THE LADDER leaders have got the job done in the semi-finals of the WNBL, with Townsville Fire defeating Perth Lynx in two games to lock in a spot in the Grand Final series.

After taking game one last week, the Fire had the chance to earn some time off before the deciding series by taking down the Lynx in two matches in a best of three series, which is exactly what they did.

While the game two win at Bendat Basketball Centre on Sunday afternoon was closer than the opening encounter, the Fire still proved to be a class above, doing enough to claim a seven-point triumph.

Once again, the Fire had plenty of contributors in the win, a factor that makes them so dangerous and prominent when discussing which side will take it all out this season. Tianna Hawkins continued her impressive WNBL campaign with 23 points on 11/23 shooting to go with eight boards in another towering performance. Although her shooting from behind the arc was a little wayward (1/6 3PT), she was still the focal point of Townsville’s offence.

Teammate Lauren Nicholson was an offensive force in her own right, nailing some big shots while creating plenty of shots for the other Fire players on the court. She finished the match with 15 points and seven assists on 6/10 shooting from the field and 3/4 shooting from behind the arc.

Mid-season recruit Shyla Heal impressed off the bench with 15 points of her own (6/11 FG), while Mikaela Ruef rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Fire in yet another balanced team performance.

For the Lynx, Sami Whitcomb was the standout, carrying her side’s offence with an outstanding solo performance. She finished the match with a game-high 26 points (8/18 FG) to go with seven dimes, single-handedly keeping the home side in the match until the dying stages of the match. Also impressive were Chloe Bibby (18 points, 7/12 FG) and Lauren Scherf (13 points, seven rebounds), although the Lynx were overpowered when it counted in the end.

The win has seen the Fire advance to the final stage of the season, booking in a spot in the Grand Final Series. In that, they will take on the winner of the semi-final series between the Southside Flyers and the Melbourne Boomers, which is currently tied at one game apiece. On the other hand, Perth’s season comes to a close.