NORTHERN STARS KEY TO WNBL FINAL
CANBERRA coach Paul Gorris says Townsville’s Keely Froling and Mackay’s Marianna Tolo will be vital to the team’s WNBL success tonight.
The University of Canberra Capitals are just one win away from their eighth WNBL championship tonight when they take on Adelaide Lightning in Adelaide. The Capitals have been the most consistent team all season, continuing a 12-game winning streak on Saturday night with an 88-67 win over Adelaide in the first game of the grand final series.
Mackay’s Marianna Tolo (14 points, seven rebounds, four assists) was a focal part of Canberra’s win and Gorris said she would be important for the win tonight.
“She was a focal point for us at both ends of the floor the other night,” he said. “The game really opened up for our shooters and she’s also key to our defensive pressure.
“Keely (Froling) has played the best basketball all year and her energy around the squad has been great. They’ll both be important if we are to win.”
Canberra are one-up in the three-game grand final series and head to Titanium Security Arena for a shot at taking out the WNBL 2018/19 championship.
Gorris, a former junior basketball coach in Townsville, said he was not planning on changing any of his team’s tactics leading into tonight’s match.
“Obviously being one-up in the series is always good,” he said.
“We had a bit of a false start in the first quarter and we needed to find rhythm to settle the nerves, I think. It was a pretty big occasion.
“I’m not planning on changing anything in the lead-up. When you’re on a 12game winning streak, there’s no real need.
“The key for us will be our defensive pressure though … Defence is definitely where games are won.”
Canberra is the most successful club in WNBL history, with seven championships, but it has been a lean run since they lost the 2010/11 decider to Melbourne, which was also their last finals appearance.
Tonight’s match will be a showdown between the two best offences in the league, with Canberra averaging 85.9 points and Adelaide 82.9 points per game leading in to the grand final series.