Basketball On The Internet.

SYDNEY might have clinched its WNBL Final Four playoff berth but after taking an 83-50 belting at home last night to Townsville, odds are Guy Molloy's crew will experience a very much short-lived stay in the best-of-three semi finals against regular season champion Bendigo.

It's the worst time of the season to have injuries but even if the Flames boasted a full contingent, across the regular season they were easily handled by the Spirit.

Bendigo's sweep of Sydney was with 90-71, 92-71 and 80-62 scorelines, strongly indicating the Spirit will be fast-tracking into the Grand Final Series and with home court advantage.

Of course the Flames can adopt that "no expectation, nothing-to-lose" approach but the simple truth is Bendigo's team is this season's most talented, and the championship is the Spirit's to lose.

The rival semi finallists are 1-1 over the regular season, Perth beating Townsville 106-80 and the Fire reversing that 84-80 in their second meeting.

Who takes home court advantage? Well that will be determined in the very last match of the regular season when they meet on Sunday at Townsville Entertainment Centre, both clubs on 15-5 win-loss records.

On recent form, you'd have to like the Fire for Sunday, which opens the door for the north Queenslanders to seize their best-of-three semis too and once again, we would be back to the old and much cherished Bendigo-Townsville rivalry.

They met to decide the championship in 2013 with Bendigo prevailing and current star Kelsey Griffin the Rachael Sporn Medallist.

Bendigo beat Townsville again in 2014, Griffin also going back-to-back.

In 2015, it was Townsville's turn, beating Bendigo, the Fire's Mia Newley claiming the Rachael Sporn Medal.

Perth has history with Townsville too as the Fire won it all again in 2016 by sweeping the Lynx.

The semi final draws look like this:

Bendigo Spirit (1) v Sydney Flames (4)

Game 1 – Sunday, February 23 – 3:30pm (AEDT) – Red Energy Arena, Bendigo

Game 2 – Thursday, February 27 – 7pm (AEDT) – Quaycentre, Sydney

Game 3 (if required) – Sunday, March 2 – 2:30pm (AEDT) – Red Energy Arena, Bendigo

Perth Lynx v Townsville Fire (2v3)

If Perth finishes 2nd: 

Game 1 – Saturday, February 22 – 5pm (AWST) – Bendat Basketball Centre, Perth

Game 2 – Wednesday, February 26 – 6:30pm (AEST) – Townsville Entertainment Centre

Game 3 (if required) – Saturday, March 1 – 5pm (AWST) – Bendat Basketball Centre, Perth 

If Townsville finishes 2nd:

Game 1 – Saturday, February 22 – 6pm (AEST) – Townsville Entertainment Centre

Game 2 – Wednesday, February 26 – 6pm (AWST) – Bendat Basketball Centre

Game 3 (if required) – Saturday, March 1 – 6pm (AEST) – Townsville Entertainment Centre 

Meanwhile in this round's remaining matches (Canberra v Bendigo, Sydney v Southside and Adelaide v Geelong) only the latter has any relevance, the winner to finish sixth, loser seventh.