Canberra Capitals v Sydney Flames
AIS Arena, tip-off 1.30pm

By Chris Wilson

It's a basketball trilogy which the Canberra Capitals are hoping will continue their quest for a basketball dynasty.

The Capitals and Sydney Flames will meet in their third successive grand final on Saturday, continuing what has become the hottest rivalry in the Women's National Basketball League,

Canberra and Sydney have shared a title each over the past two seasons, making Saturday's show-down a decider within a decider - winner takes all.

Saturday's grand final will be played at the AIS Arena, the site of the past two finals. Sydney beat the Capitals 69-65 in 2000-2001, then the Capitals hit back to win 75-69 last season.

Flames coach Karen Dalton admitted last year's loss was still a sore point.

'It has been mentioned already, the fact we lost last year, so there's no doubt that we'll use that as a motivational weapon,' Dalton said.

'I don't think we've played a good game against Canberra this year. I think that's a bit of motivation for the girls as well as the fact that we've played the last two grand finals against them.'

While the teams are so evenly matched on the court, the Capitals say there is nothing bitter or fierce about their rivalry with Sydney. That could change on Saturday. After all, it's the Flames that stand between the Capitals and back-to-back titles.

Capitals star Lauren Jackson has played in Olympic gold medal games and the Women's National Basketball Association play-offs in America. This is her fifth consecutive grand final.

It does not devalue Saturday's game, which Jackson says will be one of the most important of her life.

'It's very big for our team and for me personally because we've had to handle so much adversity this season with injuries,' Jackson said. 'We've played probably four games with our whole team ... it's been a new look Canberra Capitals and we've all come together.

'I think the emotional side will come into play. We all care about each other a great deal, we're all great friends and we want to win this for each other.'

Jackson says the Capitals team is focused on the moment, winning on Saturday. There is no immediate talk of a dynasty but, ultimately, that is what the club is creating.

The Capitals are playing in the fourth successive grand final and aiming for their third title.

In seasons to come the Capitals may be able to look eye to eye with the records of champion clubs such as the Nunawading Spectres, who won an unrivalled six WNBL championships in seven years from 1983-89 or the Adelaide lightning, who made a record five consecutive grand final appearances from 1994-1998.

For Capitals coach Tom Maher, who will hand back the reins to coach Carrie Graf at the end of the season, it will be a team he'll remember for life.

It [the grand final] is going to make it a special season. It's not often you can say that things turned out better than you thought, but I'd actually say that about this season,' Maher said. 'I'll remember it as a great season, and hopefully a great season in which we won the championship.'