The NBL1 West finals gets underway for 2024 with three of the four women's match ups on Friday night with home preliminary final spots up for grabs while the Willetton Tigers, Perth Redbacks, Lakeside Lightning and Joondalup Wolves just try to stay alive.
The top four teams all do battle with the winners to host a preliminary final next Saturday with the Warwick Senators hosting the Cockburn Cougars on Friday, and the Rockingham Flames at home to the Perry Lakes Hawks on Saturday.
The qualifying finals then both take place on Friday with the seasons of all four teams on the line with the Willetton Tigers hosting the Joondalup Wolves, and the Perth Redbacks at home to the Lakeside Lightning.
QUALIFYING FINALS
Warwick Senators v Cockburn Cougars – Warwick Stadium, Friday 7pm
A home preliminary final goes on the line when the last two NBL1 West champions lock horns on Friday night with the Warwick Senators at home to the Cockburn Cougars.
The Senators were not only the NBL1 West champions back in 2022 but also won the National Championship in Melbourne a week later while the Cougars broke through for their first women's championship in 2023.
Both teams have now had standout seasons in 2024 to set up a mouth watering match up on Friday at Warwick Stadium with the winner to host a preliminary final while the loser has earned a second chance.
The two teams have also split their two match ups this season while are also led by the last two Coach of the Year winners – Warwick's Brad Robbins this year and Cockburn's Tyrone Thwaites from a season ago.
The Senators finished the regular season in second spot at 17-3 to earn home court advantage and while they are without Marena Whittle and with two-time MVP Stacey Barr working back from a calf injury, they have plenty of weapons.
Chloe Forster is fresh off the best season of her career to make the All First Team while Karly Murphy has been a powerful force inside, and they are backed up with the experience of Nat Burton, Nicole Jorre de St Jorre and Izzy Miotti, and then the youth of Kyana Weir.
They come up against a Cougars team who finished third at 16-4 in their championship defence and with a team firing at the right point of the season with Daniel Raber and Maria Blazejewski settling in, and Perth Lynx WNBL pair Alex Ciabattoni and Steph Gorman joining Jewel Williams in the back court.
Cockburn co-captain Williams is looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity there for the taking.
"Facing Senators on Friday is both a challenge and a big opportunity for us. They have such a strong core group and have had yet another successful season, so we are definitely locked in for this one," Williams said.
"I think we’ve proven our resilience and capabilities throughout the season, and with the momentum we have been building together as well as some amazing performances across the playing group for the year, we are confident in our preparation and strategy.
"It’s a tough match up, but we’re ready to rise to the occasion and secure a home final."
Rockingham Flames v Perry Lakes Hawks – Mike Barnett Sports Complex, Saturday 6pm
The Rockingham Flames have looked near on unstoppable for a lot of the 2024 season and the challenge to break them down falls to the Perry Lakes Hawks on Saturday evening.
The Flames retooled for the 2024 season under new coach Marcus Wong who made the move from the Joondalup Wolves, and brought Nes'eya Parker-Williams, Shani Amos and Robbi Ryan with him.
Rockingham also added former Willetton foursome Alex Sharp, Emma Gandini, Sophie Doran and Jess Jakens, and brought over Georgia Pineau, and the result was securing top spot with an 18-2 record.
They were without two-time MVP Sharp for 12 games along the way while Ryan only arrived 11 games into the season, but after their lone two losses, they are again on a five-match winning run coming into the finals.
The Flames come up against a Perry Lakes team who did a tremendous job just to finish the regular season in fourth place with a 14-6 record.
Coach Craig Mansfield deserves enormous credit for the job he has done considering star recruit Jayda Clark was injured in the opening minutes of the first game of the season while experienced point guard Morgan Ballantyne's season was done after two games.
Despite that, the Hawks have operated as a finely tuned machine with Ash Isenbarger and Maddy Dennis holding down things up front, and Grace Stone becoming more lethal as the season has gone on.
