Roller Hawks claim back-to-back NWBL titles

The Wollongong Roller Hawks are set to create their own dynasty after breaking the Perth Wheelcats stranglehold on the National Wheelchair Basketball League, claiming the 2012 Championship in front of an adoring home crowd 79-59.

After winning NWBL championships from 2006-2010 and losing last year’s title to the Roller Hawks, the Wheelcats could not reclaim the crown as the Shawn Russell and Brett Stibners-led Roller Hawks claimed a 20-point win.

Russell was dominant in the final, scoring an amazing 29 points and 15 rebounds in a Grand Final performance for the ages.

However Russell performance was trumped by one of great statistical efforts seen in the NWBL, with Wollongong teammate Brett Stibners recording a Grand Final triple-double.

Stibners, a member of the Australian Rollers Paralympic and World Championship teams, added 17 rebounds and 10 assists to his 27 points as he and Russell combined for 56 points, almost reaching Perth’s total on their own.

The back-to-back NWBL titles for the Roller Hawks has them on the cusp of creating their own dynasty similar to that experienced by the Perth Wheelcats.

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