The New Zealand Breakers will play the Perth Wildcats in the grand final of the Australian National Basketball League.
The Breakers' Tom Abercrombie takes on Perth in 2015 Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Wildcats cruised into the decider with a 15-point win over the Illawarra Hawks in game three of their semi-final at Perth Arena.
The Cats will host the first game of the play-off against the Breakers in Perth on Wednesday after a brilliant defensive effort by the Cats resulted in a 89-74 win, stamped by a spectacular Casey Prather dunk that gave them an 18-point lead with seven minutes to go.
Conversely, Illawarra just found it too tough to score, particularly in the first half.
Even with the league's MVP, Kevin Lisch, returning from a sprained ankle, the Hawks looked incapable of scoring the 104 points they managed to win game two and force the decider.
Lisch finished with just 11 points, while Kirk Penney led the Hawks scoring with 18 points. Oscar Foreman, who top scored in that last meeting with 21 points, managed only three on Friday.
Jermaine Beale and Jess Wagstaff led the Cats' scoring, with 17 each.
The first game of the grand final series will be held at the Perth Arena on Wednesday, March 2, and game two in New Zealand on Friday, March 4.
The third game, if required, will again be played at the Wildcats home court, on Sunday, March 6.
The Breakers beat Perth in the 2012 and 2013 grand finals.
