Derek NielsenYEAH THE GIRLS!
Fire finish the season on a 16-game streak and take out their fourth #WNBL title, beating Southside 2-0 in the Grand Final series. #wnbl23 #FireUpTownsville
#AboutLastNight #WNBL23 edition: Can't fault the effort from Tiffany Mitchell (36 points in 40 minutes) but the Boomers fell short of the Flyers in game 1. SSF were up as much as 18 in the second term, a hill that was just too much for MEL to climb.
Other than Mitchell the starters failed to fire, but don't expect back-to-back dud games when game 2 rolls around on Saturday.
Tonight: the other semi series begins. Townsville v Perth, game 1 (ESPN/9Now, 19:30 AEDT).
koberulz#WNBL23 Finals start tonight- first semi-final sees Southside host Melbourne. The Flyers have won all three regular-season matchups, the last two convincingly (and the most recent game without Lauren Jackson in the lineup).
But to be the champ, you gotta beat the champ- and #3-seed Melbourne are still deep enough to contend.
Game 1 (of 3) tonight, 19:30 AEDT on ESPN Aus/NZ and 9Now. (08:30 GMT on FIBA YouTube.)
Final week of the #WNBL23 regular season starts tonight. Should be fun:
- Townsville can lock up the #1 seed with a win in either game.
- Southside finish #1 with a win and a TSV loss to BEN.
- Melbourne are #3 but can move up to #2 with a win and TSV dropping both games.
- Perth can clinch #4 with a win in either game; if the Lynx drop both Bendigo can sneak in with a W today against the Fire.
- Townsville can lock up the #1 seed with a win in either game.
- Southside finish #1 with a win and a TSV loss to BEN.
- Melbourne are #3 but can move up to #2 with a win and TSV dropping both games.
- Perth can clinch #4 with a win in either game; if the Lynx drop both Bendigo can sneak in with a W today against the Fire.
@nosaj It's still messy.
MEL has the split on TSV. (2-1)
TSV has the split on SSF. (2-0)
SSF has the split on MEL. (2-0)
SSF plays MEL on Wednesday (ESPN). A Southside win basically sets up TSV/SSF for top spot, assuming TSV win their last home game (SYD, not a pushover).
That said, TSV still have to face a likely full-strength BEN (away) before the Flyers game.
Comedy option: SSF beat MEL, TSV beat SSF but lose other 2, MEL win other 2, 3-way tie on 15-6. :)
#WNBL23 update: Perth now faces a sudden-death game next week against Bendigo; if the Spirit win they clinch the final playoff spot. Fire, Flyers and Boomers all clinched with wins in week 14; Townsville is on a 9-game tear.
Fun thing to watch the rest of the way; Boomers' Cayla George is now on 3135 career rebounds, 94 behind all-time leader Rachael Sporn (3229). At current pace (11.8 rpg) she could overtake Sporn by game 2 of the GF, assuming the Boomers win a 3-game semi-final series.
Gandini seeing first-quarter minutes is not a good sign. #WNBL23
Meanwhile, a very quiet week for the #WNBL23 - perhaps the calm before the storm. Melbourne and Townsville are on top at 12-4 (Boomers have the split), while Perth's 2 losses could prove costly- they are 1.5 games behind Bendigo with that series tied 1-1. Flyers, meanwhile, will be without Lauren Jackson the rest of the way (R Achilles).
Only one game this calendar week- BEN hosts SSF on Saturday (19:00, 9Now).
