Earlier this season Casey Mihovilovich played her 450th game in a Mandurah Magic uniform.
It’s a career that started at the age of 14 and has since spanned across 22 seasons, in which she’s tallied countless State Basketball League all-star appearances, taken home a league MVP award and made her mark as one of the competition’s best ever.
But grand final glory has somehow eluded one of Mandurah’s most beloved sporting heroes.
It’s not for lack of trying – Mihovilovich, or “Milo” as she’s better known, has played in all five of the Mandurah Magic’s Women’s SBL grand final appearances and come up just short in all of them.
At this stage a championship medal isn’t something that will define her time in the SBL, it’s as clear as day that she’ll go down as one of the best, but that doesn’t change how badly she wants the grand prize.
“For me to able to say I’ve been to five grand finals, now six, is a blessing,” she said.
“But to bring a championship home to Mandurah would be the cherry on top – it would be an amazing feeling.”
Past grand finals haven’t been kind to Milo.
The superstar guard went into last year’s just 10 days out of hand surgery, and the time before that she was nursing a broken finger.
Fortunately, health is leaning a little more on her side this time around, a prospect that excites the gun veteran.
“I’m actually feeling great compared to the last couple, which has got me really excited to just get out there and play,” she said.
“I’ve still had some setbacks with injuries this year but overall I’m feeling much more confident in my body this time.”
The Magic will head into this grand final on the back of four consecutive playoff wins, having swept Rockingham and Perth out of the race.
But Milo is adamant her team has another gear left in them, one they’ll need to find if they want to overcome a tough Lakeside squad.
“We all know we have so much to improve upon – we’ve got another level,” she said.
“Our team has battled and overcome hurdles all year and I feel like we’ve still got so much left to give.”
The Magic will take on the Lightning in the grand final at the Bendat Basketball Centre this Friday night, 7.30pm.
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
