BSBL women’s A-grade: Tornadoes Black cap off dominant season with 42-point grand final win over Tornadoes Red

Tornadoes Black capped off their dominant Bunbury Senior Basketball League women’s A-grade season with a 42-point grand final victory over Tornadoes Red on Friday night.

The premiers came in as red-hot favourites having dropped only one game across the regular season and had far too much quality for their opponents, running out 94-52 victors.

Red came out of the blocks looking like they were up for the contest, with Sierraleone Simpson finishing a pair of strong drives at the basket inside the game’s opening minute.

Centre Javene Fitch got her side going by grabbing several offensive rebounds as Black began to get to work, breaking out to a 25-15 lead with only seconds remaining in the first term before a successful contested deep heave at the quarter-time buzzer from Jasmine Barrett kept Red in touch.

Black quickly signalled their intent to start the second period, with a long Tiahna Sears jumper, a Fitch drop-step and long bombs from Ebony Bilcich and Skye Palmer seeing them extend their lead out to 16 points inside the term’s opening two minutes.

Nothing was going right for Red, who looked to be battling with the shot clock and left several points at the free throw line as they went into half-time facing a 51-25 deficit.

With the result all but determined, the second half was something of a flat affair, with Black dominating the last two quarters 43 points to 17.

Red at least had some moments to celebrate in the second half, with a three from young gun Jean Coyle and a strong finish from Charlotte Mills after a spin move getting their supporters off their feet.

Black’s star Bilcich scored 25 points and was recognised as the most valuable player of the grand final, while competition leading scorer Sears scored 23 despite hardly getting out of second gear.

Despite the result, Lauren Vincent (17 points), Simpson (12) and Barrett (11) all never stopped trying for Red.

Sears secured the competition’s MVP award on the back of a dominant season which saw her average 32.9 points per game and nearly double the output of the competition’s next highest scorer.

Two Aces Sky players picked up individual honours, with Catherine Hough named MVP runner-up and Addison Edwards recognised as the competition’s rising star.

Sears, Barrett and Hough were named in the season’s all-star five alongside Isabella Andrew (Aces Navy) and Karinda Farrant (Conquerors).