The Townsville Fire will face the Melbourne Boomers in the 2017-18 WNBL grand final series after a nail-biting 68-65 victory over the Sydney Uni Flames to earn a 2-0 semi-final series win.
The reigning champions fought back from seven points down in a low-scoring final term to take a one-point lead in the final minute thanks to a baseline jumper from centre Jennifer Hamson.
But Townsville's defence came up big in the clutch to retake the lead with two steals resulting in easy baskets to Sydney Wiese and Cayla George. They then held on to win as Belinda Snell's last-second prayer from deep missed the mark.
Facing elimination after a 29-point defeat in game one, the Flames upped the pressure on the defensive end and out-rebounded Townsville 50-36 but struggled again on offence to be swept out of the playoffs.
The Flames worked hard to deny Suzy Batkovic room to move but Townsville's captain willed her side to victory with 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
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Wiese came up big with a basket and steal in the final moments, the American import finishing with 14 points, while George added 13 points and eight boards.
Playing with three stitches over her right eye after a nasty head clash with Batkovic in game one, Asia Taylor played with no fear under the basket to lead Sydney Uni with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Hamson added 15 points and 15 rebounds but the Flames' perimeter shooting deserted them, only hitting 5-of-19 from long range.
Sydney Uni maintained a narrow lead throughout a tense opening with neither side able to establish a rhythm on offence, Taylor's late three-point play giving the Flames a 21-16 edge at quarter time.
Batkovic found room to move in the second quarter, scoring her first points from the foul line then following up with a jump shot, but Taylor answered twice and Katie-Rae Ebzery's three-pointer kept the Flames ahead by five points.
Townsville finally grabbed their first lead of the match with nine unanswered points.
After Snell ended her team's scoring drought with a long triple, Wiese responded with a three-pointer to hand the Fire a 41-37 halftime lead.
Batkovic continued to find the basket in the third quarter and Wiese hit her third triple for the Fire to lead by five, but Alex Wilson backed up Hamson's made jump shot with her first three-pointer to bring the Flames level.
A Tahlia Tupaea free throw put the home side back in front towards the end of the quarter but Darcee Garbin and George combined to send Townsville into the final break up 56-53.
Batkovic extended the lead to six points with seven minutes to play and the visitors held on to sweep the Flames.
With the third and fourth-ranked teams reaching the best-of-three championship series, Townsville will play host to Melbourne in the opening game on Saturday January 13.
