Tigers sink Buccaneers in three - men's SBL

Willetton Tigers and Lakeside Lightning will meet in the men's State Basketball League grand final after winning their semifinal series on the weekend.

Willetton beat Geraldton Buccaneers in three games after being 0-1 down, while Lakeside swept Perth Redbacks. The two victors are to meet in the title decider at the WA Basketball Centre in Mt Claremont next Saturday night.

Lakeside are aiming for consecutive titles and their fourth championship overall, while Willetton seek their first SBL crown after losing in the 2002 and 2008 grand finals.

The Tigers came back from a humiliating 30-point loss in Geraldton the previous weekend to take the best-of-three series with convincing wins in both games at Willetton on the weekend.

Willetton won game two 108-79, led by Alex Prince (32 points) and Cam Tovey (30 points), while Ryan Zamroz top-scored for the Buccaneers with 20. The Tigers, who finished second on the ladder, never trailed in that game and led by 20 before the end of the first quarter in a dominating effort.

Geraldton, who were third, put up a better effort in game three but still fell 118-102. Daniel Johnson top-scored for Willetton with 30 and Tovey secured a triple-double with 28 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists.

Import guard Zamroz was again Geraldton's best in the deciding game, finishing with 30 points.

The Buccaneers cut Willetton's double-digit lead early in the second quarter to two late in the period, but the Tigers took control with impressive runs to end the second and to start the third.

After cruising to victory on the road in game one, Lakeside completed its 2-0 series victory with a 109-101 win over the Redbacks.

The Lightning trailed with five minutes left in the game but took control with a 16-3 run.

Power forward Ben Beran starred for Lakeside with 40 points, while fellow import Luke Payne added 27 and Jarrad Prue had 20 boards.

Veteran guard Ryan Neill top-scored with 25 for Perth, who haven't won a title since 1997.