Down South Australia way here is the latest for the finals series from Basketball SA:
The Central ABL enters finals mode on Saturday August 16, with four standalone games guaranteed to attract large crowds.
At 7pm at Port Adelaide, West Adelaide and North Adelaide battle to stay alive in the mens elimination final. The Rockets left it until the final minor round to confirm a finals berth. Despite a solid month which started in late June with wins over the Bearcats and the Eagles, their last two weeks were less impressive, with a one-point loss to last-placed South Adelaide and a win over Centrals which was not as convincing as the 22 point margin indicated. Reigning Woollacott medallist Erik Burdon will need to recreate his early-season form to keep the Rockets in the hunt.
West Adelaide's finals lead-up has also been topsy turvy. Two weeks ago they upset league-leading Sturt, but last week lost to Southern. The Bearcats have a good mix of shooters (Ryan Kersten, Chris Molitor, Josh Bond and Kurtis Phillips can all light up on any given night), but it is more likely that the inside battle between Blake Truslove and North's Nick Hambour will determine the outcome of this game.
North Adelaide's women also face a do-or-die game, against South Adelaide at 6:30pm at Hillcrest. Little separates these teams as they finished tied on the ladder and split their two regular season games, so it was only Norths superior points spread that gives them the home court advantage. Look for another great battle of the giants between centres Kerrin Webber (South) and Jamie-Lee Peris (North) to have a big impact on the outcome but also watch out for big improvers Claire Johnson (South) and Kirsty Williams (North) to play a part.
In the women's qualifying final, traditional rivals Forestville and Sturt lock horns at 6:30pm at Wayville for the right to play West Adelaide next week. Given recent victories over West Adelaide, many predict these two teams might meet in the Grand Final, and either way, this weekends game will go along way to determining the likely Grand Final participants. With current and former WNBL talent on show including Sturt's Angela Marino, Caroline Burgess, Monique Bowley, Brigid Bowley, Katie Orr and Forestville's Jess Mahony, Dee Ranford and Mia Newley, any outcome is possible.
In what will no doubt be the loudest game of the night, Norwood host Forestville in the mens qualifying final at 7:30pm at Mars in a replay of last years grand final. Norwood enter the finals on a two game losing streak but still boast the best backcourt in the competition featuring 36er David Cooper, Keith Krause and Dan Thompson. Forestville dropped games to Woodville and Sturt in July but finished the season with a 69 point rout of Eastern and with Brenton Campbell returning from injury late in the season to join Matt Sutton, Brad Sullivan and Brad Gerlach, Forestville appears to have the edge in the backcourt. How well Forestville handles the vociferous Norwood crowd will go along way towards determining which team retains the double chance and the right to face Sturt.
Down South in the SEABL things are shaping up like this:East Mens Semi Finals:
Kilsyth slammed Bendigo 100-79 while Brisbane got the best of Knox 113-100.
This week sees Knox and Kilsyth battle for the right to face Brisbane in the East Final
South Mens Semi Final:
Geelong ran past Sandringham 101-90 and Frankston held off Hobart 76-72.
Hobart meets Geelong this weekend to gain a berth in the conference final versus Frankston.
The East champions will meet the South champions for the SEABL Championship.
In Ladies action:
Bendigo blew out Nunawading by a score of 68-44 while Dandenong slipped by Albury/Wodonga 60-58.
This weeks action sees Bendigo square off against Dandenong with the loser eliminated while Brisbane faces Knox with the winner through to the Grand Final and the loser to face the Bendigo/Dandenong winner for the other Grand Final berth.
In Queensland:
QBL Playoffs XXIV
MEN
QF1 Rockhampton Rockets (93) def. Mackay Meteors (69)
QF2 Brisbane Capitals (108) def. Northside Wizards (94)
QF3 South West Metro Pirates (110) def. Gold Coast Goannas (100)
Note- Semi Final rankings based on end of regular season ladder
Semi Finals:
Cairns vs SW Metro
Brisbane vs Rockhampton
QBL Womens:
Gladstone 98- Rockhampton 68
Caboolture 74- Maroochydoore 66
SW Metro 55- Gold Coast 54
Semi Finals:
Townsville vs SW Metro
Gladstone vs Caboolture
Get out this weekend and catch the action in your area.
