THE NBL1 Grand Finals are taking place over the country at the moment, as the best sides attempt to pass the final hurdle en route to the ultimate goal.

The North competition has wrapped things up with the Ipswich Force taking out the men’s competition, while the Northside Wizards were crowned champions of the Women’s league.

However, there are still plenty of deciders to be played out, with a lot of action on the cards for this weekend, including some big names set to take the court and drive their respective sides to the title.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at some of the key players that will have a big role to play in the NBL1 South Grand Finals, taking place this weekend.

Men’s

Ben Ayre – Sandringham Sabres

Ayre has been the man for the Sabres this season, acting as a barometer for the team and will likely do so this weekend as well. He has shown the capability to carry the team’s offence on a consistent basis, and was at his brilliant best again in the preliminary final win over the Diamond Valley Eagles last weekend. Ayre top-scored again (as he has done for most of the season) with 27 points and eight assists. Expect the offence to start and sometimes end in his hands given his ability to generate scores for either himself or his teammates.

Wayne Stewart Jr. – Knox Raiders

The Raiders have a lot of match-winning talent on their list, but none loom as crucial as Stewart Jr., who can produce big scores on any given night. He exploded in the semi-final with 26 points and nine rebounds in the win over the Wildcats, but was much more restricted in the preliminary final. In that game, the Pioneers defended him well and restricted him to just 11 points. If he can get back to his best in the big dance, it will make the Raiders much tougher to contain.

Women’s

Cassidy McLean – Bendigo Braves

The Braves have a plethora of game-changers, boasting the most stacked roster in the entire competition with plenty of WNBL talent. Although the likes of Megan McKay and Amy Atwell will no doubt be involved in the decider, McLean looms as the wildcard for Bendigo. The Braves have been heavy title favourites, but face some in-form opposition and scraped past the preliminary final by a solitary point, so they still could be vulnerable. However, McLean has the opportunity to overcome her inaccurate patch of form at the moment and light it up from behind the arc, where she does her best work.

Rebecca Cole – Waverley Falcons

The Falcons are in some ripping form themselves, but come up against a Braves side that has not lost a game all season. Simply put, Waverley’s big guns will need to lead from the front if it is to cause the most timely of upsets. That starts with Cole, who brings plenty of experience to the table and has either played with or against much of Bendigo’s side in the WNBL. The veteran will need to put the offence on her back, given she is the most capable of delivering a match-winning performance.