2023 WNBL Finals
| ||||||||||
| Dates | 8 – 22 March | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | 2022–23 | |||||||||
| Teams | 4 | |||||||||
| MVP | Tianna Hawkins (TSV) | |||||||||
| Semifinalists | Melbourne Boomers Perth Lynx | |||||||||
| Matches played | 7 | |||||||||
| Attendance | 16,949 (2,421 per match) | |||||||||
| All statistics correct as of 22 March 2023. | ||||||||||
The 2023 WNBL Finals was the postseason tournament of the WNBL's 2022–23 season.[1] The Melbourne Boomers were the defending champions, but were defeated in the Semi-Finals by Southside.[2] The Townsville Fire won their fourth championship title after sweeping Southside, 2–0 in the Grand Final series.[3]
The WNBL Finals schedule was confirmed 3 March 2023.[4] In addition to domestic broadcast via ESPN and 9Now, the 2023 WNBL Finals will be broadcast internationally through new partnerships with ESPN, beIN Sports & Unbeaten.[5]
Overview[edit]
Finals appearances[edit]
- The Townsville Fire qualified for Finals for the first time since 2020.
- The Southside Flyers qualified for Finals for the first time since 2020.
- The Melbourne Boomers qualified for Finals for the sixth consecutive season, which is the longest active run of WNBL Finals appearances.
- The Perth Lynx qualified for Finals for the second consecutive season.
- The Bendigo Spirit missed Finals for the eighth consecutive season, currently the longest break between Finals appearances in the WNBL.
- The Sydney Flames missed Finals for the fifth consecutive season.
- The Adelaide Lightning missed Finals for the first time since 2020.
- The Canberra Capitals missed Finals for the first time since 2017–18.
Standings[edit]
| # | WNBL Championship ladder | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | PCT | GP | |||||
| 1 | Townsville Fire | 17 | 4 | 80.9 | 21 | ||||
| 2 | Southside Flyers | 15 | 6 | 71.4 | 21 | ||||
| 3 | Melbourne Boomers | 15 | 6 | 71.4 | 21 | ||||
| 4 | Perth Lynx | 13 | 8 | 61.9 | 21 | ||||
| 5 | Bendigo Spirit | 11 | 10 | 52.3 | 21 | ||||
| 6 | Sydney Flames | 6 | 15 | 28.5 | 21 | ||||
| 7 | Adelaide Lightning | 5 | 16 | 23.8 | 21 | ||||
| 8 | Canberra Capitals | 2 | 19 | 5.8 | 21 | ||||
Bracket[edit]
| Semi Finals | Grand Final | ||||||||
| 1 | Townsville Fire | 2 | |||||||
| 4 | Perth Lynx | 0 | |||||||
| 1 | Townsville Fire | 2 | |||||||
| 2 | Southside Flyers | 0 | |||||||
| 3 | Melbourne Boomers | 1 | |||||||
| 2 | Southside Flyers | 2 | |||||||
Semi-Finals[edit]
(1) Townsville Fire vs. (4) Perth Lynx[edit]
9 March 2023
6:30 PM (AEST) |
| Townsville Fire | 81–68 | Perth Lynx |
| Scoring by quarter: 21–19, 27–18, 16–20, 17–11 | ||
| Pts: Reid 24 Rebs: Ruef 12 Asts: Reid, Ruef 3 |
Pts: Whitcomb 22 Rebs: Atwell, Bibby 9 Asts: Scherf, Whitcomb 5 | |
Townsville Entertainment Centre, Townsville, Queensland
Attendance: 2,989 Referees: Tayla Flint, Byron Geddes, Jack Taylor |
12 March 2023
3:30 PM (AWST) |
