The State Basketball League has revealed the Semi-Final matchups for the Men’s & Women’s competitions. The Semi-Final clashes will see some outstanding matchups making for some great quality basketball.

In the Women’s competition the fifth placed Mandurah Magic will do battle with the first placed Perry Lakes Hawks on Friday 7th August at Mandurah to kick things off. The Magic are one of just three teams to have claimed victory over the impressive Hawks outfit. In Round 10 the Hawks won 74-43, however two rounds later it was a different story with the Magic claiming a 67-56 win.

Games two and three (if required) will be played at Perry Lakes Stadium on Friday 14th August (7:30pm) and Saturday 15th August (6:00pm).

Also vying for a Grand Final berth is the second placed Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers who will do business with the Kalamunda Eastern Suns (sixth place). Game One will kick off at 7:30pm on Saturday 8th August at Kalamunda. Games two & three (if required) will be at Willetton Basketball Stadium on Saturday 15th August (7:30pm) & Sunday 16th August (12:00pm). The Tigers have won both encounters with the Eastern Suns in 2009. In Round 6 the Tigers claimed an 86-68 victory, while in Round 13 they came out 83-42 victors.

The Men’s competition has both country cousins still in the hunt and on opposite sides of the draw, setting up a drooling prospect for country fans of an all country Grand Final. Week One will see the Dominos Geraldton Buccaneers host the Lakeside Lightning on Saturday 8th August at 7:30pm. Games two & three (if required) will be at Lakeside on Saturday 15th August (7:30pm) and Sunday 16th August (2:00pm). In Round 3 the Buccaneers claimed an impressive 115-80 win at home. However Round 12 saw the Lightning escape with a 95-92 win on their home court.

The other battle see’s two of the millenniums more successful teams do battle in the SKILLED Goldfields Giants and the Perry Lakes Hawks. Having won six of the last eight Grand Finals between them, it is a mammoth series. Game one will be played at the “home of basketball” Perry Lakes Stadium on Saturday 8th August at 7:30pm. Games two and three (if required) will be played in Kalgoorlie on Saturday 15th (7:30pm) & Sunday 16th August (12:00pm).

All four of the Men’s Semi Finalists have won every championship since 2000 between them, Geraldton (2000), Perry Lakes (2001 – 2004), Lakeside (2005 & 2006), Goldfields (2007 & 2008). In the Women’s draw only two championships since 1997 have been won by someone other than Perry Lakes or Willetton (Perth in 2000 & Lakeside in 2006 were the others). With both teams in separate sides of the draw we could see a Willetton v Perry Lakes Grand Final for the fifth time. Both teams have claimed two victories in their Grand Final series, the Tigers beating the Hawks in (1999 & 2004), the Hawks defeating the Tigers in 1998 & 2008).

WSBL Semi Final Fixtures

Perry Lakes Hawks (1) v Mandurah Magic (5)
Game One: Friday 7th August 7:30pm @ Mandurah Aquatic & Recreation Centre
Game Two: Friday 14th August 7:30pm @ Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium
Game Three: Saturday 15th August 6:00pm @ Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium

Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers (2) v Kalamunda Eastern Suns (6)
Game One: Saturday 8th August 7:30pm @ Ray Owen Sports Centre
Game Two: Saturday 15th August 7:30pm @ Willetton Basketball Stadium
Game Three: Sunday 16th August 12:00pm @ Willetton Basketball Stadium

MSBL Semi Final Fixtures

Lakeside Lightning (1) v Dominos Geraldton Buccaneers (4)
Game One: Saturday 8th August 7:30pm @ Tip Top Stadium (Geraldton)
Game Two: Saturday 15th August 7:30pm @ Lakeside Recreation Centre
Game Three: Sunday 16th August 2:00pm @ Lakeside Recreation Centre

SKILLED Goldfields Giants (2) v Perry Lakes Hawks (6)
Game One: Saturday 8th August 7:30pm @ Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium
Game Two: Saturday 15th August 7:30pm @ Brookman Street Stadium (Kalgoorlie)
Game Three: Sunday 16th August 12:00pm @ Brookman Street Stadium (Kalgoorlie)

Note game three only played if required.

Photo by Travis Hayto