# 2023 WNBL Finals

The 2023 WNBL Finals was the postseason tournament of the WNBL's 2022–23 season. The Melbourne Boomers were the defending champions, but were defeated in the Semi-Finals by Southside. The Townsville Fire won their fourth championship title after sweeping Southside, 2–0 in the Grand Final series.
The WNBL Finals schedule was confirmed 3 March 2023. In addition to domestic broadcast via ESPN and 9Now, the 2023 WNBL Finals will be broadcast internationally through new partnerships with ESPN, beIN Sports & Unbeaten.

## Overview
### Finals appearances

* The Townsville Fire qualified for Finals for the first time since 2020.
* The Southside Flyers qualified for Finals for the first time since 2020.
* The Melbourne Boomers qualified for Finals for the sixth consecutive season, which is the longest active run of WNBL Finals appearances.
* The Perth Lynx qualified for Finals for the second consecutive season.
* The Bendigo Spirit missed Finals for the eighth consecutive season, currently the longest break between Finals appearances in the WNBL.
* The Sydney Flames missed Finals for the fifth consecutive season.
* The Adelaide Lightning missed Finals for the first time since 2020.
* The Canberra Capitals missed Finals for the first time since 2017–18.

## Standings

| # | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GP |
| 1 | Townsville Fire | 17 | 4 | 80.9 | 21 |
| 2 | Southside Flyers | 15 | 6 | 71.4 | 21 |
| 3 | Melbourne Boomers | 15 | 6 | 71.4 | 21 |
| 4 | Perth Lynx | 13 | 8 | 61.9 | 21 |
| 5 | Bendigo Spirit | 11 | 10 | 52.3 | 21 |
| 6 | Sydney Flames | 6 | 15 | 28.5 | 21 |
| 7 | Adelaide Lightning | 5 | 16 | 23.8 | 21 |
| 8 | Canberra Capitals | 2 | 19 | 5.8 | 21 |

## Bracket

| Semi Finals | Semi Finals | Semi Finals | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| 1 | Townsville Fire | 2 | | | |
| 4 | Perth Lynx | 0 | | | |
| 4 | Perth Lynx | 0 | 1 | Townsville Fire | 2 |
| | | | 2 | Southside Flyers | 0 |
| 3 | Melbourne Boomers | 1 | 2 | Southside Flyers | 0 |
| 2 | Southside Flyers | 2 | | | |

## Semi-Finals
### (1) Townsville Fire vs. (4) Perth Lynx

* 9 March 2023 6:30 PM (AEST)
* Box Score
| Townsville Fire | 81–68 | Perth Lynx |
| Scoring by quarter: 21–19, 27–18, 16–20, 17–11 |||
| Pts: Reid 24 Rebs: Ruef 12 Asts: Reid, Ruef 3 | | Pts: Whitcomb 22 Rebs: Atwell, Bibby 9 Asts: Scherf, Whitcomb 5 |
* Townsville Entertainment Centre, Townsville, Queensland Attendance: 2,989 Referees: Tayla Flint, Byron Geddes, Jack Taylor
* 12 March 2023 3:30 PM (AWST)
* Box Score
| Perth Lynx | Townsville Fire |
| Scoring by quarter: 22–27, 21–26, 21–15, 20–23 |||
| Pts: Whitcomb 26 Rebs: Bibby 7 Asts: Whitcomb 7 | Pts: Hawkins 23 Rebs: Hawkins, Ruef 8 Asts: Nicholson 7 |
| Townsville win series, 2–0 |||
* Bendat Basketball Centre, Perth, Western Australia Attendance: 1,212 Referees: Joshua Durand, Travis Stewart, Jack Taylor

### (2) Southside Flyers vs. (3) Melbourne Boomers

* 8 March 2023 7:30 PM (AEDT)
* Box Score
| Southside Flyers | 84–76 | Melbourne Boomers |
| Scoring by quarter: 25–15, 22–20, 17-18, 20–23 |||
| Pts: Blicavs 18 Rebs: Thornton 7 Asts: M Rocci 7 | | Pts: T Mitchell 36 Rebs: George 14 Asts: Wallace 5 |
* State Basketball Centre, Melbourne, Victoria Attendance: 1,623 Referees: Craig Copes, Elliot Green, Calia Hanks
* 11 March 2023 7:30 PM (AEDT)
* Box Score
| Melbourne Boomers | 96–77 | Southside Flyers |
| Scoring by quarter: 27–13, 25–23, 28–23, 16–18 |||
| Pts: George 28 Rebs: Nelson-Ododa 8 Asts: Wallace 6 | | Pts: Blicavs 15 Rebs: M Rocci 9 Asts: M Rocci 8 |
* Melbourne Sports Centre Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria Attendance: 2,477 Referees: Madi Crowley-Long, Tayla Flint, Brad Henshaw
* 15 March 2023 7:30 PM (AEDT)
* Box Score
| Southside Flyers | Melbourne Boomers |
| Scoring by quarter: 16–15, 22–17, 18–19, 17–21 |||
| Pts: Blicavs, M Rocci 14 Rebs: Bishop 12 Asts: M Rocci 6 | Pts: T Mitchell 23 Rebs: George 13 Asts: George, Wallace 3 |
| Southside win series, 2–1 |||
* State Basketball Centre, Melbourne, Victoria Attendance: 1,815 Referees: Byron Geddes, Elliot Green, Calia Hanks

## Grand Final
### (1) Townsville Fire vs. (2) Southside Flyers

* 18 March 2023 7:00 PM (AEST)
* Box Score
| Townsville Fire | 94–63 | Southside Flyers |
| Scoring by quarter: 28–14, 29–24, 21–14, 16–11 |||
| Pts: Heal 23 Rebs: Ruef 9 Asts: Reid 7 | | Pts: Cole 20 Rebs: Blicavs 6 Asts: M Rocci 4 |
* Townsville Entertainment Centre, Townsville, Queensland Attendance: 3,717 Referees: Tayla Flint, Byron Geddes, Jack Taylor
* 22 March 2023 6:30 PM (AEDT)
* Box Score
| Southside Flyers | Townsville Fire |
| Scoring by quarter: 18–24, 21–17, 17–16, 13–25 |||
| Pts: Cole 26 Rebs: Thornton 8 Asts: Bishop 4 | Pts: Reid 20 Rebs: Ruef 13 Asts: Reid, Ruef 4 |
| Townsville win series, 2–0 |||
* State Basketball Centre, Melbourne, Victoria Attendance: 3,116 Referees: Tayla Flint, Calia Hanks, Jack Taylor