By Trevor Jackson
THE Mount Gambier Lakers men earned a home final in the Country Basketball League after finishing top of the ladder once the minor rounds were completed.
However, quite simply the Lakers face a do-or-die semi-final scenario against the Warrnambool Seahawks at the Icehouse, with one team through to the big dance and mothballs for the other.
The Lakers finished top of the ladder by a small percentage from the Horsham Hornets, with both winning 13 games for the season.
In contrast, the Seahawks won just 11 games on their way to fourth position on the ladder and now face a tough test.
The two sides faced off twice during the season, with a 50/50 return.
In Round 8 the Lakers travelled to Warrnambool to face the Seahawks and returned home with a hard-fought 10-point victory.
That game included Tom Daly (18 points) and Simon Berkefeld (11) in the roster, but there were plenty of others who contributed to the win.
Toby deWit was in good touch to finish with 17 points, while Duncan Reid added 14.
However, in Round 12 the Lakers were dealt a blow, with a 16-point loss to the Seahawks.
Both sides boasted four double-figure scorers, but it was the Seahawks who held up down the stretch, with a 28-18 final term to seal the win.
Berkefeld (17) and deWit (16) were again big contributors, but this time around Shaun Lock hit 15 points and Ben Young 11.
The Seahawks can not be taken lightly, as their last game showed against the Hornets.
While they lost the game, it was only by two points and could have gone either way.
They would certainly think they have the psychological advantage over the Lakers after their last clash, but Mount Gambier is sure to be at its best in front of a home crowd.
If a full roster hits the floor, the Lakers will be hard to beat and should go through to the grand final, but not without a tough battle.
Should they succeed, they will face either Horsham or the Portland Coasters.
