Polar Bears secure Big Q trifecta
THEY received their biggest test to date, however the Polar Bears were able to secure their third Big Q title in an overtime thriller.
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BASKETBALL: The Polar Bears secured their Big Q three-peat in the most dramatic of fashions, with a 65-59 overtime grand final victory over Toowoomba Saints at the weekend.
In unprecedented scenes for the competition, the Polar Bears (previously USQ), looked to seal the win as Joe McConnell broke the deadlock with a three-pointer with just six seconds to play.
Sharpshooter Cameron Weber thought otherwise, as the Saints came out the time-out and found the Mountaineers guard from long range to tie proceedings up with just one second remaining.
The Polar Bears almost won it in regulation, with a pinpoint alley oop play to Paul Aleer rimming out, forcing the extra period.
A quickfire five points from Kobi Hinch, who averaged 18 points per game over the weekend, gave them a lead they wouldn't surrender.
Captain-coach Jack Gallagher said his side didn't expect anything less than a thriller with the Saints, but is pleased they were able to get over the line.
"It was an awesome game to be a part of," Gallagher said.
"You can never count the Saints out. For as young as we are, they have years and years of experience over us and it showed.
"We struggle to score points on them when we come up against them,
"Joe hit the three and I thought we had it won, but then Cam come down and hit a three.
"I thought we had the perfect inbounds play with one second to go but unfortunately Paul just missed the alley oop."
Not letting the final play get to them, the Polar Bears responded with a 10-4 overtime period to lift the trophy once again.
After wins over the Warwick Wildcats in the first two grand finals of the competition, Gallagher described the team's latest success as one of their finest victories.
"It was definitely our toughest win given that it went to overtime," he said.
"The competition just keeps getting stronger each year and there's no easy games.
"We haven't finished a regular season in first. We were fourth last year and third this time around."
Aleer led with a game high 20 points for the Polar Bears, along with 15 from Hinch, while Weber's 18 was a high for the Saints, to go with 14 from Jason Ebneter and Glenn Reimann.
SEMI FINALS: Polar Bear ice Wildcats, Saints edge out Runnin Rebels
The Polar Bears booked their spot in the decider courtesy of a dominant 91-53 defeat of Warwick.
A one-sided first quarter saw them take a 25-5 lead through one, and lead by as much as 46 points as they avenged a carnival defeat to the Wildcats in Warwick.
The other semi final saw the Saints edge out Harristown to the tune of 74-63.
Ebneter (29 points) and Weber (22) led the way as the Saints opened up a handy 23-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, to hold the ascendancy at the end of each break.
The Runnin' Rebels cut the lead back to as few as two points in the closing stages of the third quarter, however the Saints were able to respond in style in the final term to book their first ever Big Q grand final spot.
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