Barracudas overturn half-time deficit to beat Cobras to Manjimup Amateur Basketball Association premiership

A more experienced and polished Barracudas side have produced a stunning second half performance to win another Manjimup Amateur Basketball Association premiership.

After trailing to the Purple Cobras early in the night, Barracudas turned things around late to win its fourth premiership in five seasons.

The eventual premiers were forced to weather an early storm — struggling to keep up with the run-and-gun style of the Cobras and the rapid pace of the game — and had to make good of their opportunities on the break.

But as the game wore on and slowed down, their experience came to the fore.

The win means Barracudas beat the same opposition twice in three weeks, securing their spot in the grand final with an 11-point win over the Cobras in the semifinal.

It continues their recent domination of the grade, which they won three years in a row between 2017 and 2019, and reverses last season’s grand final defeat.

Ryan Gandy was named the tournament’s best and fairest, while Barracudas star Brayden Wilson was named runner-up.

The thriller of the night came in the A-reserves grand final, in which an off-balanced attempt at the buzzer from just inside the half-court line fell short and handed Hawks a 22 to 20 win over the Giants.

Jesse Potts was named the grand final’s most valuable player, while the competition’s fairest and best went to Giants’ Tyson Jacob.

In the B-grade, Spoonbills were beaten in the decider by the Warriors.

Towering centre Riley Hall from the Warriors was the grand final MVP.