Suns, Wolves book in grand final (Women's SF Wrap)

THE Kalamunda Eastern Suns are into the women's SBL grand final for the first time after wrapping up its semi-final series on Friday while the Wanneroo Wolves needed three games to book their spot as well in this Friday's championship decider.

The Kalamunda Eastern Suns beat the Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers in two games and the Wanneroo Wolves downed the Rockingham Flames in three to set up this Friday night's women's SBL grand final at the WA Basketball Centre.

The grand final will now not feature either of the top-two teams from the regular season standings with the Wanneroo Wolves qualifying for the grand final having finished in third position while the Kalamunda Eastern Suns were sixth before putting in outstanding quarter and semi-final showings.

The Suns are now into their first ever women's SBL grand final after securing their two-nil semi-final victory over the defending champion Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers on Friday night.

The Slammers had finished the regular season in eighth position coming off being last year's champions, but knocked off the top-seeded Willetton Tigers in the quarter finals.

However, the Suns prevailed in Game 1 last weekend 69-53 at Eaton Recreation Centre and then won Game 2 on Friday 92-77 at Ray Owen Sports Centre to advance to the championship decider.

Kalamunda might have finished the regular season in fifth position, but comfortably took care of the Lakeside Lightning in the quarter finals in two games before advancing to the semis against the defending champions.

Coming off the Game 1 win in Eaton, the Suns returned home for Game 2 and got out of the blocks quickly with 27 points to 15 in the first quarter and Kalamunda was never seriously threatened from there on its way to a historic grand final appearance.

The Wanneroo Wolves were atop the women's SBL standings for a lot of the season before slipping to third-place but they are now into the grand final after beating last year's grand finalists the Rockingham Flames in three games in the semi finals.

The Wolves won Game 1 last weekend at Joondalup Basketball Stadium 89-76 but the Flames levelled the series up at one-win apiece on Friday night with an 82-72 victory at Mike Barnett Sports Complex.

The Flames limited the Wolves to just 28 points in the second and third quarters while scoring 49 themselves in those two periods to set up the win that set up a deciding Game 3 also in Rockingham on Saturday.

It was all on the line in Game 3 with Kalamunda already awaiting the winner in the grand final, and after a low-scoring and tense first half it was Wanneroo who dominated the second half with 33 points to 21 to secure the 60-52 win to book a championship decider berth.

The individual performances on Friday night were highlighted by Jennie Rintala finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds, three steals, two assists and two steals for the Suns. She also shot a superb 10-of-13 from the field for the night.

Kalamunda's Melissa Moyle also had 23 points and six assists with Adrienne Jones adding 18 points and five assists, and Rachel Muenggenborg 14 with three assists.

Kimberly Sitzmann did all she could for the Slammers with 30 points and nine rebounds on the back of 6-of-9 shooting from three-point territory.

Samantha Whitcomb top-scored for Rockingham on Friday with 27 points, 11 rebounds and four assists on 10-of-16 shooting from the field. Cortney Hargreaves added 21 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Nikita-Lee Martin did all she could for Wanneroo with 27 points and 11 boards with Shani Amos finishing with 14 points and seven boards.

Amos top-scored for the Wolves on Saturday with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists with Casey Lockwood adding 16 points and Ainsleigh Sanders four but she did have 12 rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocked shots.

Kaye Tucker had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Flames with Whitcomb adding 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Darcee Garbin 12 points, 11 boards and three blocks.

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Mick Cronin




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