Pepper Leads Senators into NBL1 West Grand Final
Written By
Daniel Gawned
There will be plenty of Red Army interest this evening, with Perth Wildcats guard Elijah Pepper taking centre stage in the NBL1 West decider as he looks to lead the Warwick Senators to a championship over the Geraldton Buccaneers.
Warwick is chasing history, with both their men’s and women’s teams featuring on grand final night. No club has claimed both championships in the same year since 2010.
For the men, it’s a long-awaited return with Warwick last grand final appearance back in 1990. Standing in their way are the Geraldton Buccaneers, who finished second in the regular season and are looking to claim a second title in three seasons.
The key to Warwick’s chances, beyond a strong team performance, is clear. Elijah Pepper has been nothing short of dominant this season, lighting up NBL1 West in a way few have ever done before.
Pepper delivered a scoring clinic throughout the regular season, notching four separate 50-point performances and another four 40-point games. Earlier in the year, he found his way into the history books with a record-breaking 59-point effort, the highest single-game score in NBL1 history across all five state conferences.
Against Geraldton alone, Pepper has averaged 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. His season averages tell the story of an elite player in full control averaging 36.24 points, 7.62 assists and 6.71 rebounds per game. That dominance was recognised with Pepper's selection in the All NBL1 West First Team.
Tonight, all eyes will be on the Perth Wildcats guard as he looks to lead the Senators to a long-awaited championship.
Another key factor in tonight’s contest is Todd Withers, who has been a defensive anchor all season. His ability to disrupt opposition offences and set the tone on that end of the floor was recognised with the NBL1 West Defensive Player of the Year award.
Withers’ presence will be crucial against the Buccaneers, as Warwick looks to contain their scoring threats and claim the title.
The action tips off with a blockbuster in the women’s division, as the Warwick Senators face the Cockburn Cougars.
The Senators Women were crowned champions in 2022, breaking a 28-year drought with a dominant Grand Final win. The Cougars Women made history in 2023 by lifting their first-ever title and backed it up with a runner-up finish last year.
Now, for the first time, these two sides will meet in an NBL1 West Grand Final and with both teams in top form, it’s shaping up as a showdown not to be missed.
Tip-Off
Women’s Grand Final: Warwick Senators v Cockburn Cougars - 4:30pm
Men’s Grand Final: Warwick Senators v Geraldton Buccaneers - 7pm
Tickets available for the NBL1 West Grand Finals HERE
The Perth Wildcats wish Elijah Pepper and Todd Withers all the best in tonight’s grand final action and look forward to seeing Pepper back in Wildcats colours next week for the NBL Blitz in Canberra.
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