An unprecedented final awaits.
Whatever the result this Saturday, a new name will go on the Dunedin men’s club basketball trophy.
It is the first time in over 20 years that either the Mid City Magic or the St Kilda Saints will not feature in the final.
Both semifinal winners had to come from behind in the final quarter.
The City Rise Bombers beat defending champions Magic 80-75, led by NBL trio Robbie Coman (25 points), Tom Cowie (20) and Matthew Bardsley (16).
That group has returned to give this squad a far stronger look late in the season, propelling the Bombers to their sixth final.
The Magic miss the final for the first time since 2015, having won six of the past seven titles.
The Magic led 36-19 midway through the second quarter, as Mitchell Hughan (34 points) and Josh Aitcheson (15) propelled them to an early buffer.
They held that at 43-31 at halftime, and still led 61-53 heading into the final quarter.
That remained firm as they led 70-63 with just under six minutes to play, at which point the Magic offence disintegrated and the Bombers pounced.
Turnovers and the inability to create a good shot plagued the Magic, as they managed just two more baskets for the rest of the game.
Three free throws started the Bombers’ run, before Coman tipped in a missed layup, and followed that with a three-pointer to take a 71-70 lead.
Hughan responded with a classy mid-range pull-up, but Coman answered again by sinking a pair of free throws.
With that he gave the Bombers a lead they would never lose.
The remainder of the Bombers’ points came at the line, but it was enough to keep in front, despite a late triple from Aitcheson putting the Magic within striking distance.
In the other game the Mid City Lions beat the St Kilda Saints 71-69, booking their second final appearance.
The Lions trailed 66-58 with under five minutes to play, when an 11-1 run stretching into the final minute put them ahead.
Matt Pyper (14 points) had just made a tough finish to give the Saints that lead, with 4min 40sec remaining in the game.
It would be the Saints’ last field goal.
Lachie Cameron (10 points) made a floater, before Noah McDowall (14) hit a hand-in-face three-pointer, bringing it back to 66-63.
Christopher Christof (24) finished at the hoop, and while Lawson Morris-Whyte (23) added one for the Saints at the line, Christof responded with two free throws to draw level at 67-67.
That remained the score until the final 20 seconds, when the Lions called time-out with a baseline inbounds.
McDowall came off a screen from Cameron, and momentary lapse from the Saints left him open to finish under the hoop.
The Saints responded as Mike Ruske was fouled and sank two free throws.
But Christof had the final say, attacking the hoop and drawing the foul, hitting the two winning free throws with 2sec to play.
