The Ringwood Hawks are on top of the NBL1 South Women's competition claiming a first championship on the back of a stunning Grand Final performance to beat the Bendigo Braves 89-73.
The Hawks started the game on fire but it was the regular season champion Braves who grabbed the momentum either side of half-time going on an 11-0 run to work their way on top.
However, Ringwood were able to turn the tide in remarkable fashion and it was a three-point shooting barrage in the third quarter led by Marena Whittle, Toni Farnworth, Digna Strautmane and Marta Hermida.
The Hawks were able to turn a six-point deficit into a match-winning 16-point advantage in the matter of minutes and went on to secure the 16-point win to claim the association's first championship.
Whittle was named the Grand Final MVP with the Adelaide Lightning WNBL star simply unstoppable at the State Basketball Centre by finishing the evening with 33 points, 19 rebounds, four assists and two steals on 13/22 shooting from the floor.
She had plenty of help as well and Hermida stepped up big time on the big stage with 19 points and eight assists while knocking down three three-pointers and hitting all six of her free-throw attempts.
Latvian star Strautmane was also terrific for the Hawks with 16 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals on 4/7 shooting from downtown.
Toni Farnworth showed her class and experience once more on the Grand Final stage with 13 points while Danni Allen added five points and Jacqueline Trotto three points, five rebounds and two assists.
It was a tough loss in the Grand Final for Bendigo after such a terrific season in the NBL1 South where they lost just twice during the regular season to finish on top of the standings.
Megan McKay did a power of work, though, and delivered 23 points and 17 rebounds on 10/15 shooting for the Braves with Tess Madgen putting up 30 points, five boards and three assists.
Kelly Wilson added 10 points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists, Cassidy McLean five points, eight boards and three assists, and Madeline Sexton three points and three rebounds.
Ringwood shot out to a flying start in the Grand Final with two early shots from Marena Whittle helping them to the first six points of the game before a steadying offensive rebound and putback for Bendigo from Megan McKay.
But it was all the Hawks early and another pair of free-throws from Marta Hermida and then another jumper from Whittle saw them lead 10-2, and it was soon 13-4 when Hermida knocked one down from long-range.
Digna Strautmane also nailed one from beyond the arc for a 16-4 advantage before again it was McKay working hard on the offensive glass to end up with a three-point play for the Braves.
Tess Madgen then tried to will Bendigo back into it with a three ball but former Grand Final MVP out west Toni Farnworth stepped up to reply in kind for Ringwood.
However, the Braves were warming to the task and a steal and layup from Wilson had them back within three and by quarter-time Ringwood's lead was just 23-20.
Bendigo then grabbed the lead to start the second quarter on the back of another offensive board and putback from McKay and then a triple from Madgen. The Grand Final was heating up with Danni Allen hitting a three up the other end to put Ringwood back on top.
The lead continued to switch hands until a triple from Strautmane and inside basket from Whittle helped Ringwood back to a five-point edge, but Bendigo turned things back around in the final minute with seven straight points to head into the main break leading 43-41.
Bendigo kept that momentum rolling to start the third quarter too with the first four points to turn that into an 11-0 run to have gone from five points down to leading by six, but the Grand Final then underwent a remarkable transformation.
It was Whittle who steadied things for Ringwood with a couple of baskets to keep her team close and then the three-point party started to blow the game wide open with the Braves not knowing what hit them.
Strautmane started things off to give Ringwood the one-point lead before Hermida then added a couple from downtown in just over a minute. Whittle then landed from long-range as well and all of a sudden it was a 10-point lead.
The Hawks were far from done yet and Whitte nailed another from downtown, Farnworth did the same and that saw the lead blow out to 13 points. It was then 16 when Farnworth hit another reminiscent of her performance in the now NBL1 West competition for Perry Lakes in 2017.
Ringwood were still on top by 14 by three quarter-time and while the Braves tried to find a way back in the fourth term with McKay continuing to battle valiantly, there would be no coming back and the Hawks claimed the championship with the 16-point victory.
Not only will Ringwood be celebrating a first championship but they've also booked in a spot at next week's National Finals where they will have home court advantage.
NBL1 SOUTH WOMEN'S GRAND FINAL 2022
RINGWOOD HAWKS 89 (Whittle 33, Hermida 19, Strautmane 16)
BENDIGO BRAVES 73 (Madgen 30, McKay 23, Wilson 10)
Grand Final MVP: Marena Whittle
