ORANGE Autos Rockingham Flames star Kaye Tucker received the fairytale finish to her career winning an SBL championship in her 350th game, and she credits coach Ryan Petrik for much of that and has backed him to succeed at the next level.

The Flames made history on Friday night by beating the Lakeside Lightning 80-75 to win a first SBL championship in front of a standalone women's record grand final crowd of 1122.

In her 350th and final appearance in the SBL, Tucker was the captain of the championship-winning Flames team and finished the game with four points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals.

She received plenty of help from stars Samantha Whitcomb and Darcee Garbin with grand final MVP Whitcomb hitting 20 first half points on her way to 32 for the night to go with six rebounds and five steals on the back of shooting 11-of-21 from the field, and 6-of-11 from three-point territory.

Garbin was a monster inside for Rockingham finishing with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

However, Tucker has no doubt that a driving factor behind the Flames' success was the coaching of Petrik and she believes he has the ability to not only continue to be successful in the SBL, but at the next level as well.

"I want to thank Ryan Petrik. He is the most amazing, knowledgeable coach in women's basketball in this State," Tucker said.

"He has been amazing not only for me, but all these girls and the development that has come along and with where we are going, it's huge and solely down to him. I can't wait to see Ryan coach at the next level because that's where he should be."

Winning a championship with the Flames was what has continued to spur Tucker on during her career, and she has plenty of people at the club to thank for the success she was able to be part of on Friday night.

"There are so many people to thank at the Rockingham Flames," she said.

"Firstly to the board, the volunteers and everyone who does the little things at our club and the big things, and who spend hours behind the scenes and never get thanked.

"Us winning this championship is a massive thank you to everyone of those people because without them we couldn’t be here enjoying this."

As well as everyone at the club who Tucker credits helping get the team to the championship, the players still had to get the job done and right from stars like Whitcomb, Garbin and Jacinta Bourne down to role players Tarsha Fletcher, Talisia Bourne, Kate Williams, Mary-Alice Telfer and Holly Coomey they all made a huge contribution.

"What a team this was. We are the tightest team on the court and that's where it counts. It's so good to play with such a varied amount of different people," Tucker said.

"We've got young kids from Rockingham who have done all their juniors at Rockingham, we've got girls who have come from other teams who have now made Rockingham their home, and it's just a show for the future for what Rockingham has. I am so glad that I will be there to support them and be on the sidelines watching and screaming for them, I can't wait for it."

Tucker also couldn’t go without thanking the Rockingham supporters for not only their backing of the team right throughout the season, but there on grand final night at the WA Basketball Centre.

"We also have the best crowd in the league and they all came out for the grand final," she said.

"They are the loudest, the most passionate and they make the other teams talk about them which makes them great. They have just been awesome right the way through."

The grand final was a cracking contest as well with the Lightning coming into it on a 13-game winning streak and knowing that they beat such a strong team to win the championship made it mean all the more for Tucker and the Flames.

"I have to thank Lakeside for the grand final. They were very dominant all season and they pushed us to the absolute max," Tucker said.

"What Darren (Nash) has done with his team is amazing and I know he has some amazing imports in there and some great young kids in there. He should very proud of what's gone on so congratulations to Lakeside for their season."

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Mick Cronin