Townsville Fire bundled out in straight sets as Perth Lynx advance to WNBL grand final
Reigning champs shocked as WNBL strugglers eye end of 30-year title drought.
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Minor premier Townsville’s dream of back-to-back titles has been extinguished by the run-and-gun Perth Lynx in a seismic semi-final sweep that has altered the complexion of the WNBL season.
Perth endured an injury-riddled campaign and, while its mix of elite top-end talent found health at the right time, the Fire’s star-studded spread of contributors was widely tipped to get the job done.
The Lynx, though, had other ideas, storming to a 108-102 game-two victory that booked their second grand final appearance in the past three seasons and gives them a chance to end a title drought that spans more than three decades.
After gun import Aari McDonald (26) and sharpshooter Amy Atwell (24) combined for 50 points in a thrilling one-point result in Townsville, the Lynx’s breakneck brand of basketball kicked into overdrive in game two, allowing them to ride a wave of home crowd support and send the shattered Fire packing.
The Fire failed the eye test for most of the game as the Lynx ran them ragged, sapping their energy and desire to do the little things that are non-negotiable in finals basketball.
That allowed the Lynx — chiefly through dominant giant Emily Potter (19 points, 13 rebounds) — to feast on the glass, with a 46-38 dominance.
Despite those struggles, the methodical Fire refused to die — every time the Lynx threatened to break the game open, they’d hit back with runs of their own to stay in it, but never quite finding the all-important lead.
Unconscious Atwell started the rot, splashing 13 of the Lynx’s first 18 points on her way to an equal game-high 27.
Running mate McDonald was just as sublime, taking over in the second half to emulate Atwell’s 27, lacing that with 11 assists. One of the great shames of WNBL24 was the injury that forced McDonald out for nearly half of the regular season and robbed everyone of a season-long race for the MVP with Melbourne Boomer Jordin Canada.
Atwell and McDonald drained nine treys between them as the red hot Lynx made 15 of their 33 tries from deep.
Former WNBL MVP Anneli Maley quietly went about her business — and nearly finished with a triple-double, 15 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists — her deep makes either side of the three-quarter-time break vital in maintaining Perth’s ascendancy.
Townsville’s ultra-aggressive Courtney Woods didn’t die wondering, playing a lone hand for the Fire with 22 points, while the composed and efficient Steph Reid expertly conducted the Fire offence with 19 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds.
Leading light Sami Whitcomb was unable to shake off her shooting struggles in game one, finishing the series with an impressive 48 points — 24 in each game — which came on a less than desirable 43 shots, including 9-27 from deep.
It’s just the second time since the WNBL switched to the best-of-three semi final format the fourth-placed team has knocked off the minor premiers.
Fire stars Whitcomb and Alice Kunek were on that 2017-18 Perth team which finished on top of the ladder and was bundled out in straight sets by Melbourne.
Ironically, the Fire unknowingly contributed to their own WNBL24 demise when they beat Sydney Flames on the last day of the season, sealing Perth’s fourth-place finish.
After a power of work early in the season built a buffer at the top of the ladder, the Fire sputtered, losing four of their last six regular season games and they could not flip the switch under the pressure of finals.
Not a single player on the current Lynx roster was born when Perth won its first and only WNBL way back in 1992. Known then as the Breakers, Opals legend Michele Timms, under the stewardship of coaching great Tom Maher, led Perth to the promised land.
As Coach of the Year Shannon Seebohm and company begin their probe into what went wrong for the league’s best regular season team, Perth will now wait and watch as Melbourne Boomers and Southside Flyers go head-to-head in a game three decider that will confirm its grand final opponent.
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Originally published as Townsville Fire bundled out in straight sets as Perth Lynx advance to WNBL grand final
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