Hume City Broncos avoided any last round hiccups to extend their winning streak to 19 games heading into Big V women’s state championship finals.
The Broncos, who have played in the last three grand finals series and won two of them, lost only one game this season to finish a game clear on top of the ladder.
The final weekend of the regular season saw the Broncos have big wins against Diamond Valley and Eltham.
They beat Diamond Valley 77-46 on Saturday night, with Viv Saad scoring 21 points and Mua Laloifi chipping in with 19.
And they backed up on Sunday with a 107-56 win over Eltham.
After a quiet night, pointswise, on Saturday night, Colleen Planeta topped the scoring with 29 points.
Broncos coach Katrina Hibbert made the focus before the games of not letting their guard down and ensuring they finish in top spot.
“Getting top spot gives you a mental edge,” she said.
“I reminded the girls that we’d slipped up against Diamond Valley in Diamond Valley in the past and we needed to avoid that.
“The last couple of games were more about fine tuning.”
After losing last year’s grand final, Hibbert knows the Broncos have a bit more depth this season, with most of the players taking on a starting-five role at times this season.
Two-time reigning MVP Planeta remains the key to the side, averaging 23.4 points and 10.6 rebounds a game.
Hibbert said she believed Planeta deserved a third MVP award.
“You think she’s not having a great game and she still shoots 50 per cent from the field,” she said.
“She’s always having an influence on games.”
Laloifi is leading the back up with plenty of support.
“She has stepped up even more in the last few weeks and is having a more scoring role. Other people are filling roles, and we can rotate everyone through and pick the best match-ups.
“It’s such a luxury for the players to be so accepting of playing their roles.”
Hibbert said the Broncos would take a squad of 11 into the finals, with Sophie Byrnes and Samara Gallaher to miss because of injury.
Nicole Zammit will be back for the Broncos first finals match next weekend.
The Broncos have the bye this week after finishing on top of the table and will have Nicole Zammit back for the first finals match next weekend.
“She won’t be in game shape but she’ll be handy to have coming off the bench,” Hibbert said.
The Broncos’ week off will involve a practice match against undefeated division 1 side Sunbury Jets, who also have the week off.
Meanwhile, Hibbert confirmed that she won’t be coaching the side for a third year as she has been announced as a development coach with Women National Basketball League side Melbourne Boomers.
“I’ve made connections and done a bit of state stuff the last two years and coached Hume City,” she said.
“I’ve played at the highest level and have aspirations to get there as a coach, too.
“I work six days a week and committing to four sessions with the Boomers is too much to keep coaching here.”
The club has already advertised the role and Hibbert said it was possibly an opportunity for a new face to join the club.
