Blazers and Djinda straight through to Harvey Basketball Association grand finals as KEB and Mettlers bow out

Harvey’s basketball final series has started with a bang after some upsets in last week’s play.

The semifinals for the Harvey Basketball Association senior competitions were held at the Harvey Recreation and Cultural Centre on February 14, which was a lovely night for some teams and not for others.

In the men’s competition, the results were tied to each team’s position on the ordinary season ladder, with the higher-ranked team in each match getting across the line.

The Blazers, who suffered only one defeat during the ordinary season, gave themselves a fortnight-long break and direct entry into the grand final after overcoming the Cowboys 79-61.

Max Rognetta led the Blazers’ charge during the game, scoring 27 points.

Despite their best attempts, Kaizen Elite Basketball bowed out of the competition after the Suns shone brighter in their do-or-die clash.

Rex Rees played a large part in getting his team over the line 76-57, scoring 28 of his side’s points.

There was far more volatility in the women’s competition, with the final ladder positions being effectively irrelevant in both matches.

Despite being top dogs in the ordinary season, Djinda forced the Bulls into a playoff on Tuesday with their 64-35 win and guaranteed their spot in the grand final.

Sierraleone Simpson more than proved her worth to the winning side, scoring more than half of Djinda’s points and ending the game with a total of 36.

For the LBH team, it was a matter of counting their lucky stars in their clash against the Mettlers.

After being behind for most of the match, LBH managed to gain the advantage in the final minutes of the game and finished with a slim 34-32 victory.

Good showings by Matilda Cumbers (14 points) and Melissa Hernaman (11 points) kept their finals dreams alive and ended the Mettlers’ season for 2022-23.

Tuesday’s preliminary finals matches will decide who the Blazers and Djinda face next week, with both games starting at 6.30pm.