The Norths Bears women have secured a third championship in the past six years and a first under the NBL1 East banner with a commanding performance against the regular season champion Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in Saturday's Grand Final.
The North Shore rivals did battle in the NBL1 East Grand Final for 2023 on Saturday afternoon at Sydney Uni Sports and Aquatics Centre, and it was the Norths Bears who ended up prevailing over the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 71-56.
NBL1 EAST RECAP | ELIMINATION FINALS
WOMEN'S GRAND FINAL
Bears fire when it matters to secure championship
It was a battle of the North Shore in the NBL1 East women's Grand Final for 2023 and it was the Norths Bears who delivered a masterful performance from start to finish to defeat the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 71-56.
Grand Final day at Sydney Uni Sports and Aquatics Centre got underway with the women's decider between the Sea Eagles and Bears with the two teams led by the last two NBL1 East Coach of the Year winners, Nathan Kirwan and Renae Garlepp.
Both teams put together standout regular seasons as well with Manly Warringah finishing in top spot with a 20-2 record before advancing to the Grand Final with finals victories against the Albury-Wodonga Bandits and the Centre of Excellence.
Kate Seebohm found the perfect pass ?
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Norths, meanwhile, finished in third place with an 18-4 record before then beating the Maitland Mustangs by 24 points in the elimination final and the Sydney Comets by 20 in the semi finals.
And while the Sea Eagles did win both match ups with the Bears during the regular season, the last contest was a thriller back on April 14 with Manly Warringah pulling out the 73-70 victory so the stage was set for a tremendous Grand Final battle.
Jolene Anderson was the star of the Grand Final triumph for Norths to continue her stunning recent form with another 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.
She had plenty of help too including captain Kate Seebohm delivering 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals while Emily Simons added 15 points, seven boards, three steals and two assists.
Jessica Bygate also ended up with 11 points and five rebounds, Sarah Schicher six points, 11 boards, four blocks and two assists, Carla Pitman five points and five rebounds, and Maddy O'Hehir three points, four rebounds and two blocks.
It was a tough way for the outstanding season of the Sea Eagles to end with captain Kim Hodge doing what she could to lift her team with 21 points and seven rebounds.
Alex Delaney added 16 points and 11 boards, Bree Delaney 11 points and eight rebounds, Felicity Henderson eight points and six boards, and Antonia Henderson 10 rebounds along with three assists.
Alex Delaney is letting it fly ??
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The first score of the Grand Final was a tough inside bucket to Alex Delaney for Manly Warringah but it took another couple of minutes for another field goal and it was Jess Bygate getting Norths on the board.
It turned out a strong start from the Sea Eagles when Alex Delaney hit a three ball and then Kim Hodge scored inside to put them up 7-4, and then Hodge scored again to make it 9-4.
The Bears soon worked their way on top, though, and hit the lead on a jumper from Kate Seebohm before Emily Simons extended that advantage and Jolene Anderson hit a three ball to put them up 19-13.
The lead was 20-13 by quarter-time and the Bears were able to remain in charge throughout the second quarter with another 21 points to 12 to go into the half-time break leading 41-25.
Like a lot of Grand Finals, the points weren't exactly flowing but the defensive performance from the Bears to hold the Sea Eagles to 25 points in the half when they have averaged 83.5 points a game this season was significant.
Given the brilliant season they had up to this point winning 22 of 24 matches, Manly Warringah were always going to come out hard to start the second half and that's exactly what happened.
A triple from Bree Delaney and then four quick points from Hodge had them back within 11 points with Alex Delaney bringing it back to nine, but Norths continued to have the answers and that started with a triple from Carla Pitman.
While Bree Delaney responded with another triple for Manly Warringah, again Pitman scored to keep Norths up double-figures and by three quarter-time the lead was still 59-46.
Maddy O'Hehir pushed that lead for the Bears out to 15 to start the fourth quarter and from there the Sea Eagles would get no closer than 12 with Norths securing the championship in style with the 15-point victory.
The championship is the first in the NBL1 East for the Bears but the third in six years to go with the Waratah League titles they won in both 2018 and 2020. Norths now also qualify for the National Finals to be held over next weekend in Perth.
Jolene Anderson calls game ?
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