Every week, ESPN's Megan Hustwaite brings together news stories that have caught her eye across the WNBL.
CHIBBA IS CLUTCH
Relief. Shock. Defence.
That's what went through Alex Ciabattoni's mind after she hit the game winner on Sunday to give Perth Lynx home-court advantage in the semifinals.
The one-point win in Townsville secured second spot for the Lynx and home-court advantage in a best-of-three series against the Fire starting Saturday night.
The teams will play each other, for a third straight season, in a bid to earn a spot in the Grand Final series.
"Honestly, the first emotion was relief then 'oh my god, what just happened?' and then I thought I've got to play defence," Ciabattoni told WNBL Weekly postgame.
"Knowing how long this Perth-Townsville trip is, a nine-hour travel day, knowing we go home and host the first game is the best feeling, we have nearly a week to prepare, family and friends there, the crowd -- it makes such a difference.
"Whatever happens now at least we've given ourselves a good opportunity."
Ciabattoni did the road trip without her toddler Elijah and flew home on Monday, instead of to Melbourne for the league awards, to be with her young family.
Sunday's game winner was the 30-year-old's first at WNBL level, in her seventh season in the league.
EXPERIENCE COUNTS FOR PLENTY
The WNBL's tag line might be 'The Future Is Here' but some of the league's most experienced, respected, and credentialled players will be taking centre stage in finals.
The most dominant finals player of the modern era, Kelsey Griffin, returns to postseason action and an arena she has made her own when Bendigo host Sydney in game one of their best-of-three series starting Sunday in Bendigo.
A four-time champion, two with the Spirit and two with the Caps, and three-time Rachael Sporn Medallist, for Grand Final MVP, it's been three years since Griffin played finals.
The 37-year-old will do so alongside games record holder Kelly Wilson, 41, freshly-crowned Suzy Batkovic Medallist Sami Whitcomb, 36, and triple Olympian Marianna Tolo, 35.
"I hope we can change the perception of what a WNBL athlete should be because Kelly is still impacting the game incredibly at 41 years old, I'm doing it at 37, Sami's absolutely smashing it and will take home the MVP at 36," Griffin says.
"I'm hoping we show that there is no time limit to a professional female athlete's career and we've got some amazing young talent but we also have some incredible, experienced talent in this league."
TWIN FLAMES
Finals are filled with stories and two rippers come from Sydney where the Flames return to postseason action for the first time since 2017-18.
Teenager Bonnie Deas, one of the most talented rising stars in the country, will play her first WNBL final against Bendigo on Sunday in just her 18th game.
In her first career start against Southside on Saturday, Deas, recorded an 11-point-10-rebound double-double plus four steals.
Isa Brancatisano was a development player in 2014-15 at the West Coast Waves, now known as Perth Lynx, and now a decade later will play finals in her first fully-contracted campaign.
"It's a great story because she's a 30-year-old rookie and her ambition was to always play in the WNBL so she's had an opportunity, we've had injuries and we brought her in late," coach Guy Molloy said.
"Isa had to cancel the contract she had in New Zealand to fulfil this WNBL dream and she's been a tough little competitor all year."
BOW FOR BISHOP
Athletes are rarely afforded fairytale endings to their careers but, fittingly, it's what Abby Bishop deserved and received in the final round of the season.
The Olympic medallist, league MVP, and triple WNBL champion announced her retirement on December 30 then answered an SOS from the club where she won her titles and MVP honours, the injury-hit UC Capitals.
So, the 36-year-old forward went back to where it all began, helped the Caps in seven games and for the last few flew-in from her home in Townsvile with daughter Zala back in primary school to begin the new year,
Bishop finished on a winning note as the Caps knocked off minor premier Bendigo Spirit in front of a healthy AIS Arena crowd on Saturday afternoon. Emotional scenes followed as those pivotal in her journey, including former coach Carrie Graf and championship teammate Tracey Peacock, acknowledged and presented her on-court.
Bravo, 'Bish'.