A long, bumpy and ultimately unsuccessful road to a men’s NBL1 championship played out for the Goldfields Giants in Friday night’s 85-83 semi-final defeat against Joondalup in Perth that ended Wayne Creek’s tenure as head coach.

Creek led the Giants back to the play-offs for the first time in three years.

But the group’s defeat in heart-breaking fashion occurred with a touch of irony after leading by seven points inside the final four minutes.

Goldfields’ lead blew out to 14 points early in the final quarter, but a frustrating run of near-misses and the Wolves’ timely outside shooting played a big hand in the final result.

It was a former Giant, Julian Pesava, backing up similar earlier efforts by Jonathon Wade and C. J. Turnage, who put the Wolves ahead with a three-pointer inside the last two minutes.

Giants star Jesse Ghee restored the lead with a two-pointer, but Turnage scored inside again and then went one from two from the free-throw line.

Even then, Goldfields still had a chance with the last play but several tip-in chances rimmed out.

“We had probably four chances to get baskets in the dying minutes and just couldn’t do it,” Creek said.

“In the last three-and-a-half minutes, we missed an open layup and an offensive rebound, then ran a set play when Jesse had an open three-point shot.

“Under pressure, he put it up and it was a good look, but just didn’t go.

“We gave ourselves every opportunity but sometimes things just aren’t meant to happen I guess.

‘‘Look at the shooting statistics (overall) and there’s nothing it it.

“But they hit key baskets towards the end of the game.

“We out-rebounded them which was our plan, but had maybe half a dozen more turnovers that essentially cost us a 14-point lead.”

Ghee, who was last week crowned the Giants’ MVP, starred with 28 points, four rebounds, five assists and four steals.

But it was offset by Turnage’s 22 points and nine rebounds and Wade contributed 28 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Creek bows out after more than 500 games with the Giants as a player, assistant-coach and head coach.