Women’s National Basketball League: Melbourne Boomers host Canberra Capitals in Geelong

The Melbourne Boomers will look to rebound from a season-opening loss when they take on the Canberra Capitals in a special home match in Geelong tonight.

The Melbourne Boomers will look to rebound from a season-opening loss when they take on the Canberra Capitals in a special home match in Geelong tonight.

The week 2 clash is part of the Women’s National Basketball League’s commitment to taking the game to regional areas and the Boomers have made an annual fixture of the Geelong match in recent years. The Boomers and Capitals will take to the court at the Geelong Arena tonight (7.30pm tip-off).

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Melbourne Boomers signing Lindsey Allen started brightly with eight points and two assists in the opening five minutes of the season. Picture: Michelle Couling

Melbourne will be keen to hit back after an 82-72 loss to Bendigo at the State Basketball Centre while Canberra made the trip to Sydney and took out the Flames 97-78.

The Boomers kicked off the season in front of 2531 at the State Basketball Centre and started like a house on fire with Lindsey Allen netting eight points and dishing out two assists in the first five minutes.

However, turnovers — seven for the first quarter alone — were proving to be an issue and the Boomers went to the first break with a 27-21 lead.

The Spirit then went on an 8-0 run early in the second term and, building momentum, they led 50-32 at the half. Bendigo’s 29-5 second-quarter purple patch had the Boomers on the back foot from then on.

Opals star Steph Talbot netted 20 points in the season-opener Pic: Andres Gutierrez

Melbourne came out strongly from the main break with Steph Talbot and captain Jenna O’Hea inspiring a run that brought the margin back to single digits.

Defence was the theme of the quarter with the Boomers’ pressure creating plenty of offensive opportunities in transition, leading to several trips to the charity stripe.

An after-the-siren technical foul on the Spirit sent the Boomers to the line to start the last quarter trailing 63-52.

Allen made a solid start to the final quarter, drawing a charge, grabbing a steal and scoring two quick buckets to rally her teammates.

But, despite this effort, costly turnovers and hot three-point shooting by the Spirit saw the Boomers slip back to a 15-point deficit.

In the end, Melbourne showed encouraging flashes but the defence, rebounding and shooting of the Spirit proved too much and the visitors returned home with a 10-point victory.

Talbot (20 points) led the Boomers’ scoring while O’Hea had 14 points and six rebounds, Cayla George 10 points/11 rebounds and Allen 18 points with five assists.

WHAT: Melbourne Boomers vs Canberra Capitals

WHEN: Friday, October 19 (7:30pm tip-off)

WHERE: Geelong Arena