By David Tonks

In this clash where there were no prizes for finishing second Southern ended Norwood's season with an 80-62 win. The Tigers did the damage after halftime when they switched to a zone defence and went on to record a 45–27 second half score. Most of the damage was inflicted in the third term when they added 27 points to 13 points by the Flames.  For the Tigers Rosalie Cutri, Madelaine Cunningham, Robyn Jennings and Stephanie Gates were the major scorers during this period.

Both sides fronted the elimination final with minor changes to their team's personnel from the sides they fielded in Round 18.  Norwood's Lisa Ackroyd and Zara Olekalns rejoined the team. For Southern Stephanie Gates and Ashleigh Spencer were included. Gates proved to be an important inclusion seeing 29 minutes of court time after missing Round 18.

Not a lot separated the sides in the first quarter until the final 3 minutes. As the quarter closed, baskets to the Flames' Jess Hansberry and Jess Smart and two to Kate Shierlaw in the last 30 seconds enabled Norwood to set up a mini break 22-15.

In the second, early baskets to Cutri and two 3 pointers to Southern import Robyn Jennings who finished the quarter with 10 points helped close the margin. When Teresa Kinross hit a basket with 5:59 remaining scores were locked at 29-29. Norwood's Rachel Herrick and Kara Boothey converted with the next plays, but by half time Southern had tied the scores 35-35.

In the early minutes of the third term the teams traded baskets until Cunningham went to the free throw line at 7:25. At that point of the game scores were again tied 40-40. She converted both shots, the Tigers back in front for the sixth time in the contest. By the end of the third, after Cutri had hit two 3s and Jennings one Southern had broken away to lead by 14 points, 62-48.

As Norwood's scoring output dried up in the third so did any chance of staying in the finals race.  Only Amanda MacDermot and Cara Boothey hit more than one basket during this term. Southern created a 13 point tear towards the end of the quarter in just over 4 minutes of play. The run was only interrupted when Phoebe Custance scored on the siren.

In the last Southern maintained the momentum extending the margin by a further 4 points from the three quarter time buffer of 14 points. The Flames' Kate Gladstone hit two 3s in the final period to keep the deficit under 20 points.

The win by Southern was a good send off for Robyn Jennings who is returning to America and will take no further part in the Tigers' campaign. Norwood will rue the loss of Jess Foley and Rebecca Duke for a major part of the season. Their absence severely hurt the Flames' finals chances. Southern now moves into the First Semi-Final against Sturt.