Mia Satie, Alira Fotu, Sam Ashby and Millie McCarthy contribute strongly along with Beige Harris and then Eryn Fisher in the back end after an early injury.
The job is still ahead of Perry Lakes to take it up to a Rockingham team at home and trying to stay there for a preliminary final, but the Hawks will certainly make them earn it if they are to prevail.
ELIMINATION FINALS
Willetton Tigers v Joondalup Wolves – Willetton Basketball Stadium, Friday 6.30pm
The Willetton Tigers are attempting to reach a fourth straight women's Grand Final but they face a stern test first up on Friday night against the Joondalup Wolves at Willetton Basketball Stadium.
Both teams had their struggles in the first half of the 2024 season, but came together leading into the finals and that sets up a fascinating elimination final match up.
The Tigers have played in the last three Grand Finals including winning a championship in 2021, but the start to 2024 was a struggle winning just five of the first 12 games.
However, they started to click once Jillian Archer and Melisa Brcaninovic teamed up in the front court along with Kaylee Smiler settling in and then twins Amy and Claire Jacobs providing plenty.
Willetton went on to win seven of the last eight games to finish in fifth spot at 12-8 to earn home court advance for the elimination final.
They come up against a Wolfpack team who might have finished in eighth spot at 9-11, but that gives no indication as to the talent and experience in their squad.
Now that Emma Clarke, Jorjah Smith and Julia Chandler are back to join the likes of Sarah Toeaina, Darien Huff, Sirena Tuitele and Geraldynn Leaupepe, and it's an impressive Joondalup team coming together just at the right time of 2024.
Amy Jacobs is in her second season with the Tigers and while she knows the challenge the Wolves present, she likes the form Willetton are in going into the match up.
"The talent the Wolves have recruited this year is undeniable. They have some talent and experience but we also have just as much talent and experience it should be a very competitive game and a lot of fun for people to watch," she said.
"We are definitely feeling good after stringing a few wins together to end the regular season. We have dealt with a lot of injuries and a lot of pieces coming in and out all season.
"So now that all our pieces are back we definitely have figured out the style of basketball that fits us best which is aggressive defence and running the ball on offence. No better time to be coming into form than finals time."
Perth Redbacks v Lakeside Lightning – Belmont Oasis, Friday 7.30pm
The seasons of the Perth Redbacks and Lakeside Lightning go on the line when they clash at Belmont Oasis on Friday night.
At different times throughout the season both teams have shown their best basketball can compete with the top teams, but only one of them will now still be alive beyond Friday night.
The Redbacks earned home court advantage with their 11-9 record but were hit hard by injury late in the season and will be hoping All First Team member Natalie Chou is right to go on Friday night, but Raya Thompson and Shenae Hartree likely won't be.
Anneli Maley won't be either due to being in Paris at the Olympic Games in the Australian 3x3 team but there's still some weapons remaining with the Redbacks including Sixth Woman of the Year Mikayla Pirini along with the emerging Brooke Malone coming off 16.5 points and 6.8 rebounds a game.
The Redbacks are up against a Lightning team who had a rough finish to the regular season losing five of their past six games including the last two to Joondalup and Warwick by a combined 66 points.
However, they still had done enough to reach the playoffs in seventh spot at 10-10 and have a team featuring MVP Teige Morrell, All Second Team member Marnelle Garraud and dynamic guard Caitie Jones.
It sets up for a fascinating elimination final battle and Morrell is doing everything to give the Lightning the best chance.
"You definitely want to keep things as normal as possible throughout the week but you also do understand the importance of just making sure you don't look back and wish that you had done this one thing or another better," Morrell told 91.3 SportFM.
"Sometimes you can get away with things in the regular season but come finals time, you definitely have to have that single-minded focus and generally friends and family will understand that as well. You do put a little bit more emphasis on getting your routine and preparation perfect."
