A SENSATIONAL final quarter by the Domino’s Geraldton Buccaneers led them to a 107-95 victory over Cockburn Cougars yesterday granting them passage to the State Basketball League semi-finals.

The Buccs needed two bites of the cherry to make it through after Cockburn leveled the quarter-finals to one game each on Saturday night at Tip Top stadium.

At 12pm yesterday, the two teams suited up again to settle the score and Cockburn looked destined to down the Buccs in the quarter finals for the second year in succession.

The away team steam rolled into the decider and held sway at every change.

Going into the final quarter, the Cougars led 84-79 and the Buccs looked to be hanging on the ropes.

Ray Evans’ men had other ideas and with the roaring Tip Top faithful in their corner they turned the gun on the Cougars.

Luke Meyer cut the Cougars’ lead at the start of the third quarter with a basket to spur on the comeback. Michael LeBlanc then converted to give the Buccs a 85-84 lead.

With work to do, Ray Evans’ men tightened up off the boards and Daniel Thomas converted from the three point line. Former Bucc Bryce Burch tried to pick up the momentum again for the Cougars with a double from the free throw line.

Meyer edged the Buccs ahead to a 99-91 lead and the result was going only one way from then on. The Buccs totalled 28 for the final term which proved too strong for the Cougars who puffed out of steam on 11 points for the quarter.

Evans’ men will now face Lakeside Lightning at home this Saturday in the first semi-final game.

The Buccs trailed by 11 points at half-time but coach Ray Evans said his players were determined to see out the victory. “The guys didn’t want to give up,” he said. “They wanted to keep going and things turned and they got their chance.”

“We don’t want to finish here, we want to keep going.”

The Buccs had an opportunity to wrap it up in straight sets on Saturday night but lost a thriller 98-97.

The lead changed six times in the last quarter but the Cougars led most of the way. With a minute to go, the visitors led 98-94 and there wasn’t enough time to close the gap though a last gasp shot wasn’t far away.

The Cougars looked like they had picked up where they had left off yesterday afternoon. Marc Jones smashed home three, three pointers to help the away team hold a 31-27 lead at the first change. The Cougars flexed their muscles further in the second quarter, pouncing on the rebounds to help take a 63-52 lead into the major break.

Although the Buccs clawed back the deficit to trail by five at the final change, the Cougars looked like they had the momentum to take them through.

In the fourth quarter, however the Buccs were finally sprung into action and they will live to fight another day.

Buccs’ captain Matt Wundenberg reckons Lakeside is a hurdle the Buccs can overcome with the same determined attitude that allowed them to defeat the Cougars.

“They’re (Lakeside) going to be an extremely tough challenge but we’re going to get re-focused in training this week and hopefully we can get over them in the first game at home.”

Article by Tom Davis (Geraldton Guardian)
Photo by Garry Warner