Jess Foley converted on one of two free throws with 2.8 seconds left in 2OT to break a 69-69 tie, giving Norwood a one point win over West Adelaide at Mars on Saturday.

It was the third time that the Flames had come up clutch in the final seconds, with Foley tying the game at the end of regulation with a jumper going baseline, and Jordan Walker-Roberts knocking down her only three-pointer from six attempts in the dying seconds of the first over-time period.

Norwood’s 70-69 victory puts in through to the Grand Final, while West has a home Preliminary Final clash with Forestville next week.

Foley was the outstanding individual on the night with 28 points, 11 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 blocked shots.

Kerrin Webber was the best for West with 22 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks, although she did have 9 turnovers.

Ashlea Vordermaier (17 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 5 blocks) and Trudy Holland (6 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists) were also very good.

The Flames got home despite giving up 32 free throw attempts, while getting to the line just nine times themselves.

However, the Bearcats only connected on 17 of those attempts, and their 34 turnovers to 20 did not help them either.

On the other hand, West shot 41 per cent from the field to Norwood’s 33 per cent, and registered 52 rebounds to 35.

Both teams had to overcome the loss of players to injury and fouls.

Flames Centre Rachel Herrick was a late withdrawal. In her absence, Bearcats Centre Webber dominated inside.

Norwood also lost Point Guard Kelsey Ireland, who picked up her fifth foul with 3.20 left in the first overtime.

Ireland finished with 10 points and 4 assists.

The Bearcats were forced to play without star player Nikita-Lee Martin for the final 3.30 of regulation and the two overtimes, after she picked up foul number five for hooking Ireland on a drive to the basket.

Martin was restricted to 14 points and 7 rebounds.

Casualties for West were Amy Porter and Irene Sourlatzis, who both left the court injured.

Ireland got the Flames going with the first four points, before the Bearcats bounced back with a 15-6 run, led by Vordermaier and Webber.

However, Norwood scored eight of the quarter’s final 10 points to lead 18-17 at the end of one.

Points were hard to come by in the second, although the Flames found the going a little bit tougher than West.

Norwood connected on just three field goals in the second, while the Bearcats nailed seven.

A steal and layup from Vordermaier had West up 11 with 3.50 left in the period, before the Flames lifted and edged with seven by half-time.

The gap could have been closer if not for an uncontested missed layup from Walker-Roberts, after she done all the hard work by getting the steal.

Within four minutes, the Bearcats had re-established a double digit advantage, with two free throws from Sourlatzis closing out an 8-5 run.

Norwood answered with 12 of the next 13 points to take the lead, but the Bearcats scored the last four points of the quarter to hold a 44-41 advantage at the end of three.

In the fourth quarter, the Bearcats seemed to have more variety on offence, yet Foley did enough damage on her own to keep Norwood in touch.

Her three gave the Flames a 48-47 lead with just over seven minutes remaining, before Kate Shierlaw scored off a putback for a three point buffer.

West scored the next four points via Vordermaier and Martin, before Foley hit another one from downtown with 4.56 remaining.

Neither team scored again for almost three minutes until Vordermaier hit a free throw, and then Holland knocked down 2/2 to give West the lead.

With now even Foley missing, the Bearcats had the momentum, and when Webber scored inside with only 47 seconds remaining, West had a three point buffer.

Two free throws from Cara Boothey reduced the margin to one with 40 seconds left, then Holland turned the ball over.

However, Ireland missed the shot, and Foley lost the ball off the rebound, before Meg McLeod was fouled with only 18 seconds remaining.

The game was the Bearcats’ to lose, and McLeod did not do her team any favours by missing both free throws.

After Foley missed for the Flames, Webber grabbed the rebound and was fouled.

Webber only made one of two free throws, giving Norwood one last chance to tie or win.

Out of the inevitable timeout, Foley had the ball at the top of the key in a pick-and-roll situation.

She dribbled towards the right baseline, pulled up before the defence could get across, and drained the shot with just over two seconds left.

A timeout from Vicki Valk gave West the opportunity to advance the ball past halfway, but the Bearcats could not get a shot away.

Norwood got on top at the start of the first extra session, but the Bearcats fought back.

When Sky Landenbrink scored with 71 seconds remaining, West was up three.

Two scoreless possessions for the Flames, including a shot clock violation, suggested that this time the Bearcats would seize the moment.

However, the Norwood players kept their cool.

After Nadeen Payne stole the ball with 20 seconds left, Norwood ran an excellent offence, with Foley making the extra pass to a wide open Walker-Roberts on the left wing, who swished the ball through the net.

It was the Flames who managed to get off a rushed shot to beat the buzzer, after the Bearcats again turned the ball over out of a timeout, but there was no change to the score, as the game went into a second extra period.

Norwood never trailed in the second overtime, although Holland tied the scores up with 24 seconds left after a nice step-back jump shot from the right wing.

With one possession remaining, predictably, the Flames gave the ball to Foley.

Foley attacked the basket and drew a foul, sending her to the line.

Foley’s first shot bounced out, but she made no mistake on the second for a one point lead.

With no timeouts remaining, the Bearcats were unable to advance the ball this time, and the only shot they could get up was a running half court shot from McLeod, which bounced off the top of the backboard.

Norwood verdict: This was a lucky escape for Norwood, who won its 18th game out of 19 this season. If not for Foley, this match would have slipped by the Flames. The absence of Herrick clearly hurt Norwood on the boards and inside, but the team’s defence was as good as ever. This game was nearly gone several times, so it was a great effort from the Flames to fight back and win.

West verdict: This was a tough a loss as they come. The Bearcats had plenty of opportunities to win the game, and were unlucky in the final seconds of 2OT. West played extremely well and could not have done much more to win. If the Bearcats can produce this sort of performance against Forestville next week, then they are every chance to get a second shot at the Flames in two weeks time.

By James Woite