NBL1 grand final berths on the line for Hoops Capital stars

This Saturday will see 11 Hoops Capital stars in NBL1 semi-final and preliminary final action all across the country.

In the North Conference, Mikhaela Cann and her Logan Thunder will be playing for a spot in the decider against the Cairns Dolphins at the Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre on Saturday night.

Cann's Thunder finished the season in second spot on the ladder, with a 13-1 record, which saw them have a week off last weekend.

"One of the best attributes of our group is the way we have continued to improve throughout the season," said Cann, who admitted her coaches did a great job of balancing their team's schedule during the week off.

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"We’ve had a lot of disruption in the group (like most teams) and each person has stepped up to fill in shoes, sometimes even changing shoes to do what’s best for the team.

"I’m really proud of our adaptability and willingness to improve each week."

Looking ahead to the clash with the Dolphins, Cann outlined the keys to the fixture and what the victory would mean for her club.

"[The keys to winning are] being ourselves - play smart and find confidence through our preparation,' Cann said.

"They’re a great team that has recently added some new pieces, but we just need to control what we can and leave nothing on the floor.

"Being in a position to win a championship is another step in the right direction towards that end goal.

"We have such a great group of players and people, and I would love to see them all in the big moments where they belong." 

Also up north, Unique Thompson and her Mackay Meteorettes travel to Rowland Cowan Stadium to take on minor premier Southern Districts.

In NSW, the Norths Bears, coached by Renae Garlepp and featuring Carla Pitman and Caitlyn Martin, will host the Centre of Excellence at the North Sydney Indoor Sports Centre.

While the Sutherland Sharks, headlined by Jason Spurgin, Kouat Noi and Shaun Roger, will travel to the nation's capital on Saturday to take on the Canberra Guners.

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Moving to the South Conference and Sydney's two Knox stars Keli Leaupepe and Agnes Emma-Nnopu will take on Melbourne and Keilor, respectively, for a place in the grand final.

Flames recruit Emma-Nnopu outlined that her team is locked in ahead on Saturday.

"The team’s feeling ready - that Dandenong game was exactly the kind of battle we expect in finals, tough, competitive basketball," Emma-Nnopu said.

"We were able to stay composed and execute down the stretch, which is huge this time of year.

"The weekend off gave us a chance to focus on ourselves and fine-tune little things in preparation for this weekend.

'[Looking ahead] the keys [to winning] are knowing their personnel, sticking to the scout, and staying connected.

"We’ve got to be confident in everything we do, if we are going to take shots, we are going to take them confidently without hesitation and trust in our individual and collective skill sets.

"Playing together, and doing the little things, is what’s going to set us apart."

Without looking too far ahead, the TCU alum outlined what the grand final berth would mean for her Raiders.

"[A spot in the decider] would mean a lot," she said.

"From the moment I joined this team, you could feel how much everyone wants to win for each other.

"I’ve heard from some of the girls who’ve been here a few seasons that they’ve come close a few times, but just haven’t been able to get over that final hurdle.

"To be part of helping this group get there, especially with teammates I’ve grown up watching or playing with as a kid, would be really special."

The other Hoops Capital star in action this weekend is Flame #172 Lara McSpadden, whose Diamond Valley Eagles take on the undefeated Geelong United.

Stay up to date with all of Hoops Capital’s off-season news here.