WNBL 2024: Geelong United secure first WNBL win 90-87 against Southside Flyers
Geelong United found the perfect response to its round 1 rout with a statement first win in the WNBL, as guard Gemma Potter reveals the words which helped sparked the turnaround.
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Geelong United guard Gemma Potter knew the only way was up.
Fresh off the disappointment of a 28-point drubbing from Townsville Fire in last week’s season-opener, there was only joy Thursday night after Geelong pulled off a historic first victory in game number two.
But it wasn’t just any win, United holding off reigning champions Southside Flyers, 90-87, in dramatic fashion, denying the Flyers a last-ditch attempt to steal to game with a final play.
After Tayah Burrows put the Flyers up by one with 24 seconds left in the game, Elissa Brett responded with a lay-up to regain the lead with 16 seconds on the clock before Haley Jones made one of two foul-line shots to extend the margin to two in the final seconds.
It was left to Geelong to defend the Flyers’ final play before Brett went to the foul line to ice the historic win in front of an animated home crowd.
After the reality check of round 1, the motivation to atone for, and avoid, such a loss again fuelled Geelong.
“I think it was a feeling we never wanted to feel again, we had six weeks of great pre-season and that 40 minutes of basketball was nothing like we’d seen,” Potter said.
“We regrouped and used the words ‘it probably can’t get worse than this’, so we knew it was only up from here and relying on the last six weeks we’d done in pre-season, we were in for a good result.
“We stuck together throughout this week at training and I think that showed on the court, we never gave up and we were in it to win it and we did.”
The tough week saw coach Chris Lucas demand a response, which he gladly said he received after the win.
“Even from the video session (post loss), I don’t think they knew how I was going to respond, a few choice words and threw that in the bin and moved onto the next game and we’re going to have to do that every game, make sure we understand it’s going to be tough and the league is going to be tough but boy, oh boy, I couldn’t ask for anything more tonight, I’m very proud,” Lucas said.
After leading at each break on Thursday, Geelong’s composure in the final seconds to defend the Flyers’ final play made sure their hard work was rewarded.
“They were always going to go to Naz Hillmon,” Lucas said of the Flyers’ last play.
“We made a decision if she turned her head we were going to come and double her and we did that first possession, then we got a loose ball and Jazzy (Jaz Shelley) came up with it and that was game over.
“We had a bit of belief and that could have gone either way.
“(But) I would have been extremely disappointed if the girls didn’t get that result tonight, not for me, for them, they earned that tonight.”
Despite the Flyers boasting the top three scorers in Hillmon (27 points), Alice Kunek (25) and Bec Cole (20), United’s contributions ran deeper down its roster with five in double digits, led by US import Haley Jones (19) and captain Keely Froling (18 and 14 rebounds).
US forward Lynetta Kizer was a late withdrawal with illness for Geelong, who was already without Daniel Raber (international duties) as Lucas was forced to turn to injured Taylor Mole to fill his 10-player line-up.
Mole though stayed firmly on the bench though, as Lucas called on development players Dakota Crichton and Tanielle Knight for limited minutes, with both having some bright defensive moments.
“...They came in and made an impact,” Potter said.
“I know Tanielle got a big block and I think we all wanted to get around her in that moment but we had to keep playing.
“It’s really exciting to see them get the opportunity they’re grabbing with both hands and they’re making the most of it for sure.”
Despite being undermanned and lacking height without Kizer and Raber, the home side appeared unfazed and threw an offensive punch early, Shelley finding Potter under the basket for the first bucket of the night before following up soon after with a dagger three of her own.
After struggling on offence in round 1, Geelong looked more composed and better connected as more shots fell their way.
A Shelley no-look pass to Froling in the paint was converted early, though Geelong had to put equal time into defence as Southside brandished its own scoring power through the likes of Kunek and Cole, before several steals gave United the edge for an six-point lead at the first break.
The influence of Hillmon ramped up from the second quarter, the WNBA import going on a scoring run for the Flyers, though Brett hit several crucial threes from the same spot at either end of the quarter before a halftime buzzer beater two from Froling made sure Geelong took a three-point lead heading into the second half.
Sarah Elsworthy (12 points) provided a spark on both ends in the third as the home side held the narrowest of one-point leads at the final break before Jones took control in the final term and the likes of Potter (12 points, six rebounds), Brett (15 points), Froling and Shelley (nine points) each had individual moments in the final few minutes to pull off the historic win.
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