Match Report: Semi-final win sets up final rematch

Endeavour Ipswich Basketball Club’s Senior Women held off the Brent Bulls to win their WNBL Division One play-off semi-final 80-77, setting up a rematch of last year’s final against City of London Academy Southwark Pride. This will be the third time the two teams have met in the WNBL Playoff Final in five years, and marks a fifth consecutive appearance in the showcase event for the London side.

Against Brent, Ipswich looked to have built a mountain for the visitors to climb by the end of the first quarter, winning the opening period 31-11, a similar advantage to the National Cup Final back in January, a game that the Suffolk side went on to win by 28 points. However, that was not the case on this occasion, with the Bulls winning the remaining three quarters by seventeen points, fighting to the death in what turned out to be one of the games of the season.

Not for the first time in recent weeks, Ipswich were led by a phenomenal performance from Hannah Gray. The WEABL Final MVP went for an outrageous 38 point, 14 rebound double-double, while Harriet Welham was also in fine form, adding 24 points and 13 rebounds as the two Ipswich products led from the front to help secure the team another trip to Manchester.

Hannah Gray has hit form at the perfect time - setting season-highs week by week as the playoffs have gone on. Photo: Richard Leach

The final, in Manchester on Sunday the 27th April, sees Ipswich again face City of London Academy Southwark Pride. CoLA edged the WNBL Division One regular season, winning the league with a 19-3 record, as opposed to Ipswich’s 18-4. With Ipswich winning the National Cup, both teams have already earned one piece of silverware at senior level this season. At the junior and academy level, CoLA claimed the U18 cup, beating Ipswich in the final, while Ipswich (Copleston) were crowned WEABL National Champions last month. The 23/24 season was also all CoLA and Ipswich at U18, U19 and senior level – further demonstrating the dominance of these two great programmes. The upcoming final will no doubt add another exciting chapter to one of the country's great basketball rivalries.

Ipswich Basketball Club are again exploring the possibility of a supporters bus for the final in Manchester, so please watch this space for more information.