The Torns will verse Dandenong in the play-offs on Sunday.

The Tornadoes finished the regular season with the seventh-best record (12-10 win/loss) across both conferences after inexplicably dropping its last three games comfortably on the road.

But Nicholson who scored 32 points against Hobart, including a commanding 19 in the first half, to keep her side alive in the recent elimination semi-final believes Launceston is now reaching the height of its powers.

“I think that was definitely our best performance of the year,” Nicholson said.

“It felt like it did click better on the weekend.

“I think we’ve been up and down all season. We’ve definitely had our good games and not so good games.

“But I think finally we have come together as a group and if we can move forward and provide that on the court this weekend, we should be in for a long finals series.”

Nicholson said the playing group believes the missing momentum from an indifferent campaign this year has now swung back their way.

“We’ve had a lot of players coming in and out of the group throughout the season whether it’s injury, Opals, staff (changes) or whatever else,” Nicholson said.

“I think every group at some stage in the season puts it altogether and I think that’s finally happened to us.”

The return of injury-hit Ellie Collins in the power forward spot frees Tayla Roberts up under the basket, while Nicholson can float between roles to take pressure off captain Lauren Mansfield.

The bench has more even depth after season growth of teens Bec Abel, Paige French and Jayde Brazendale.

But Nicholson is backing their big three WNBL stars including Roberts and Mansfield to hurt the depleted Rangers on Sunday.

“I think all three of us do need to play well to win this final,” Nicholson said.

“Whether that is scoring or other little things that we can contribute along the way.

“I think all three of us played pretty well last week and finally started to click better as a group and a team.

“All the girls coming off the bench have just done well – the Emma Russes (Haywood), the Bec Abels – they’ve all hit a few big shots in games that we need them.”

Nicholson believes the Torns are a different side to the one that unravelled at Dandenong Basketball Stadium 14 days earlier.

The 86-58 defeat is a timely reminder, but she’s confident a forced Rangers’ reshuffle will impact the hosts missing stars Aimie Clydesdale and Lauren Scherf on World University Games duties.

The visitors will target point guard Amelia Todhunter and a “couple big, strong girls playing in the WNBL” to advance into the south conference grand final.

“We’ve had a couple of tough battles against them this season, so it’s a really good match-up and I’m looking forward to it,” she said.

“But I think our focus will be on stopping those key players first and see where we go from there.”