The Canberra Capitals break WNBL title drought

"The first thing we wrote up, which we put up in the change rooms before every game, was to win this championship," Goriss told The Canberra Times.

Consider the job done. The Capitals claimed a record eighth WNBL championship after thrashing the Adelaide Lightning 93-73 in front of 4817 at a sold-out AIS Arena on Saturday.

Some feared the controversial finish to game two of the series may have drained the championship favourites, who were forced to fight on for the title they should already have secured.

There would be no such problem, not for a team whose bond is unlike anything else Goriss has ever experienced.

"That’s been our common goal since day one, that’s always been visual in the change rooms," Goriss said.

"We’ve got three other things under that: toughness, togetherness and professionalism. They’ve done a fantastic job with sticking to those things.

"In essence we’ve got great leaders and great people. It’s not just about that we have a talented group, we’ve got a tight group that sacrifice their own game at times for the good of the team.

"When you get a special group like that, you create special situations and special moments. They deserve every success they get."

Kelsey Griffin was named the most valuable player of the grand final series for a staggering third time after she was at her inspirational best with 29 points and 15 rebounds to inspire a spine-tingling triumph.

The title is Canberra’s first since the 2009-10 season, the last of a golden era which bore an unprecedented seven titles in 11 seasons.

While there remains just one playing link between yesterday's heroes and today's drought-breakers in co-captain Marianna Tolo, the ethos that dynasty was built on burns brightly.

For on this night there was poise in what coaching great Carrie Graf aptly dubbed "the championship quarter". Entering the third with four points separating the two sides, Canberra's big guns shone. They would prove to be a class above.

There was pressure on two fronts. On Canberra's youngsters to deliver in front of a heaving home crowd and avoid being overawed by the biggest moment of their careers.

Then of course there was the relentless pressure Canberra heaped on to avoid letting Adelaide get the best of them in the big moments like they did in a fateful five-second span three nights earlier.

There was persistence in Canberra's determination to rise above adversity and make a statement that will stand the test of time. The prospect of overcoming injury worries, refereeing controversy and a tight first-half was taken to like a bullet through glass.

There was possession, without which Griffin doesn't put up the numbers which spearheaded Canberra to victory. It was in stark contrast to the numbers Adelaide's best put up - Nia Coffey put up four points, while Colleen Planeta led the Lightning with 15.

"It’s just incredible. To hear the crowd go wild, there’s no better feeling in life," Tolo said.

"Everyone gets along so well together, everyone is so lovely. We have no drama in the team, we do a good job of playing together.

"It has just been a dream and you rarely get to have that kind of experience."

Adelaide's pursuit of title No. 6 remains on shaky ground with the club in desperate need of a half-a-million dollar cash injection amidst fears they could go bust. But for Canberra, the wait is finally over.

Rest assured Goriss has no intention of waiting that long between drinks again with the off-contract coach reaffirming his desire to build something special in Canberra.

"Once you get a special team together, and especially one that wins - that’s what the Caps had in the past - they’ve kept their main core group together," Goriss said.

"That’s what we’ve got to do, make sure this group sticks around, make sure they want to stay together."