Back to the Big Dance: Cobra Men, Women, return to VYC Championship Game
The Cobra Women did it tough against the #8 seed McKinnon Cougars on Saturday night, pulling away late to survive an intense, physical battle, 71-59. A classic postseason physical slugfest, the Cobras dug deep to overcome early turnover and cold shooting woes, leaning in on their defence late as their championship resolve was on full display. Trailing 59-58 with five minutes remaining, the Cobras would hold the Cougars scoreless the rest of the way; dialling up the defensive intensity into overdrive, and relentlessly attacking the paint on the offensive end as they closed the game on a crushing 13-0 to advance.
Star centre Lily Exton led the way with 17 points, 18 rebounds, three assists and five steals; defensive menace Krystal Arnason recorded 14 points, five rebounds, three steals and five blocks; star wing Hannah Day added 14 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals in a well rounded performance, and Katie Wilson came up big with a 11-point, 12-rebound double-double, and Sienna Rushgrove chipped-in with nine big points off the bench in the win.
The win secures the Cobras a second straight championship game at home, where they'll once again face the Keilor Thunder in a rematch of last year's title game. The 2025 championship bout produced one of the most memorable games in league history, with the Cobras winning a double-overtime classic at Kilsyth in front of a sellout crowd.
Tickets selling fast for this one; get yours now and help your Cobra Women complete their quest to repeat as champions.
The Cobra Men kept their remarkable postseason streak alive, booking their fourth consecutive championship game appearance as they downed the Sandringham Sabres, 74-64 at home on Saturday night. A rematch of the 2024 title game, the Cobras took control late in the third quarter and never looked back, with Macauley Haig's big fourth quarter keeping the Sabres at bay to push Kilsyth back to the finale. Haig scored 10 points and pulled down five rebounds in the fourth quarter alone, combining with fellow veterans Wyatt Stewart, Nick Day, Adam Slavnic and Sam Trezise in crunch time to come up big on both ends of the floor.
Haig finished with game-highs of 19 points and 13 rebounds to go along with five assists; Trezise recorded 13 points, six boards and three assists; Stewart added 11 points, aight rebounds, five assists and two steals; Day chipped in with nine bounds, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks, and Slavnic continued his strong postseason campaign with eight points and six rebounds.
The Cobras will now head to Melbourne to take on the Tigers on Sunday (2pm MSAC), in a battle of the 2023 championship game; the start of Kilsyth's four straight title game appearances. The Cobras fell short in that 2023 showdown, but now entering as the reigning champions, the stage is set for a thriller between the league's two powerhouse teams.
Tickets for Sunday's road showdown are selling fast - get yours now and help bring the noise on the road.
