Half Mile Bulls and Retrieve Raiders will contest the final of the LABA/104.3 POWER FM Mash Championships following semi-final wins over Victory Valley Royals and Amelia Ward Jets respectively on Saturday.
Played at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Hard-court, Linden, Bulls downed Royals 71-65 with Michael Turner and Terron Welch scoring 22 and 21 points respectively.
Assisting with 10 points was Travin Dryden. For the losing team, Harold Adams recorded a game-high 29 points.
Trailing 15-12 following the end of the first period, Bulls seized control of the fixture in the second period, netting 19 points while restricting Royals to 11 to take a 31-26 lead at half time.
Royals battled back in the third period, cutting the deficit to one as they outscored Bulls 22-18 to trail 49-48 entering the final quarter. However, Bulls claimed the hard-fought contest as they outscored their opponents 22-17 in the final quarter.
Meanwhile, Raiders squeaked past Jets 47-45 with Dwayne ‘Sugar’ Roberts the top scorer with 22 points.
Joel Webster and Parish Cadogan top scored with 11 points each for the losing team.
Raiders claimed the early lead in the contest as they outscored their opponent 14-11.
The advantage was then built on in the second quarter as the scored 15 points while restricting Jets to five points to lead 29-16 at half time period.
It eventually became a fixture of two halves as Jets reduced the deficit to five points, outscoring Raiders 11-3 to enter the final period trailing by five points (27-32).
Raiders, though, held on for the win despite being outhustled 18-15. The grand finale and third place playoff will be staged on Saturday at the same venue.
