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THE Perry Lakes Hawks finished the Women’s SBL season on top of the standings and moved through to the semi finals with an 85-61 Game 2 quarter-final victory against the Cockburn Cougars on Friday night.

In the only Game 2 Women’s quarter-final match up on Friday night, the Lady Hawks proved too strong for the Cougars claiming the 24-point victory at Wally Hagan Stadium.

That sees Perry Lakes advance to the semi finals to play either the Stirling Senators or Willetton Tigers.

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The Cougars took it right up to the Hawks last Friday night in Game 1 at Bendat Basketball Centre even though the top-seeded Perry Lakes ended up prevailing 83-68.

It was much closer than that final scoreline suggest between the No. 1 and 8 seeds, and again on Friday night at Wally Hagan Stadium, the Cougars came out strongly in the first half.

Cockburn was able to lead by three at quarter-time and four midway through the second after a Taryn Priestly layup. But the Hawks steadied and regrouped as they did in Game 1 to lead by five at half-time.

The Cougars continued their aggressive approach to try and rattle the Hawks and force them out of their system and into turnovers, but Perry Lakes stood up to it well and continued to pull away throughout the second half.

The Lady Hawks led by as much 24 and that was the final margin.

Sarah Donovan top-scored for Perry Lakes with 19 points and 11 rebounds as the Hawks’ bigs asserted their authority. Tony Farnworth also had 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals, Nat Burton 13 points and 10 boards, and Emily Burton five points, four rebounds and three assists.

Mia Satie was playing her last game before heading off to college and had 13 points and eight rebounds in yet another impressive display. Kate Anthony also had eight points and Lauren Jeffers seven to go with seven assists.

Lindsey Doucette top-scored for the Cougars with 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

BJ Moyes added 14 points for Cockburn, Taryn Priestly 10 points and five rebounds, and Kirsty Pitcher seven points.

Perry Lakes coach Deanna Smith was happy with the way her team handled the physical opposition from the Cougars to come away with two solid, but hard-earned wins.

“We know that we trust in our processes and I know that I use that word a lot, but they are the things that we have in place and have built upon throughout the season so that when we get under intense pressure we know that our fall back is what we’ve been working on,” Smith said.

“I’m definitely really proud of the way the girls have handled that pressure with the change up in the physicality. They responded positively to that and it’s definitely an improvement for us that has happened throughout the whole season.

“We knew they were a really quality team and when they are up and about we knew they could put us under pressure, but we always trusted what we’ve got in place and the fitness we have to hang in there when it’s close.

“For us we have that belief whether it’s Cockburn we are playing or Mandurah, Lakeside, Stirling or Willetton. We have that same belief and we go in and give 100 per cent with trust in what we’ve put in place.”

The other Women’s Game 2 quarter-final matches take place on Saturday night with the Willetton Tigers hosting the Stirling Senators, the Perth Redbacks playing the Mandurah Magic and the Joondalup City Wolves taking on the Lakeside Lightning.

The Tigers, Redbacks and Lady Wolfpack all need to win to force deciding Game 3s to be played Sunday.

WOMEN’S QUARTER FINAL RESULTS – GAME 2s
Cockburn Cougars 61 lost to Perry Lakes Hawks 85 (Hawks win 2-0)

WOMEN’S QUARTER FINAL FIXTURES – GAME 2s
SATURDAY
Willetton Tigers v Stirling Senators – Willetton Basketball Stadium 6pm (Senators lead 1-0)
Joondalup City Wolves v Lakeside Lightning – Joondalup Basketball Stadium 6pm (Lightning lead 1-0)
Perth Redbacks v Mandurah Magic – Belmont Oasis 7pm (Magic lead 1-0)

WOMEN’S QUARTER FINAL FIXTURES – GAME 3s (if required)
SUNDAY
Stirling Senators v Willetton Tigers – Warwick Stadium 12pm
Mandurah Magic v Perth Redbacks – Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre 12pm
Lakeside Lightning v Joondalup City Wolves – Lakeside Recreation Centre 2pm

Photo by Belinda Pike (Croc Photography)