Basketball New Zealand

Kilsyth Lady Cobras

One Kiwi advanced a step closer to an Australian national club championship, while another was bounced.

Gemma Kerr and the Kilsyth Lady Cobras continued their late-season surge, defeating Central Australia Basketball League (CABL) rivals North Adelaide Rockets 85-55 in the quarterfinals to reach the Finals this weekend.

Kerr, who helped Kilsyth to the South East Australia Basketball League (SEABL) title two weeks ago, had just two points (1/9 FG, 0/3 3pt, 0/1 FT), three rebounds, an assist and steal in 19 minutes off the bench as the Lady Cobras advanced.

Ahead of them in the national semifinals on Saturday is the all-conquering Queensland Australia Basketball League (QABL) champion Townsville Flames, who rolled former Tall Fern Adrianne Gilbert’s Bankstown Bruins 95-50 in Townsville.

On an off-night, Gilbert managed a single point (0/3 FG, 0/1 3pt, 1/4 FT), two rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes as the Flames surged ahead with a 21-8 second quarter and then strangled the offensive lives out of the Waratah League runners-up in the second half.

In more Australia NBL pre-season action, Tall Blacks captain Pero Cameron had a perfect shooting night with 14 points (4/4 FG, 6/6 FT), along with three rebound and six assists in 22 minutes, and Casey Frank compiled seven points (3/9 FG, 1/2 3pt), six rebounds, two blocks and an assist in 18 minutes as the Gold Coast Blaze defeated the Sydney Spirit 108-100 at Southport on Saturday.

Former Tall Black Tony Rampton missed the game for the Spirit, formerly the West Sydney Razorbacks, while Wellington Saints guard Luke Martin had four points (2/4 FG, 0/1 3pt), two assists, a rebound and steal in 10 minutes off the bench.

Former Tall Fern Lisa Pardon has signed to play with the Bulleen Boomers for the 2008-09 Women’s National Basketball League, joining the Melbourne-based club from the Bendigo Spirit, where she made her WNBL debut last season.