Division 1 Finals

Semi 1 (2nd v 3rd) - NSW Juniors 69  def.  Old School WheelKings 62

Old School jumped to an early 18-6 league due to some very accurate shooting but the Juniors went on a 9-0 run to get back in the game. Old School kept the lead until the middle stages of the 4th quarter when their lack of a bench seemed to take its toll. Missed shots and turnovers were very costly as the Juniors capitalised on every mistake. The youngsters literally couldn't miss down the stretch and took a deserved victory.

Semi 2 (1st v 4th) Wenty Leagues WheelKings 76  def.  Illawarra 74 (in overtime)

This game see-sawed throughout and it seemed like there was never more than 4 points in it. Illawarra had a chance to take the game in regulation time but rushed the shot with 4 seconds still on the clock. Wenty couldn't get a shot off and the game went into overtime. The teams traded baskets until the finals seconds when Kylie Gauci broke free to seal the win on the buzzer. It was a thrilling win in what was the game of the day. See Kylie hit the winner on YouTube at  http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=usko7VXGV9s

Playoff for 3rd - Old School WheelKings 77  def.  Illawarra 42

Illawarra looked shattered after losing the semi. They'd been undefeated for the entire competition but were obviously affected by the absence of highest points scorer and tournament MVP Brett Stibners. Old School controlled the game from the opening tip and were never troubled on their way to a convincing victory.

Grand Final - Wenty Leagues WheelKings 69  def.  NSW Juniors 50

They're a plucky bunch, those Juniors. They were brimmed full of confidence going into the finals but the WheelKings had all the answers. Pressing defence by Kylie Gauci and Tina McKenzie on NSW Juniors star John McPhail kept him in check. Nick Taylor had another excellent  shooting performance and the inside duo of Gaetano Bagnato and Hikaru Homma took care of the boards. The final score is a compliment to the savvy play of the WheelKings but it doesn't do justice to the great tournament had by the Juniors. They have some very talented players and it bodes well for the future of NSW Wheelchair basketball.

Overall, the tournament was a joy to play in. All the teams competed in a friendly spirit which hasn't always been the case in the past. The best referees in NSW were on hand each week and that also added to the quality of the tournament. A big 'well done' goes to tournament organisers David Rose and Jun Karata of Wheelchair Sports NSW.

Details of scorers to follow.