Hawks and Eagles ready to swoop into Grand Final (WSBL Semi-Final Preview)
Two of the women's State Basketball League's most in-form teams will be battling for a spot in the Grand Final when Total Connections Perry Lakes Hawks meet Australian Central East Perth Eagles.
The Hawks and Eagles begin a best-of-three semi-finals series at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre on Friday, with games two and three at the WA Basketball Centre a week later.
That series will determine who will face the winner of the match-up between Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers and Glasscraft Wanneroo Wolves in the Grand Final on August 26.
Second seed Perry Lakes easily accounted for Cockburn in its quarter-finals series, meaning it has now won 19 of its past 22 games, but East Perth's form is similarly impressive.
The Eagles won their final nine games of the regular season before beating Kalamunda two-one in their quarter-finals series and should test the Hawks, particularly at Morley, where they've lost just twice all season.
West Coast Waves player Sam Norwood starred for the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs, averaging 21.7 points over the three games, and will have to be at her best to overcome Hawks veteran Christine Boyd, who was also brilliant in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Wanneroo will be hoping to continue its strong form at home when it faces minor premiers and two-time defending champions Willetton in game one at Joondalup Basketball Stadium on Saturday.
The Wolves have only lost twice at Joondalup in 2011 and will need to take advantage by beating the Tigers in the first game to maintain realistic hopes of causing an upset in the series.
But Willetton lost its final two games of the regular season and barely squeezed past Lakeside in the quarter-finals, so could be vulnerable against Wanneroo, which beat Mandurah in the deciding third game to advance to the final four.
The Tigers will be hoping Waves centre Zoe Harper, who is averaging less than six points per game from her last four outings, can recapture her best form and lead them to victory, while the Wolves need WNBL guard Rebecca Mercer to continue her outstanding recent play to win the series.
Article by Jacob Kagi
Photo by Travis Hayto (Outerbounds Photography)
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