A tale of two stories at Darebin Stadium, Melbourne, with UWA Maali men victorious over the University of the Sunshine Coast, whilst the women narrowly lose to La Trobe University in an epic battle.

The first game featured a re-match between UWA Maali women and La Trobe University. Arguably, this was the highlight game in the playoff fixture with these two sides battling it out down to the wire. UWA Maali carried it’s winning momentum into the first half of the game with strong attacking play and lockdown defence that nullified the La Trobe team. The reigning champions turned the tables and thwarted off the UWA Maali pressure to comeback in the second half of the game. In the last quarter, both teams struggled to find consistency, however, UWA Maali fought back with tough defensive. An 8-point turnaround from the team in blue and yellow put the La Trobe side under immense pressure. The nail bitter came with ten seconds remaining on the shot clock, Sydney Meares banks a three-pointer to close the deficit by two points but couldn’t overcome the reigning champions. UWA Maali lose 58-56 to La Trobe University.

The men’s team held onto its finals journey with UWA Maali conquering the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) in a thrilling encounter. In a game with fluctuating momentum, neither side were able to take control in the early moments. Each team quickly rattled off the nerves and the game switched in intensity. The tightly contested game went back and forth until UWA Maali stepped up in the back end of the third quarter to push a 9-point lead. UWA Maali Head Coach Jackson Mews installed belief in the team to close out the game in commanding fashion. The men’s team flipped the script to extend the lead to a 20-point margin. Kyiah O’Donohue became unstoppable in defence and a formidable force in the attack-end with the fast break. Contributing to the lead, Oliver Haste, and Nick Floyd both flourished in the last quarter. A combination of superb defensive and strong drives to the paint, layered with flashy lay ups and two-point jump shots. At last, UWA Maali secure a semi-final birth with a 84-64 win over UniSC. A historic moment for UWA Maali, making it’s first semi-final appearance in the University Basketball League (UBL).

For more information on the UBL competition, visit UniSport and watch replays at UniSport TV.