X | 8 | Rockingham Flames | 92 | 92 | 96 | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Perry Lakes Hawks | 73 | 96 | 102 | | | | |
| 4 | Perry Lakes Hawks | 112 | 100 | 92 | 4 | Perry Lakes Hawks | 73 | 96 | 102 | | | | |
| 5 | Lakeside Lightning | 79 | 103 | 87 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Lakeside Lightning | 79 | 103 | 87 | | | | | | Perry Lakes Hawks | 94 | X | X |
| | | | | | | | | | | Joondalup Wolves | 87 | X | X |
| 2 | Joondalup Wolves | 102 | 109 | X | | | | | | | | | | Joondalup Wolves | 87 | X | X |
| 7 | Willetton Tigers | 66 | 87 | X | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Willetton Tigers | 66 | 87 | X | 2 | Joondalup Wolves | 87 | 87 | X | | | | |
| | | | | | 6 | Stirling Senators | 78 | 74 | X | | | | |
| 3 | Perth Redbacks | 114 | 96 | 69 | 6 | Stirling Senators | 78 | 74 | X | | | | |
| 6 | Stirling Senators | 109 | 107 | 71 | | | | | | | | | |

## All-Star Game

The 2018 MSBL All-Star Game took place at Bendat Basketball Centre on Monday 4 June, with all proceeds going to Red Frogs Australia.

### Rosters

North All-Stars :
| Pos | Player | Team |
| Starters |||
| F | Shawn Redhage | Perth Redbacks |
| G | Justin King | Stirling Senators |
| C | Kevin Davis | Kalamunda Eastern Suns |
| G | Gokul Natesan | Geraldton Buccaneers |
| G | Drew Williamson | East Perth Eagles |
| Reserves |||
| F | Jacob Holmen | Perry Lakes Hawks |
| G | Lochlan Cummings | Perry Lakes Hawks |
| F/C | Jalen Billups | Joondalup Wolves |
| C | Jonathan Morse | East Perth Eagles |
| F | Colter Lasher | Geraldton Buccaneers |
| G | Earnest Ross | Geraldton Buccaneers |
| G | Courtney Belger | Kalamunda Eastern Suns |
| Head coach: Ben Ettridge (Joondalup Wolves) |||
South All-Stars :
| Pos | Player | Team |
| Starters |||
| F | Greg Hire | Rockingham Flames |
| F | Daniel Alexander | Lakeside Lightning |
| G | Damien Scott | Willetton Tigers |
| F | Gavin Field | Cockburn Cougars |
| G | John Isenbarger | Lakeside Lightning |
| Reserves |||
| G | Kyle Armour | Willetton Tigers |
| C | Jarrad Prue | Lakeside Lightning |
| G/F | Jeylyn Sharpe | Goldfields Giants |
| G | Shaun Stewart | Mandurah Magic |
| F | Jamal Shabazz | Mandurah Magic |
| C | Brandon Sebirumbi | Cockburn Cougars |
| G | Brandon Thompson | South West Slammers |
| Head coach: Stephen Black (Willetton Tigers) |||

### Game data

* Highlights
* 4 June 2018 2:00 pm
* Box Score Report
North 123, South 110 :
| Scoring by quarter: 35–22, 23–35, 40–24, 25–29 |||
| Pts: Belger (17) Rebs: Davis (10) Asts: Holmen (7) | Pts: Alexander (32) Rebs: Alexander (12) Asts: Stewart (7) |
* Bendat Basketball Centre, Floreat MVP: Daniel Alexander

## Awards
### Player of the Week

| Round | Player | Team |
| 1 | Justin King | Stirling Senators |
| 2 | Justin King | Stirling Senators |
| 3 | Kevin Davis | Kalamunda Eastern Suns |
| 4 | Colter Lasher | Geraldton Buccaneers |
| 5 | Greg Hire | Rockingham Flames |
| 6 | Shawn Redhage | Perth Redbacks |
| 7 | Shaun Stewart | Mandurah Magic |
| 8 | Brian Voelkel | South West Slammers |
| 9 | Jeylyn Sharpe | Goldfields Giants |
| 10 | Daniel Alexander | Lakeside Lightning |
| 11 | Jalen Billups | Joondalup Wolves |
| 12 | Gokul Natesan | Geraldton Buccaneers |
| 13 | Jonathan Morse | East Perth Eagles |
| 14 | Daniel Alexander | Lakeside Lightning |
| 15 | Kyle Sovine | Goldfields Giants |
| 16 | Brian Voelkel | South West Slammers |
| 17 | Earnest Ross | Geraldton Buccaneers |
| 18 | Jalen Billups | Joondalup Wolves |
| 19 | Gavin Field | Cockburn Cougars |
| 20 | Travis Durnin | South West Slammers |

### Statistics leaders

| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
| Points per game | Daniel Alexander | Lakeside Lightning | 27.24 |
| Rebounds per game | Jarrad Prue | Lakeside Lightning | 19.48 |
| Assists per game | Brian Voelkel | South West Slammers | 7.63 |
| Steals per game | Courtney Belger | Kalamunda Eastern Suns | 2.5 |
| Blocks per game | Curtis Washington | Rockingham Flames | 1.58 |
| Field goal percentage | Kevin Davis | Kalamunda Eastern Suns | 67.20% |
| 3-pt field goal percentage | Ryan Smith | Perry Lakes Hawks | 46.43% |
| Free throw percentage | Justin King | Stirling Senators | 86.96% |

### Regular season

* Most Valuable Player: Jalen Billups (Joondalup Wolves)
* Coach of the Year: Dave Daniels (Lakeside Lightning)
* Most Improved Player: Travis Durnin (South West Slammers)
* All-MSBL First Team:
** PG: Jack Isenbarger (Lakeside Lightning)
** SG: Gavin Field (Cockburn Cougars)
** SF: Ben Purser (Perry Lakes Hawks)
** PF: Jalen Billups (Joondalup Wolves)
** C: Daniel Alexander (Lakeside Lightning)
* All-Defensive Team:
** PG: Gokul Natesan (Geraldton Buccaneers)
** SG: Damien Scott (Willetton Tigers)
** SF: Ben Purser (Perry Lakes Hawks)
** PF: Maurice Barrow (Perth Redbacks)
** C: Jarrad Prue (Lakeside Lightning)

### Finals

* Grand Final MVP: Ben Purser (Perry Lakes Hawks)