The Melbourne Tigers Mens team has made the Preliminary Final of the 2025 NBL1 season after defeating Kilsyth 84-83.

The Tigers were all but done at the end of the third period after Kilsyth led at the end of the first period by two points, the margin was one point at the half and then Kilsyth poured in 30 points to 17 in the third to lead by fourteen.

The Tigers fought back in the last period and when Harrison Froling put in a two pointer with five seconds left, it put the Tigers up 84-83 and Kilsyth still had a chance to snatch back the lead, a foul against Jack Purchase with two seconds left put Kilsyth on the line and in moments of high sporting drama, Hamish MacDonald missed his two free throws and Tom Wilson collected the rebound to seal the dramatic win for the Tigers by the narrowest of margins.

August 9 at 7:30pm sees the Tigers travelling to Dandenong Basketball Stadium to take on the Knox Raiders for the right to go into the Grand Final.

Tigers fans have been hungry for success ever since Larry Kestelman in 2014 took away the Tigers in the NBL leaving the Tigers in Big V and the then SEABL competition and now they are two wins away from winning the NBL1 South title.

Whatever happens, it has been a wonderful season and hopefully the start of a great era for the Tigers.