Red-hot Townsville Fire have blasted their method to outright first on the WNBL ladder after taking down fellow title contenders Melbourne Boomers and Bendigo Spirit in a formidable double.
The Fire kicked off the second leg of the Indigenous break up spherical with an epic 101-96 double-overtime conquer the Boomers on the Townsville Entertainment Centre on Wednesday in what was arguably the sport of the season.
Import Karlee Samuelson (31 factors, 7-of-10 three-pointers) was magnificent for Townsville, whereas rival American Kristy Wallace (26 factors) and Tiffany Mitchell (21) valiantly led Melbourne’s cost,
The competitors’s two top-ranked outfits entered the blockbuster with equivalent 12-4 data and had been unable to be break up on the finish of regulation (76-all) or the primary time beyond regulation (86-all).
The Fire had led by 10 factors with simply over two minutes remaining within the fourth quarter earlier than the Boomers’ 10-0 flurry, capped by Wallace’s game-tying layup, compelled the extension.
Townsville’s WNBA champion Tianna Hawkins, who had 17 factors and 14 boards whereas enjoying all 50 minutes, missed a close-range shot for the win within the dying levels of time beyond regulation after teammate Shyla Heal’s triple tied the scores.
It took till deep into the second extension for the Fire, with a match-sealing 9-0 run inside 90 seconds, to lastly shake Melbourne.
Townsville backed it up on Saturday with their tenth successive victory, Hawkins starring with 32 factors in an 88-62 trouncing of Bendigo.
The Spirit’s fourth straight defeat sees them hanging onto fourth place by a thread with an 11-8 report.
Fifth-ranked Perth Lynx (10-8) began the spherical by thrashing Adelaide Lightning 108-82 on Thursday at Adelaide Arena, a 25-9 fourth quarter and Chloe Bibby’s 29 factors, together with 7-of-9 from downtown, pivotal.
Sunday’s conflict with third-placed Southside Flyers on the State Basketball Centre was at all times going to be a more durable ask for Perth of their bid to pinch fourth spot from Bendigo.
But the Lynx had been made to pay dearly for an abhorrent begin, whacked 35-16 within the opening time period en path to a 102-83 loss.
Meanwhile, the Boomers bounced again from their double-overtime disappointment in Townsville by spanking the Sydney Flames 87-57 at Quaycentre on Sunday.
Mitchell (24 factors) and captain Cayla George (22 factors, 13 rebounds) had their means with the Flames, who shot simply 32 per cent and dedicated 22 turnovers.
On Saturday, the Lightning snapped a six-game shedding streak by beating the lowly Canberra Capitals 78-72 on the National Convention Centre.
Adelaide trailed 27-14 at quarter-time earlier than flipping the script with a 27-10 second stanza.
Marena Whittle racked up 27 factors and 14 boards for the Lightning, whereas Caps skipper Jade Melbourne produced a triple-double (19 factors, 12 rebounds, 14 assists).
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
