Knox W vs Mackay Meteorettes W

Knox took control early and never relented. After racing to a 49-29 halftime lead — echoing the second-quarter burst that had dismantled Sturt Sabres 82-55 the night before — the Raiders maintained a comfortable buffer through the second half, reaching triple figures for the tournament's highest women's score.

Mackay, crowned NBL1 North champions after a three-game grand final series win over the Townsville Flames the previous week, had lost their Nationals opener 86-72 to Waverley Falcons on Friday. The Meteorettes showed fight in the second half but could not close the gap against a Knox side operating at full strength with their full championship roster available.

The game was decided in the second quarter. Knox, leading by a narrow margin after the first, ratcheted up their defensive pressure, forcing Mackay into repeated turnovers and generating fast-break opportunities. The Raiders outscored the Meteorettes by a significant margin in the period, establishing a 20-point halftime lead that effectively ended the contest.

Paige Bradley — The NBL1 South Grand Final MVP was the orchestrator once again. After posting 22 points, five rebounds and three assists in Friday's win over Sturt, Bradley controlled the tempo against Mackay with her scoring and playmaking. She would later be named Championship Game MVP in Sunday's decider with 15 points, nine assists and five rebounds.

Alicia Froling — The dominant forward provided a double-double threat every time she took the court. Froling recorded 12 points and 12 rebounds against Sturt on Friday and was similarly impactful against Mackay, punishing the Meteorettes inside and on the glass.

Agnes Emma-Nnopu and Kristy Wallace brought WNBL experience off the Knox roster, with Emma-Nnopu providing her trademark defensive energy and rebounding (14 rebounds against Sturt), while Wallace contributed scoring and playmaking.

For Mackay, Sammie Puisis and Monique Bobongie — who had combined for 50 points in the NBL1 North grand final series — fought to keep the Meteorettes competitive, but the North champions lacked the depth to match Knox's rotation.

Knox's ability to create extra possessions proved decisive. Against Sturt on Friday, the Raiders pulled down 22 offensive rebounds, and a similar pattern played out against Mackay — second-chance points inflated their scoring beyond their base field-goal numbers. Knox's defensive pressure also limited Mackay's transition game, forcing the Meteorettes into half-court offence where the Raiders' size and length were overwhelming.

Mackay entered the Nationals averaging 91.4 points per game during the NBL1 North season (second-highest among the six finalists), but the step up in defensive quality at the national level proved significant — they scored 72 against Waverley on Friday and 80 against Knox.

Knox advanced to the National Championship Game where they defeated Cockburn Cougars 93-72 on Sunday 23 August, completing back-to-back national titles and snapping Cockburn's perfect 25-0 season. Paige Bradley was named Championship Game MVP with 15 points, nine assists and five rebounds. The win marked the Raiders' 18th consecutive victory spanning both the NBL1 South finals and Nationals.

For Mackay, the Nationals appearance capped a breakthrough season that saw the Meteorettes claim their first NBL1 North championship. They depart Adelaide with a conference title and valuable national-stage experience.

Knox entered the Nationals as the team to beat and played like it. The Raiders' blend of WNBL-experienced talent — Bradley, Froling, Wallace and Emma-Nnopu among them — combined with relentless depth and disciplined defence proved too much for every opponent in Adelaide. Mackay, to their credit, earned their place at the Nationals through a hard-fought North championship, but the gap between the conference champion and the defending national champion was clear on the scoreboard.