They’ve been in the situation before.
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The Wollongong Roller Hawks, as national league minor premiers, travel to Kilsyth to take on their biggest title threat in the Cobras on Friday night.
Victory will put them straight into the grand final on Sunday and erase painful memories from their similar campaign two years ago.
In 2015 the Roller Hawks also finished first, but successive losses left them in the play off for bronze, while last year the side also fell short, after losing star big man Michael Auprince in the lead up to the finals.
Roller Hawks captain Brett Stibners sees the Cobras and the third-placed Sydney Metro Blues as the other two major contenders this year, with the Roller Hawks dropping one game each to them in the regular season.
“Our whole season has shown us that we are capable of beating every team and we are capable of coming from behind and winning,” Stibners said.
“Kilsyth are our strongest competition. If Tristan (Knowles) shoots well we will have to play really well to beat them.”
“He has good support from ‘Huss’ (Shawn Russell) and ‘Gronners’ (Shaun Groenewegen) and their lows are good shooters as well.”
The wild card in this year’s finals series is Sydney having made major improvements this season thanks to the inclusion of American import Joe Chambers.
“Joe Chambers can score a lot of points,” he said.
“CJ (Clarence McCarthy-Grogan) is shooting the ball well and John McPhail has given them something they haven’t had in a long time – a ball handler.
The other challenge facing the Roller Hawks, coached by Brendan Dowler, is the extended break they have been on since their last game.
It will be 26 days since the side played a game, having had the bye in the final round of the regular season.
“We have been training well but it’s only training,” Stibners said.
“I assume we will start slow in our first game against Kilsyth.”
Sunday’s Gold and Bronze Medal Games will be live streamed on the Basketball Australia Youtube channel.
- NATIONAL WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Finals at Kilsyth Sports Centre
Friday
Qualifying final: WOLLONGONG ROLLER HAWKS v KILSYTH COBRAS (6pm)
Elimination final: SYDNEY METRO BLUES v QUEENSLAND SPINNING BULLETS (8pm)
Saturday: Preliminary final (6pm)
Sunday: Third-place playoff (11am), grand final (1pm)
Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
