Perth Wildcats became the NBL's (National Basketball League) most successful team, securing their fifth championship with a 96-72 victory over Wollongong Hawks in the deciding game three of the grand final series in Perth on Friday night.
Perth trailed by 11 points early in the second term but clawed their way out of trouble courtesy of an inspirational performance from US import Kevin Lisch, who drained a game-high 29 points, including five of nine from long range.
The Hawks took a one-point lead into half-time but from there it was the Lisch show.
Lisch, who posted 15 points in game one and 11 in game two, was awarded the Larry Sengstock medal for MVP in the grand final series
Wollongong coach Gordie McLeod said Perth deserved to win the title. "You have been the benchmark all year and you showed us that tonight," McLeod said.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26843141-23769,00.html?from=public_rss
The NBL has experienced several ups and downs over the past few years. In the late eighties and early nineties basketball was huge news. Even the court side entertainment won media applause. Basketball was challenging the football codes.
The media acclaim high point were the years that Barry Barnes coached the Boomers. Basketball was huge at the Olympics. But it seems that basketball is back, big time.
Wollongong Hawks coach Gordie McLeod was at one time the basketball head coach of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). Then as now, the basketball program visits Timeout in Moruya at Basil Sellers House, the respite ministry of Well-Being Australia (WBA).
Their annual visit at the end of January each year provides the AIS basketball's new intake a time to establish bonding and input from one of the WBA team members.