Posted on 4 August, 2017

The Cobras and Lady Cobras play host to the Mt Gambier Pioneers and Sydney Uni Sparks, respectively, on Saturday night in their SEABL regular season finale, and we’re letting all Junior Domestic Players wearing their team gear enter FREE!

Entering on a three game win streak, the Lady Cobras (17-4) can cement the SEABL’s top regular season record for the second consecutive season with a win over Sydney on Saturday night. Though their offence has struggled of late, the Lady Cobras have been stifling on the defensive end, holding opponents to just 58.3 points per game during their current streak. Angela Beadle (24.0ppg/8.7rpg last three) has shouldered the load offensively, while Sarah Parsons (12.0ppg/8.3rpg/4.0apg) continues to round into pre-retirement form with solid play on both ends of the floor.

Sydney (12-9) enters as one of the league’s hottest teams, winning four of their past five games to secure the third seed in the East Conference. Led by the duo of Sarah Graham (15.2ppg/3.9apg) and Shanae Greaves (11.6ppg/8.2rpg), the Sparks have shown that they can light it up with the best, but also turn games into a defensive slugfest. Prior to last week’s loss to Hobart, Sydney had held its previous four opponents to just 53.3 points per game, which could pose problems for the Lady Cobras if they continue their offensive slump.

With Sarah Parsons set to play in her 300th SEABL game and with a chance to secure a first round home final, expect the Lady Cobras to come out with energy as they look to start the postseason in prime position. And with Kilsyth expecting to boast a full roster for the first time this season – Emily Fryters has recovered from injury while Maddie Garrick has returned from the FIBA Asia Cup – they have a strong chance of celebrating Parsons’ milestone in style while wrapping up the East’s top seed.

The Cobra Men kept their playoff hopes alive with a spectacular 103-93 road victory over Albury-Wodonga on Saturday for their third consecutive win. Coupled with a Sandringham loss, the Cobras now control their postseason destiny in their season finale, with a win securing the East’s fourth and final playoff position and a first round final on the road against Geelong. Kilsyth’s win over the Bandits was arguably their most impressive of 2017, with six players scoring in double-figures for Justin Schueller’s team as they continue to peak at the right time of year.

Taking down Mt Gambier will be no easy task, though, with the Pioneers entering with SEABL’s top record at 20-2. Winners of their past eight games, the Pioneers boast a potent offensive starting group led by import Daniel Alexander (18.7ppg/9.4rpg) and guards Tom Daly (16.6ppg/4.8apg) and Brad Hill (15.1ppg/7.0rpg/4.8apg). Last year’s national runners-up came out on top in their first match-up this season, defeating a shorthanded Cobras team in Mt Gambier, 82-66, in Round 9.

With both teams playing some scintillating basketball of late, Saturday’s do-or-die game for the Cobras should be a thriller. Kilsyth’s frontcourt combo of Auryn Macmillan and Chris Patton has come up big in recent weeks and will need to step up once again to counter the skilful Alexander, and if they win the frontcourt battle and Owen Odigie can limit the playmaking of Hill, the Cobras have a chance to earn a much deserved playoff berth.

The Cobra NWBL Men take on the Red Dust Heelers at 4pm in wheelchair basketball action to tip-off the evening, followed by the Lady Cobras at 6pm and the Men at 8pm. All Junior Domestic Players wearing their team gear receive FREE ENTRY for all three games, so get down and help our Cobras finish the regular season in style, while celebrating the outstanding career of Sarah Parsons!