Mark Wawszkowicz has been around basketball as a player and coach long enough to sense when a team is ready to step up and take the champion’s mantle.
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After three successive play-off campaigns dropping out at the first hurdle, he believes the Maitland Mustangs Division 1 Women’s team is ready to take that step.
“I’m pretty excited about their chances. This is the fourth year in a row they have been in the play-offs but I really believe this is the team to win that first women’s championship,” Wawszkowicz said.
The Mustangs start that quest against the only team they haven’t beaten this year, former champions Wagga Wagga Blaze at the Hills Basketball Stadium at 3pm on Saturday.
The winner of the game will take on the winner of the other semi-final between Coffs Harbour Suns and Shoalhaven Tigers in the grand final at 1pm on Sunday.
“We were down on numbers in our first game against Wagga and in the second game we were well below our best.
“The stole a start on us in the first quarter, we matfched them in the middle of the game and they finished over us at the end.
“They were at their very best and had a couple of really outstanding performers in that second game.
“Our leading scorer Shakera Reilly was playing her third game of the weekend after commitments with Central Coast in champions league and most of the other girls were well down on their games.
“Having a fresh Shakera will make a big difference for us and I think we have a lot more points of difference to take into the game that they have not prepared for.
“We saw their best and we will get a far more even contribution across the team to counter their top two or three players.
“We regularly have four or five players in double points, but I think for us to win we need someone to score 20 or more.
“We’ve got several players capable of that. Which one it will be I’m not sure but I’m confident one or more will get the job done.”
Wawszkowicz said whoever progressed from the other semi-final will be a a tough opponent, but at their best Maitland can win.
While the ultimate prize awaits, Maitland is celebrating some tremendous individual efforts with three members of the Maitland women’s team winning competition awards.
Jessica Orr was named best defensive player in the Division 1 competition, Reilly was named as a guard and Amanda Bendeich centre in the Allstars 5.
Young men’s star Daniel Millburn capped off an outstanding season by winning the MVP award in the Youth Men’s competition, leading points scorer and named as a forward in the Allstar 5.
