Featured image: Taylor Earnshaw
The remarkable second half of the season for the Waverley Falcons has continued as the NBL1 South champions have now set up a National Finals championship match up with the Bendigo Braves on Sunday.
The Falcons beat the NBL1 West champion Rockingham Flames 97-74 on Saturday night at Caloundra Indoor Stadium to secure their place in Sunday's Grand Final at the National Finals.
That will take place against the winners last year and fellow NBL1 South team Bendigo with both teams going through undefeated on the first two nights on the Sunshine Coast.
RECAP FRIDAY NBL1 NATIONAL FINALS | NEWCASTLE V WAVERLEY
RECAP FRIDAY NBL1 NATIONAL FINALS | CENTRAL DISTRICTS V SOUTHERN DISTRICTS
RECAP FRIDAY NBL1 NATIONAL FINALS | ROCKINGHAM V BENDIGO
Waverley finished the NBL1 South regular season in stunning form winning 11 of the last 12 games but they still had plenty of work to do finishing in seventh spot.
However, they took it all before them beating the Sandringham Sabres, Dandenong Rangers, Mount Gambier Pioneers and ultimately the Keilor Thunder to win the NBL1 South championship.
They then arrived on the Sunshine Coast feeling good and with a full squad to beat the Newcastle Falcons from the NBL1 East first up.
Their opponents to determine a spot in Sunday's Grand Final were the NBL1 West champions Rockingham who made their own stirring run to a conference championship in front of more than 6000 fans last Saturday at RAC Arena.
While without championship captain and Grand Final MVP Alex Sharp, the Flames still had a chance to reach the decider on Sunday despite a first up loss on Friday by just eight points to Bendigo.
It was an exciting opening to the contest with Rockingham managing to lead by as much as five points and still being on top 27-25 by the end of one.
However, in the second quarter Waverley took control of the contest and scored eight consecutive points on the way to opening up a 16-point lead.
The Falcons put up 32 points to 14 in the second term to then go into the half-time break on top 57-41.
With a spot in the championship game on the line, things were getting heated and when Nes'eya Parker-Williams was called for a foul on Carley Ernst, Rockingham coach Marcus Wong was anything but impressed.
He let his feelings known and his reward was being sent to the locker room with Ellyce Ironmonger taking charge for the rest of the game and with a big job with Rockingham down 15 once Bec Cole made the subsequent technical.
While the Falcons maintained control following that, Rockingham were staying within striking distance and it was a 12-point lead for Waverley by three quarter-time.
Waverley's lead was again 18 early in the fourth but then the Flames did make one last charge starting with a three ball from Emma Gandini.
Jess Jakens and Sophie Doran then scored as well to bring it back to an 11-point game but the Falcons continued to have the answers and got a steadying three ball from Cole.
Forbes then knocked down a three ball as well to push it out to 16 and from there Waverley scored the eventual 23-point victory to book in their spot in the Grand Final against Bendigo on Sunday.
Carley Ernst caught fire landing 6/9 from three-point territory to end up with 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Bec Cole produced another 20 points and eight assists with Mckenzie Forbes also providing 20 points and eight assists, Amelia Todhunter 15 points and six assists, and Renae Mokrzycki five points and nine rebounds.
Cole is looking forward to taking on Bendigo now with the National Championship on the line on Sunday.
"I'm feeling good. We are a good who stick together and believe in one another, but Bendigo are the reigning champs of the Nationals so of course they are probably going to be the top dog with us the underdog," Cole said.
"But I love that but to play on the national stage and to hopefully get another championship would be amazing."
Rockingham battled hard but denying Waverley a 12th straight win proved a bridge too far with Emma Gandini finishing with 18 points, five steals, four rebounds and two assists.
Jess Jakens finished with 15 points and five rebounds, Nes'eya Parker-Williams 14 points, nine boards and four assists, Georgia Pineau 11 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Robbi Ryan eight points and four assists in just 19 minutes thanks to foul trouble.
WAVERLEY FALCONS 97 (Ernst 24, Forbes 20, Cole 20)
ROCKINGHAM FLAMES 74 (Gandini 18, Jakens 15, Parker-Williams 14)
For further information on the official destination of the National Finals, head to www.visitsunshinecoast.com
