CBC’s bold pursuit from third position of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Basketball Association’s women’s division one flag remains on track after Aimee Borchet inspired them to a rousing victory over Saints in Monday night’s preliminary final.
Saints finished second with eight wins, but they bowed out in straight sets as Borchet’s game-high 29 points underpinned Collegians’ 67-55 triumph.
It continued an impressive late-season rally for CBC, whose lone defeat in their past five games was against flag favourites Olympians in round 15.
Saints shaded the first quarter on Monday, 12-11, but they were outscored in the next two, 41-28, when CBC made their match-winning surge.
Borchet’s haul was her best of the season, and was complemented by a combined 32 points from Tamsyn Pentland and Gaby Clancy.
Elena Scafidi led Saints’ effort with 20 points from Chloe Zorzi, 12, but no-one else managed double-digits.
Saints emerged from the qualifiers two games clear of CBC, but they were without a win in their last four games.
CBC now play Olympians in Saturday’s grand final at 6.40pm.
Olympians were minor premiers with 11 wins and brushed aside Saints by 37 points in the second semi-final.
In the men’s first division, Saints advanced to the grand final by edging out Olympians, 97-93, on Monday night.
The win was set-up in the first half when Saints established a 12-point lead.
The teams each scored 22 points in an epic third period and Olympians mounted a gallant comeback that yielded 29 points in the final quarter before falling short.
Jordan and Lachlan Clements led the charge for Saints, each with 22 points.
Hamish Cummings scored 20 points for Olympians, who missed out on a top-two spot by one game.
Saturday’s men’s division one grand final between CBC and Saints is at 8.05pm.