‘Walking wounded’: Star Tahlia Tupaea suffers sickening injury in Sydney Uni Flames loss
CAPTAIN Belinda Snell was out injured and gun Tahlia Tupaea was helped off the court dazed and distressed as the Sydney Uni Flames’ nightmare start to the WNBL continued.
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CAPTAIN Belinda Snell was out injured and gun Tahlia Tupaea was helped off the court dazed and distressed as the Sydney Uni Flames’ nightmare start to the WNBL continued on Sunday.
Tupaea smacked the back of her head heavily on the court in the final period of the Flames’ 75-87 loss to the Melbourne Boomers in Sydney.
An unsteady Tupaea, who was later sick from the head butt, was lead off the court with a suspected concussion as the Flames notched their third consecutive loss of the season to a Boomers side which scored its first.
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It was an upsetting conclusion to a game the Flames had dominated early and had staged a third quarter comeback in to be back within striking distance heading into the final period.
“We were the walking wounded out there, it was terrible,” said coach Cheryl Chambers.
Opal Alex Bunton was another injury casualty, hurting her knee in the game but managed to return to the court.
Before her head thump, Tupaea had suffered a corked thigh.
“We really missed Snelly’s leadership out there,” Chambers said of her captain who was forced off the court in Friday’s loss to Dandenong with leg pain.
“It looks like she has a calf tear so she won’t be back this week.
“I’m just hoping we have some players left to train.”
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A 13-0 start, an early 17 point jump and a gritty second half fight back showed the Sydney Uni Flames have what it takes to be sparring with the best teams in the WNBL this year.
But the 75-87 score line for their third loss of the season to the Boomer on Sunday shows there’s plenty of work to be done before they are delivering knockout punches to rivals.
The Flames produced their best start of the season with 13 unanswered points and a 27-14 quarter time lead.
But the tide turned after the break with the Boomers producing a 16 point run which saw them overtake the hosts at home and leave the court up 40-37 at halftime.
WNBA guard Lindsay Allen did much of the damage with 15 points while Opal Bunton scored 10 points and made six rebounds in the first half for the Flames.
It was a focused Flames side which left the dressing rooms after half time, outscoring the Boomers in the third to trail by just 60-61 at three quarter time
But the Flames were unable to stay with the Boomers in the final period for their second loss of the round.
Tupaea topscored with 21 before her injury with the hobbling Bunton scoring 19 and making 11 rebounds.
The Flames were beaten convincingly by an injury-riddled Canberra side 97-78 in round one of the WNBL and pipped by Dandenong 66-62 on Friday.
The Flames will play their fourth game of the season against defending WNBL champions, Townsville Fire on Saturday.
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