Basketball New Zealand

Lisa Pardon (ImageSport NZ)

Kiwi Lisa Pardon is still alive in her bid for an Australian WNBL title … but former Tall Ferns team-mate Aneka Davis has been bundled out of the championship race.

Davis returned from a pesky ankle injury to log 22 minutes and register four points, three rebounds and two steals, but even her defensive harassment of megastar Lauren Jackson (16 points/seven rebounds) could not keep Townsville Fire in their knockout game against defending champions Canberra Capitals.

The Caps overwhelmed Townsville 70-39 behind a 41-20 second half with young forward Abby Bishop outshining her more illustrious team-mate with a 20 points/16 rebound double double for the winners.

Canberra now meet Sydney University Flames for the right to face Pardon’s Bulleen Boomers in next Saturday’s grand final.

The regular-season champions tipped Sydney 72-55 in their semifinal with the Kiwi recording two points, two rebounds and an assist in nine minutes.

In Switzerland, former Tall Black Brendon Polyblank guided his Fribourg team to a 79-65 win over Monthey with 19 points (5/11 FG, 9/9 FT), seven rebounds, five steals and an assist.

After facing former Wellington Saints team-mate Mike Evevberha in a loss to Lugano the previous week, Polyblank encountered another familiar foe – former Hawks and Auckland Stars import Kareem Johnson had 12 points/six rebounds for Monthey.

Fribourg are now 19-5 for the season, third on the LNA table.

Tall Fern Jillian Harmon helped her Pool Comense team to 71-61 win over Familia Wuber Schio in the Italian Lega A, scoring 12 points (6/13 FG) and adding eight rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block.

Meanwhil, international team-mate Micaela Cocks did not enjoy her visit to Harmon’s alma mater – Stanford University – with the University of Oregon.

The Ducks were cooked 60-104 by the Pac-10 powerhouse, although Cocks led their effort with 20 points (7/18 FG, 1/5 3pt, 5/5 FT), two rebounds, an assist and a block.

To compound their anguish, Oregon were also toppled 79-73 by UC Berkeley on their San Francisco road trip, with Cocks managing eight points (3/10 FG, 2/4 3pt), one rebound and two assists.

UO are now 16-9 for the season and 7-6 in conference play.

Tall Ferns rookie Erin Rooney had five points (1/8 FG, 1/5 3pt, 2/4 FT), four rebounds and four assists as Monmouth University fell 55-68 to Long Island University.

The Hawks are now 15-12 for the season and 10-6 in the North East Conference.