Tigers face do-or-die battle (Women's Preview)
The top seed must beat Perth twice at home to take the best-of-three series and advance to the August 20 Grand Final after the Redbacks won game one 60-59 last weekend.
The winner of the series is likely to face Total Connections Perry Lakes Hawks in the title decider, with the six-time champion leading Glasscraft Wanneroo Wolves 1-0.
Willetton was well below its best last weekend against the Redbacks, but were 10-1 at home in the regular season and will still be slight favourites.
West Coast Waves stars Melissa Marsh and Kate Malpass struggled to get into game one for the Tigers, combining for just 14 points, but should be closer to their best this week.
2009 WSBL MVP Brooke Hiddlestone was dominant in game one for the Redbacks, finishing with 17 points and 15 rebounds, and will again be the player Willetton must shut down to win.
Perth has won seven of its last eight games overall and needs to win just one of the two to qualify for its fifth Grand Final.
Perry Lakes has two chances at home to close out its series after taking game one 68-65.
The Hawks were 9-2 at home for the regular season and haven’t lost at the WA Basketball Centre since early June, making it heavy favourites to advance.
Tegan Walker was exceptional for Perry Lakes in game one with 26 points, but may need more support this weekend to get past the seventh seed.
Rebecca Mercer (24 points) was the lone shining light for the Wolves, but the seventh seed caused a massive upset in the quarter-finals by beating second seed Rockingham in three games and will think it can do it again.
Wanneroo hasn’t qualified for the Grand Final since 1997, but won the championship three times before that.
Click here to read the full game by game previews.
Article by Jacob Kagi
Photos by Grant Lauterbach, Wayne Wright & Marg Prior
Tickets for the Grand Finals are now available through Ticketmaster Click here to purcahse tickets online.
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