Lightning power into Grand Final
In a seesawing affair there were eight lead changes in a tense final period before Lakeside took the lead with four minutes remaining, a lead they would hold onto for the rest of the match.
Once again it was big-man Ben Beran who stepped up for Lakeside when the game was there to be won with a game-high 40 points while Luke Payne chipped in with 27 of his own.
Lakeside coach Andy Stewart said he knew Perth was a quality outfit and would push them in game-two.
When asked about making their fifth grand-final in sixth years, Stewart said: “It’s finals, you’ve got to be happy and you bet I’m happy.”
However, Stewart wasn’t looking too far ahead saying he’d have to wait and see who they will face in the title decider.
“They (Willetton and Geraldton) are two very different sides,” he said.
“Willetton is very up-and-down, run-and-gun, similar to us, whereas Geraldton is more of a half-court team.”
Stewart played down any concerns about star import Luke Payne, who had to come off mid-way through the final term with a quad problem, citing cramp as the issue; Payne managed to return to the court and play out the game.
Game-two of the Willetton Tigers and Geraldton Buccaneers series is set to be held at Willetton Stadium on Saturday, August 14 and game-three, if required, the next day.
The Winner of that series will meet Lakeside at the WA Basketball Centre on August 21 in a one-game final to decide the men’s State Basketball League championship.
Article by Ben Cameron
Photo by Mick Cronin
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