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CHERIE Smith was a quiet, reserved teenager from Mildura when she first joined Forestville Eagles in South Australia's premier women's competition.

Her teammates in her 2001 "big league" debut included players such as Rachael Flanagan, Narelle Lindsay, Monica Bello, Jo Mulvihill and Sharon Simons, hardly a crop of shrinking violets.

But Smith's gentle personal demeanour not only was embraced by all, from her teammates there was even some maternal protection for this youngster with the prodigious talent.

That said, as a kid from the citrus belt, she still often had to endure the team's adopted unofficial theme song: " My dad, picks the fruit, that goes to Cottee's, to make the cordial, that I like best."

Smith would smile patiently, just as she would when Forestville's assistant coach mimed various Marcel Marceau movements, ostensibly to assist her in her "human movement" uni course.

Quiet off the court, her game spoke volumes, her blue collar work ethic and southpaw jumpshot making her a standout.

Smith, the teenager, won a championship with Forestville in her first season as a senior player.

Now, as Cherie Gallagher, wife and mother of two, she is one win away from winning a WNBL championship, possibly in her last season as a senior player. 

ON THE FLOOR: Cherie Gallagher (nee Smith) at Forestville - never afraid to hit the hardwood.

It would be a fitting book-end finale of titles for the versatile 180cm forward after she missed on a championship with Townsville Fire a couple of years ago.

Having started her WNBL career at Adelaide Lightning and played for Fire coach Chris Lucas there, Gallagher, 33, was a member of the Townsville team beaten by Bendigo for the championship.

Life beyond basketball beckoned and Gallagher stepped away from the game, inspired again last year when she saw Townsville claim the city's historic first national championship.

A  return this season meant a gruelling training and travel schedule but Gallagher has met it with typical no-nonsense aplomb.

"Chez is an inspiration to her teammates," Lucas said, Gallagher dealing with a fulltime job, a marriage and parenting two youngsters.

"We should be really proud of her."

Whether playing a string of minutes, a handful, or none, she is the epitome of the team player.

On Friday in Perth when the Lynx led 52-45 during the last quarter, Gallagher strung together eight points in a 10-2 run which turned Game 1 of the historic first best-of-three WNBL Grand Final Series on its ear.

The run included the go-ahead basket, a triple by Gallagher off a Suzy Batkovic assist.

And from 52-54 down, Gallagher prompted a 12-0 run which put the Fire within a win on Friday of going back-to-back.

"The reason I put her in there was for her defence but she had the confidence to hit a couple of big shots," Lucas said.

"I trust her."

So too does The Batgirl, Townsville's captain and a big chance for her fourth league MVP award this season.

"I'm still mesmerised by what she does," Batkovic said of Gallagher.

"She has two kids, a husband, a job and still comes to every training, so my hat goes off to her.

TIME TO BE MUM AGAIN: Cherie Gallagher, ready to do what her teams needs to succeed.

"She is the perfect teammate."

There can be no higher praise. Gallagher did a defensive job on SEQ's London Olympian Rachel Jarry as Townsville recovered from losing the double-chance semi final at home to Perth by belting the Stars 91-71 in the preliminary.

"I know exactly what I’m going to get," Lucas said.

Last year, it was Rachael McCully (nee Flanagan) - a Gallagher teammate on that now fateful 2001 Forestville Eagles championship team - who stuck around for "one more year" to win the coveted gold.

This time it is Gallagher who has come back to work for that same goal.

Her wide fan base in Townsville, Adelaide and Mildura, will have its collective fingers crossed to see the fairytale come true.

Friday - Wattle Valley WNBL Grand Final - Game 2 (Best-of-3) - Townsville Fire V Perth Lynx at Townsville RSL Stadium. Fire leads series 1-0. Game 3 on Sunday in Perth, if required.