CENTRAL Coast Crusaders State League women are two games away from back-to-back Basketball NSW titles.

The State League women are one of four Crusaders sides playing in tomorrow’s semi-finals at Newcastle Basketball Stadium.

Wins will result in them progressing to Sunday’s grand finals at the same venue.

They take on Lismore tomorrow night, with victory booking the women a spot in the decider against the winner of the Shoalhaven-Coffs Harbour match.

Crusaders coach Dan Pratt said his side could do it all again.

JARED Scoines has pledged to make the most of his opportunities as the youngest player with the returning Sydney Kings.

The Kings officially started training on Wednesday, less than a week after Scoines, of Wamberal, met his new teammates on Friday.

Scoines, 23, said it was all starting to feel “real”, after agreeing to join the Kings while still playing in the SEABL competition with Ballarat.

“I’m here and it’s time to get down to business,” Scoines said. “This is everything I’ve wanted, so I’ve got to make the most of it.”

It’s been a tough few years for the former Gosford City Rebel, with a knee reconstruction and two shoulder surgeries forcing him to spend more than two years on the sidelines.

SIX weeks ago the Central Coast Crusaders were staring down the barrel of the end of their division two Youth League men’s season.

The Crusaders won only two of their first six matches in the Basketball NSW competition and needed to win five of their remaining six matches to make the playoffs.

But they knuckled down and didn’t just qualify for the finals, they finished in second spot.

Coach David Higgins said his players deserved their home playoff match against Maitland tomorrow at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal.

“We went from second last to second and now we can’t wait for the home final,” Higgins said.

CENTRAL Coast Crusaders got their State League women’s title charge back on track with a solid cross-town derby win over Power on Saturday night.

There was nothing spectacular about the 91-58 win at Central Coast Youth Club, Niagara Park, but after a loss and a bye in the past two weeks, it was an important victory for the visitors.

Power also gained plenty from the match, taking an 18-12 lead to the first break and trailing by just five at the main break.

While the Crusaders went in with a different starting line-up for the first time this season, Power coach Peter Lyne was “extremely proud” of his players.