The Cougars booked their spot in this year's Sapphire Division grand final with a two-point win over the ICare Group Australia Ipswich Jets in Sunday's major semi-final at Nissan Arena while the Titans emerged with a 57-56 win over Bond University Bull Sharks to end their Gold Coast rival's season.
In the battle of the competition's top two teams, it was the Cougars who reached another HPNL Sapphire Division decider as they continue their mission to go one better than last year's runners-up finish with a 52-50 triumph over the Jets.
In a game fitting with their rivalry throughout the season, nothing could separate the two clubs at halftime with scores level at 26-all.
The Jets then appeared to have taken a crucial edge in the third term, racing out to a seven-goal lead before a two-pointer by Cougars' shooter Nalani Makunde meant it was 39-34 to Ipswich heading into the final quarter.
Makunde was then relentless early in the fourth term as the Cougars clawed their way back into the contest to level the scores at 42-all just five minutes into the fourth quarter.
A six-goal-to-one run late in the term then proved decisive as the Cougars hit the front and went on to claim the win despite Millie Lockwood's late back-to-back Super Shots for Ipswich.
Makunde ended the game with 49 points including that two-pointer while former Cougars Charlie Bell (36 points) and Rylee Burns (nine points) were the main scorers for the Jets.
The minor semi-final was just as gripping, with the Titans overcoming a 10-goal halftime deficit to pip reigning premiers Bond by just one point.
Down 32-22 at the end of the second quarter, Tia Crombie's goal in the dying seconds after Bond's Kaylin van Gruenen missed the opportunity to put the Bull Sharks ahead with scores level at 56-all sparked scenes of celebration for the Titans.
Crombie ended the game with 45 goals at 86.54 per cent as the Titans set up a preliminary final this Sunday against the Jets to determine who will play the Cougars in the September 13 grand final.
Netball Queensland’s NetballQ TV, the home of community netball in Queensland, is delivering live and free coverage of the state’s most exciting grassroots and pathways competitions, including the HART Premier Netball League Sapphire and Ruby Series. Click here to access NetballQ TV as the HPNL heads into week two of finals this weekend!
