SYDNEY - South Dragons set up an all-Victorian ANBL grand final with Melbourne after a convincing 101-78 win over Townsville Crocodiles in their semifinal in Melbourne on Saturday night.
The victory in the game three decider gave the minor premier Dragons the chance to complete a remarkable last-to-champions turnaround in12 months.
The Dragons, who won two of their three regular season games against the Tigers, will host the opening game of the grand final series on Wednesday.
South trailed 40-35 in the second quarter but grabbed the ascendancy with a 17-4 run to halftime.
Leading 52-44 at the long break, the Dragons had their lead cut to five before generating another decisive surge.
A 13-0 run gave the Victorian side a 67-49 advantage and their lead never subsequently dipped below double digits.
Forward Mark Worthington topscored for the Dragons with 17 points.
The 2-1 series victory over the Crocs gives Worthington another chance to win a grand final series against the Tigers, who beat his former club Sydney Kings in the 2006 and 2008 season-deciding series.
Dragons coach Brian Goorjian, who has won five NBL titles with Southeast Melbourne Magic and Sydney Kings, will also be out to reverse the losses to Melbourne in 2006 and 2008.
Guard Rhys Carter came off the bench to score 16 points for the Dragons.
Carter and Worthington each scored nine points in the first quarter, though the Dragons led only 27-26 at the first break.
Veteran guard John Rillie, the oldest player of any team in the finals series, scored 13 of his game-high 19 points in the second quarter to help the visitors to a five-point lead before the Dragons launched their late comeback.
However, Rillie missed 12 of his 17 field goal attempts, while American forward Rosell Ellis was Townsville's next highest scorer with 15 points.
The Dragons shot 46 per cent from the field to the Crocs' 35 per cent.
The Crocs hit only 8-of-35 three-point attempts, a paltry conversion rate of only 23 per cent, while the Magic nailed 12-of-31 long bombs.
Although Townsville out-rebounded South 46-39 they committed twice as many turnovers.
