The Pasadena crowd witnessed the match of the finals round to date when Southern came within a whisker of pulling off the upset of the season when they almost eliminated the Sabres women from the finals race.

In the early part of the season after Southern lost 6 matches from its first seven games it was given little chance of making the finals, letting alone being competitive against one of the pace setters of the competition.

Sturt were considered to be almost certainties to make the Grand Final when they suffered only one defeat in the first thirteen matches of the minor round.  In a strange twist of fate that loss was against Southern in Round 10 when they came up short 56-59.

On Saturday night, urged on by vocal band of supporters the Tigers exploded for a 25-13 first term, then further extended the margin when they led 32-15 early in the second period. The Tigers quartet of Rosalie Cutri, Ashleigh Spencer, Madelaine Cunningham and Stephanie Gates combined to help Southern set up the 17 point margin.

Sturt, facing elimination, was never going to give in without a fight. The challenge eventually did come and was led by Monique Bowley, who finished with 19 points and 17 rebounds and Caroline Burgess who had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

By the end of the third period with Bree Farley scoring a triple and Monique Bowley scoring the last field goal of the term the Sabres closed to within 4 points after Madelaine Cunningham converted 1 of 2 foul shots awarded for the Tigers, the score 49-53 at the break.

During the midpoint of the last after Ashleigh Spencer had been forced from the game with cramp Southern edged away 61-54 after Rosalie Cutri connected on a pair of foul shots. With Cutri in everything Southern answered each Sabres challenge until a three pointer to Monique Bowley at 1:10 and another to Bree Farley with only 36 seconds left gave Sturt the lead for the first time in the contest, 69-67.

Southern were running out of legs, but Spencer who had rejoined the game found a way to the basket scoring with 14.5 seconds remaining, her shot levelled the scores. In the desperate last seconds Sturt was unable to break the tie. The game headed to overtime.

In the extension Southern looked spent. Sturt did what they had to keep their finals hopes alive claiming a 78-74 thriller.

For Southern it was a heartbreaking way to end the season. They were so close and yet so far. The Sabres will now meet Forestville in the preliminary final at Wayville.