Featured image: Travis Palmieri @traviphotography
The Eltham Wildcats had a point to prove that they were more than just their NBL stars and despite being without NBL1 South championship heroes Angus Glover and Owen Foxwell, they opened the National Finals beating the Forestville Eagles 69-63.
The Wildcats made history last Saturday night with a first ever championship. South East Melbourne Phoenix pair Glover and Foxwell who starred in that triumphant Grand Final against the Ballarat Miners.
That meant their trip north to the Sunshine Coast for the National Finals was going to be a challenge without that pair and first up was facing the NBL1 Central champion Forestville.
The Eagles themselves were without 417-game NBL legend Daniel Johnson who will arrive on Saturday, but off the high of that championship and the likes of Greg Mays and Adam Doyle on their roster, they deserved to come into the clash feeling good over their chances.
It was a low-scoring grind in the first half but Forestville did have the better of the start opening up a seven-point lead, but Eltham had stayed in touch and had brought scores back level by the end of one.
The Wildcats were then able to put up 17 points to 13 in the second term and that saw them head into the main break leading 30-26.
The Eagles, though, knew that with Johnson to arrive on Saturday, a win would put them in a strong position to make Sunday's championship game and they scored nine straight points during the third stanza to open up an eight-point advantage.
That lead grew to 12 early in the fourth quarter for Forestville too when Brad Rathjen knocked down a three-pointer.
They did appear in total control, but then Eltham turned things around spectacularly starting with a bucket to Ovie Magbegor. Zahn Agosta then also scored before a couple of finishes at the rim to Josh Sykes.
All of a sudden Agosta knocked down a triple as well with just under six minutes to play and the Wildcats hit front.
The lead would then continue to switch hands for the next couple of minutes as the teams traded baskets but once Sam Whelan hit two free throws with three minutes to play, the Wildcats never surrendered the advantage.
Sam Short hit a three ball with a minute to play to push that lead out to seven and Eltham had done enough to secure the eventual six-point triumph at Caloundra Indoor Stadium.
The Wildcats were rightfully pumped afterwards with the victory with Zahn Agosta finishing with 15 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Championship captain Sam Whelan stepped into the starting five too for 15 points, two rebounds and two assists with Ovie Magbegor providing 10 points, four boards, two steals and two blocked shots.
Josh Sykes also had nine points and eight rebounds, and Sam Short seven points, 10 boards and nine assists.
Agosta at age 19 might have found little time in the NBL1 South championship run for Eltham, but starred on Friday and couldn’t have been happier afterwards.
"We lost a couple of good guys for this weekend but it's a good chance for all us young lads to get on the court," Agosta said.
"When I got out there, I just did what I could do and it turned out to be enough so I'm happy with that.
"We all trust each other and we've got a great group, we all know each other like the back of our hand.
"We're great off the court and on the court as well, we know that each one of us is going to step up when it's their time. I think we did that really well tonight."
On the back of being Grand Final MVP last Saturday night in the NBL1 Central championship win for Forestville, Greg Mays delivered another 24 points, 10 rebounds, four blocked shots and two assists.
Brad Rathjen finished with 11 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals on 5/8 shooting with Uche Dibiamaka nine points, six boards and two assists, Stefan Gould eight points and five rebounds, and Owen Hulland five points and 12 rebounds.
ELTHAM WILDCATS 69 (Agosta 15, Whelan 15, Magbegor 10)
FORESTVILLE EAGLES 63 (Mays 24, Rathjen 11, Dibiamaka 9)
For further information on the official destination of the National Finals, head to www.visitsunshinecoast.com