Wildcats off-season wrap: Henshall, Okwera, Hyrum continue hot form

Another game, another double-double for David Okwera.

The Perth Wildcats big man continued his hot start to the NBL1 West season with East Perth, finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds in the heartbreaking one-point loss against his former team Perth Redbacks on Saturday.

It comes after the 21-year-old amassed 39 points, 24 rebounds and 11 assists in his first two games across round two after missing the Eagles’ season opener.

David Okwera balled out in his first two games for the East Perth Eagles in the @NBL1_West!

▪️ 19 pts, 11 reb, 5 ast, 3 blk
▪️ 20 pts, 13 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl

See how he and the rest of his Wildcats teammates performed over the weekend 🔗 https://t.co/ioc5p6LA4i pic.twitter.com/XFpjd9rtAH

— Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) April 8, 2024

"It was good to get out there with the boys. It was good for me just getting back on the court and playing an actual game which was fun," Okwera told the East Perth Eagles website.

"It's been a long time since I've actually been on the court and played significant minutes so for me it was fun. And playing with the boys was awesome.

"We've got an awesome group of guys so just getting out on the floor and competing with them, and getting a win in my first game made it a good time."

Michael Harris, who has been elevated to the Wildcats’ main roster for NBL25, had another decent outing for Warwick in their tough away loss to Rockingham on Saturday.

Harris scored 21 points to go with six rebounds, five assists and two steals.

The 24-year-old is averaging 25.25 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.25 assists in his debut season at the Senators.

Ben Henshall is building a compelling case for the New Zealand Basketball League’s Youth Player of the Year award, dropping a team-high 29 points - including five triples - to go with six rebounds and four steals at Otago continued their unbeaten start to the season.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Night ‘n Day Otago Nuggets (@otagonuggetsnbl)

Henshall is averaging 24.5 points, six rebounds and 4.5 assists across the first four games of his debut season at the Nuggets.

Energetic guard Tai Webster (13 points and eight rebounds) and big man Jack Andrew (eight points and 10 rebounds) also contributed in the come-from-behind win over Wellington Saints in Dunedin.

DP Dontae Russo-Nance is yet to debut for the Nuggets due to a wrist injury.

Against several of his Wildcats teammates, Hyrum Harris stood tall for the visitors with 16 points and a whopping 17 boards.

Harris then went nuts in his second game of the round, leading the Saints to a massive 100-75 away win over Southland.

The New Zealander scored 21 points, including 10 of 16 from the field, to go with eight assists and seven rebounds.