Southlands Boulevarde Willetton Tigers are still on track for a third-straight women's State Basketball League title after beating Lakeside Lightning 66-61 in the deciding third game of their quarter-finals series.

The Tigers recovered from a shock loss in game one last weekend to win game two by 16 points on Saturday and wrap up the best-of-three series with victory at Willetton Basketball Stadium on Sunday.

Willetton now moves on to face Wanneroo in the semi-finals, which will commence with game one at Joondalup Basketball Stadium next weekend, after eliminating the Lightning in the first round of the playoffs for the second-straight year.

Kate Malpass led the Tigers home with 23 points, while Jasmine Hooper also impressed with 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Heidi McNeill was gallant in defeat for Lakeside with 19 points and youngster Courtney Byrnes added 14.

The Lightning shot just 30 per cent from the field and made only six of their 26 three-point attempts, while also being outrebounded 46-26.

Willetton finished the first quarter on a 13-3 run to take a 14-point lead to the first break and at that point it looked like the minor premiers would cruise to victory.

But the visitors fought back with a tremendous second quarter, where they outscored Willetton 19-7 to cut the deficit to just two points at half-time.

Lakeside held Willetton close throughout the third quarter, keeping the margin within 10 points throughout the quarter and going into the final break with just a six-point gap to overcome.

And there were nervous moments in the final quarter for the Tigers, as the margin was cut to just one with eight minutes left, but the Lightning were never able to get in front.

The difference was just three points with 41 seconds left, but Hooper hit a pair of clutch free-throws to secure victory for the Tigers.

Article by Garret Anderson
Photo by Grant Lauterbach

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