Magpies out to end premiership drought

Magpies captain Margaret Coyne believes the grand final heartache of the past two seasons has her side ready to secure an elusive third Albany Basketball Association women’s A-grade title tomorrow night.

The last premiership success for Magpies was back in 2011-12, but they will line-up in a third successive grand final.

Last season Magpies went down by three points to the same opponent they face tomorrow and they lost to Grammar Griffins, 21-17, back in 2016-17.

Coyne believes with their current mix they can secure premiership glory once again, on the back of beating Panthers twice in the past three weeks.

“Our chemistry has really come together at the end of the season,” Coyne said.

“We are going in confident. We’ve wanted this all season.

“The grand final losses will hold us in good stead.

“The girls are more experienced now.

“We just need to play like we have in the last fortnight.

“The young girls have stepped up and our teamwork has been the key.”

Youngster Brodie Dixon will miss the decider with a broken thumb but Magpies still have plenty of scoring firepower with twins Nardia and Narelle Humphries and guard Jasmyne Jones.

Magpies lost their first three games of the season to Panthers before turning the tables in round 16 and then crushing their grand final opponents by 25 points in last week’s second semifinal, led by Nardia Humphries’ 17-point haul.

Panthers will be in search of back-to-back titles under coach David Arthur with Aleesha Narkle, Jade Dimer, Kayla Thomas and Ella Scamozzi the members of last year’s successful team that will again take to the court.