WORCESTER Wolves reached the National Basketball League play-off final with an 82-66 victory against Manchester Magic.
The Wolves will face top seeds Solent Kestrels in the final, the club’s biggest game for four years, at the National Basketball Performance Centre in Manchester.
The play-off final takes place on Sunday, April 26 with the tip-off at 4pm.
Worcester only confirmed their place in the final in the last few minutes as a back-and-forth contest saw Manchester 63-62 ahead with five minutes remaining.
However, the Wolves ended the game with a blistering 19-4 burst to take victory at the University of Worcester Arena.
Worcester coach, Dean Blake said: “I’m so proud of the guys. It’s been such a long road but it’s what we’ve worked for all season and now we’ve made it through.
“Manchester didn’t make it easy for us. Aaron Bile is so good, Jack Walton is so good and their coach Joshua Perkins is so good.
“But we had our goals, and we met our goals. Our target was to keep them under 70 points and that’s what we did.”
Star forward Earl Burgess led the way for Wolves with 26 points and 13 rebounds in a double-double display much to the delight of Blake.
Blake added: “In my view, Earl is the most valuable player of the whole league – he’s certainly been our MVP, so consistent and so reliable on and off the floor for us.
“But on a different day anyone can step up. For instance, last time out Emmanuel Yeboah had a sensational match and then Fin Rennie came in with a burst of aggression that helped turn the game.
“We’ve got a deep squad and I’m thrilled that I was able to get everyone on the floor to enjoy playing in front of our fans here in Worcester for the last time this season.”
Just two minutes into the match, Manchester floor-leader Walton nailed a three to nudge his team in front before an immediate Georgios Stergiopoulos reply reversed the lead.
Burgess worked close to the hoop to edge Worcester into a 17-16 lead heading into the second quarter.
Good work from Burgess’s frontcourt partner Humberto Ferreira and Yeboah helped Worcester extend their lead.
However, the Magic led 31-30 midway through the period on the back of another Walton triple.
However, Burgess produced a double of threes to accompany his trademark plays to send Worcester into half time with a five-point lead.
A Ferreira spin and Wilfrid Santhe dribble set up Burgess to keep Wolves 56-54 to the good at the close of the third quarter.
Walton’s fifth success from distance once more switched the lead and a Bile basket stretched Manchester’s lead further.
A failed attempt to prevent Burgess scoring led to two points and a bonus free-throw that broke a 65-65 tie and finally put Worcester on their path to victory.
One-way traffic ensued for the remaining four minutes as Ferreira and Daijaun Antonio joined the three-point party.
Santhe put points on the scoresheet to sit alongside his bagful of assists and Yeboah and Burgess took turns in tormenting Manchester’s defenders.
Yeboah and Ferreira notched 16 and 15 points respectively while teenager Walton dominated Manchester’s output with 24 points.
Worcester finished the season unbeaten at home in 14 matches and Blake issued a rallying call for fans to show their support by making the trip to the play-off final.
Blake said: “To win every one of our matches in Worcester this year has been a great achievement.
“Solent have a hell of a team. There’s a lot of work for us to do to prepare for them, but I believe in our players.
“We have to make Manchester our home venue on April 26th.
“We definitely need as many fans as possible to travel up to support us – they’ve been with us all season and we now want them there to bring us over the line just one more time.
“We will leave everything on the floor in Manchester.”
