On Sunday,just five days before Christmas,the three women played important roles as the Southside Flyers won their first title with a 99-82 win over the Townsville Fire in Townsville that closed out an exhausting 55-day condensed season in North Queensland.
“I was at Alphington and I saw a photo of us celebrating that title and I sent the picture to Jenna saying I want this again,” an emotional Cambage told broadcasters post game.
“I hadn’t even thought about signing yet,I just wanted that moment again with Jenna. She’s one of the best leaders and an all-round great athlete and I’m just so happy I got to do it again with her.”
Foul trouble kept Cambage to 14 points in 15 minutes but championship veterans like Leilani Mitchell,Steph Blicavs,O’Hea and Jarry all played key roles as did star guard Bec Cole (22 points,14 in the last quarter) who walked away with her first championship in 11 WNBL seasons.
Mitchell scored 21 of her 31 points in the first half to come away with her second Rachael Sporn grand final most valuable player award,but what mattered most to the Flyers was that they had turned two months away from home into an unforgettable title.
"Two months is a long time to live out of a bag,"Flyers coach Cheryl Chambers said.