IN the National Basketball League (NBL)1 South Women’s Grand Final, Carley Ernst was instrumental in leading the Waverley Falcons to a title by defeating the Keilor Thunder by five points.

Both the Falcons and Thunder came into the game in ripping form after strong preliminary final performances. Waverley was 19 points too strong for the Mt. Gambier Pioneers, while the Thunder dominated the Ballarat Miners to claim a 21-point win, making the decider a tantalising prospect at Dandenong Basketball Stadium on Saturday.

It was a high-scoring start to the match, and it was the Thunder that fired the first shot, leading by eight points at the first change. Waverley not only maintained, but improved its offensive output in the second quarter to snag a two-point buffer at half time. Both sides slowed down scoring the ball in the final two quarters, but courtesy of some clutch plays down the stretch, it was the Falcons that emerged victorious in the grand final.

Ernst was the big-game performer that stood up when it mattered most to see Waverley end as the champions of the South.

Keilor Thunder (82) def. by Waverley Falcons (87)

Carley Ernst – 26 points, four rebounds, two assists, three blocks

Ernst was the hero for the Falcons, leading the way in a high-scoring clash to be the most damaging player on the offensive end.

She finished with a game-high 26 points on 12/23 shooting, doing most of her work inside the arc as she looked to drive the ball inside and finish close to the basket.

The most impressive facet of Ernst’s game was her first half performance. As mentioned above, the first two quarters saw the Falcons firing on all cylinders, and she was at the forefront of that offensive efficiency.

In the first half alone, Ernst poured in 18 points and was outstanding in getting Waverley to a strong lead in the context of the match. She was scoring in all kinds of ways, whether it was backing down her opponent and finishing at the basket, or showing her range with deft mid-range makes.

The defence gave her much more attention in the second half, and she was far more restricted in her ability to hit the scoreboard as a result, but she still chimed in for a crucial lay-up late in the piece to give the Falcons a match-winning lead.

Ernst’s first half scoring was the defining factor in the match, allowing her team to snag the lead at half time and setting the Falcons up for a title-winning finish to the contest.