Pigs book all Sydney NBL final - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Pigs book all Sydney NBL final

By Laine Clark 15/03/2004 10:20:32 PM Comments (0)

An all-Australian team made the national basketball league grand final for the first time in 25 years as a John Rillie-inspired West Sydney Razorbacks held out the Wollongong Hawks 110-95.

Boomers guard Rillie hit 45 points, equalling his career high, to ensure the Pigs claimed the best of three semi-final series 2-0 and became the first team without an import since St Kilda in 1979 to make the season decider.

It also booked the NBL's first all-Sydney grand final series after arch rivals and defending champions the Kings ousted the Bullets in Brisbane on Sunday night.

In a highly charged match in which even the Razorbacks mascot was cautioned by the referee, West Sydney kept its emotions in check long enough to maintain a perfect 7-0 finals record at home, affectionately known as the Pig Pen.

Roared on by a 2755-strong crowd, Rillie chimed in with Russell Hinder (16pts), Simon Dwight (15) and Sam Mackinnon (13) to lock in the Pigs' second grand final appearance in three seasons after they lost out to Adelaide in 2001-02.

For 2000-01 NBL champion Wollongong, import Darnell Mee (18), Axel Dench and Glen Saville (both 17) gave their all.

NBL commissioner Rick Burton was at the game and must have been licking his lips in anticipation for a dream grand final series which placed the bitter rivals together - the blue collar Pigs against the glamour Kings.

The best of five grand final series starts at the Kings' home, the Sydney Entertainment Centre, on March 24.

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