Four teams have had their season come to an end and the State Basketball League is one step closer to crowning the 2009 WSBL & MSBL Champions.

In the Women's competition all of the four series were finished in two games. On Friday night the Mandurah Magic secured their place in the Semi Finals with an impressive 83-67 win on the Southside Mistubishi Redbacks home court. Shelley Boston was again strong with 23 points and 13 rebounds. The Redbacks were missing their two stars in Australian Opal Renae Camino & Brooke Hiddlestone. Frances Clarke stood up in her absence with 15 points and 6 rebounds.

Also wrapping their series up on Friday was the Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers who took care of business against the Lakeside Lightning 75-48. Kate Malpass was again strong with 20 points while US star Natalie Young was the standout for the Lightning with 23 points. The Kalamunda Eastern Suns continued their good form with a 91-83 defeat of the Rockingham Flames on the Flames home court. Emma Berryman was strong for the Suns with 24 points while Captain Sharelle Johnson was the standout for the home side with 21 points. .

On Saturday the Perry Lakes Hawks became the fourth and final team to book their Semi Final spot with a 72-58 win over the Joondalup City Wolves. Lyndal Gardner was impressive with 23 points while Jodie Wallace was the Wolves only player to hit double digits with 11 points.

The Men's competition saw two series go the distance with the Lakeside easily taking out Game 2 of their series 105-81, tying it up at 1-1. Luke Payne showed his impressive scoring power with 26 points while high scoring US import Chris Lynch hit 27 for the Lightning. The two sides backed up on Saturday night with the Lightning booking their Semi Final appearance 98-85, Payne again was strong with 24 points while Lynch also had 24.

The Kalamunda Eastern Suns went to Kalgoorlie down 1-0 and while they unexpectedly had the lead for three of four quarters the Giants proved too strong and ran out 111-99 winners, booking their place in the next round. Alonzo Hird continued his good form with 26 points. Austin Bruton was the best for the visitors with 23 points.

The other Country blockbuster saw Cockburn in Geraldton for the second year in a row, this time down 1-0 they faced a tough task winning two games. In emphatic fashion the Telstra Shop Success Cougars got over the line 98-97 keeping the series alive. Alex Prince leading the way with 27 points. Luke Meyer was the Buccs best with 26.

The Perry Lakes Hawks took care of business at Joondalup in their battle with the third place Titan Interactive Wolves winning the match up 112-95. Young gun Ben Purser was strong with 25 points for the Hawks while Townsville Crocodile Jeff Dowdell was the Wolves strongest with 26 points.

Backing up today for Game 3 saw the Cougars look like booking a Semi Final appearance two years in a row. The Buccs proved too strong in the last quarter outscoring the Cougars 28-11 and ran out 107-95. Le Blanc the highest scorer for the Buccs with 23 while Mark Jones & Luke Callier each had 20 for the visitors.

The Semi-Final Match Ups are as follows:

WSBL
Perry Lakes Hawks (1) v Mandurah Magic (5)
Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers (2) v Kalamunda Eastern Suns (6).

MSBL
Lakeside Lightning (1) v Dominos Geraldton Buccanners (4)
SKILLED Goldfields Giants (2) v Perry Lakes Hawks (6)

Times and dates will be confirmed shortly and advertised here at SBL.asn.au  on Monday afternoon.

Photo by Travis Hayto