| Perth Lynx | 84–91 | Townsville Fire |
| Scoring by quarter: 22–27, 21–26, 21–15, 20–23 | ||
| Pts: Whitcomb 26 Rebs: Bibby 7 Asts: Whitcomb 7 |
Pts: Hawkins 23 Rebs: Hawkins, Ruef 8 Asts: Nicholson 7 | |
| Townsville win series, 2–0 | ||
Bendat Basketball Centre, Perth, Western Australia
Attendance: 1,212 Referees: Joshua Durand, Travis Stewart, Jack Taylor |
(2) Southside Flyers vs. (3) Melbourne Boomers[edit]
8 March 2023
7:30 PM (AEDT) |
| Southside Flyers | 84–76 | Melbourne Boomers |
| Scoring by quarter: 25–15, 22–20, 17-18, 20–23 | ||
| Pts: Blicavs 18 Rebs: Thornton 7 Asts: M Rocci 7 |
Pts: T Mitchell 36 Rebs: George 14 Asts: Wallace 5 | |
State Basketball Centre, Melbourne, Victoria
Attendance: 1,623 Referees: Craig Copes, Elliot Green, Calia Hanks |
11 March 2023
7:30 PM (AEDT) |
| Melbourne Boomers | 96–77 | Southside Flyers |
| Scoring by quarter: 27–13, 25–23, 28–23, 16–18 | ||
| Pts: George 28 Rebs: Nelson-Ododa 8 Asts: Wallace 6 |
Pts: Blicavs 15 Rebs: M Rocci 9 Asts: M Rocci 8 | |
Melbourne Sports Centre Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria
Attendance: 2,477 Referees: Madi Crowley-Long, Tayla Flint, Brad Henshaw |
15 March 2023
7:30 PM (AEDT) |
| Southside Flyers | 73–72 | Melbourne Boomers |
| Scoring by quarter: 16–15, 22–17, 18–19, 17–21 | ||
| Pts: Blicavs, M Rocci 14 Rebs: Bishop 12 Asts: M Rocci 6 |
Pts: T Mitchell 23 Rebs: George 13 Asts: George, Wallace 3 | |
| Southside win series, 2–1 | ||
State Basketball Centre, Melbourne, Victoria
Attendance: 1,815 Referees: Byron Geddes, Elliot Green, Calia Hanks |
Grand Final[edit]
(1) Townsville Fire vs. (2) Southside Flyers[edit]
18 March 2023
7:00 PM (AEST) |
| Townsville Fire | 94–63 | Southside Flyers |
| Scoring by quarter: 28–14, 29–24, 21–14, 16–11 | ||
| Pts: Heal 23 Rebs: Ruef 9 Asts: Reid 7 |
Pts: Cole 20 Rebs: Blicavs 6 Asts: M Rocci 4 | |
Townsville Entertainment Centre, Townsville, Queensland
Attendance: 3,717 Referees: Tayla Flint, Byron Geddes, Jack Taylor |
22 March 2023
6:30 PM (AEDT) |
| Southside Flyers | 69–82 | Townsville Fire |
| Scoring by quarter: 18–24, 21–17, 17–16, 13–25 | ||
| Pts: Cole 26 Rebs: Thornton 8 Asts: Bishop 4 |
Pts: Reid 20 Rebs: Ruef 13 Asts: Reid, Ruef 4 | |
| Townsville win series, 2–0 | ||
State Basketball Centre, Melbourne, Victoria
Attendance: 3,116 Referees: Tayla Flint, Calia Hanks, Jack Taylor |
Rosters[edit]
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References[edit]
- ^ WNBL official website
- ^ "Melbourne Boomers are the WNBL 2021/22 Champions". WNBL. wnbl.basketball. 9 April 2022.
- ^ "Townsville Fire defeat Southside Flyers to claim WNBL championship in Melbourne". ABC News. abc.net.au. 22 March 2023.
- ^ Brooke (3 March 2023). "WNBL 2022/23 FINALS SERIES: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW". WNBL. wnbl.basketball.
- ^ Brooke (28 February 2023). "Cygnett WNBL Announces International Broadcast Deal for Finals". WNBL. wnbl.basketball.