How Townsville Fire star Sami Whitcomb stepped up to sink former club

Sami Whitcomb ensured the Fire began 2024 atop the WNBL standings with a basketball masterclass against her former club on Sunday night. Find out why Perth aren’t making excuses.

Sami Whitcomb celebrates after winning the WNBL match between Townsville Fire and Perth Lynx at Townsville Entertainment Centre, on December 31, 2023, in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Townsville star Sami Whitcomb ensured the Fire began 2024 atop the WNBL standings with a basketball masterclass against her former club on Sunday night.

The Fire burned Perth with a second-half blitz to triumph 87-64 after scores were locked at halftime thanks to a game-high 26 points from Whitcomb.

The Lynx were forced to take increasingly tough shots as the game went on and the visitors fought to keep in touch with the red-hot shooting of the Fire.

Whitcomb drained six three-pointers – her most in an orange jersey since game 1 – while attempting almost one third of all Townsville’s field goal attempts.

Perth coach Ryan Petrik said he was pleased with his team’s pressure on Whitcomb despite allowing her to make nine baskets.

Sami Whitcomb drives to the basket during the WNBL match between Townsville Fire and Perth Lynx at Townsville Entertainment Centre, on December 31, 2023, in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

“She’s tough. It’s hard, you’ve got to pick your poison somewhere,” Petrik said.

“She gets to 26 (points) but we make her take 22 shots, so we don’t mind the efficiency from a defensive side of things.

“They (Townsville) score 87 on 68 so that’s more of a concern. The 26 points on 22 shots we’ll live with.

“When she’s on, she’s world class for a reason and she really torched us in that second half.”

Whitcomb’s 26 points tied the season-high she put up on Friday against Sydney in a heartbreaking overtime loss where she remained on court for the entire 45-minute duration.

Fire coach Shannon Seebohm predicted Perth would look to minimise Whitcomb’s impact when the teams meet again on Wednesday.

Shannon Seebohm looks on before the start of the WNBL match between Townsville Fire and Perth Lynx at Townsville Entertainment Centre, on December 31, 2023, in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

“I’m sure they’ll look at their pick and roll schemes a little bit, (about) what they do there,” Seebohm said.

“Sami (Whitcomb) had a really good shooting night, maybe they’ll try and take the ball out of her hands a little bit more and make other people have to beat them.

“Honestly, I don’t really know (how Perth will respond) and I’m just going to focus on us.”

In-form Fire guard Courtney Woods was the most accurate shooter on court, scoring eight from 11 at 72.7 per cent including four of five from long range.

Mikaela Ruef enjoyed a physical rebounding battle with Perth’s Anneli Maley, and both players registered a double-double with points and rebounds.

Townsville host a Wednesday night rematch with Perth at the Fire Pit on Wednesday night, tip-off at 7.30pm.

NO EXCUSES FROM PERTH FOR POOR SECOND HALF

Perth Lynx captain Anneli Maley refused to make excuses for her side’s defeat on Sunday evening, labelling the top of the table clash a winnable game.

Maley was the brightest light for the visitors in Perth’s 23-point defeat, leading the team in points (18) and rebounds (13) and almost single-handedly keeping the Lynx in the fight as her teammates struggled to make baskets.

Anneli Maley of the Lynx takes a shot during the WNBL match between Townsville Fire and Perth Lynx at Townsville Entertainment Centre, on December 31, 2023, in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

As a team Perth scored on just 38.2 per cent of attempts from the field, making 26 of 68 shots and only five three-pointers all game.

Conversely, Townsville’s captain Sami Whitcomb drained six shots from beyond the arc herself.

But Maley insisted travelling to the opposite side of the country was no excuse for the loss.

“We were totally capable of winning that game. I don’t think there’s any excuses (with) travel or games played or whatever,” Maley said.

“A winnable game is a winnable game and we can beat any team on any given night.

“There’s so many outside factors in every single whatever, it all comes down to winning a game of basketball and that’s on us. We lost our game of basketball.”

Perth coach Ryan Petrik echoed his captain’s sentiments, saying he was already looking ahead to Wednesday’s rematch.

“We want to be a no excuse program. We lost, history is written by the winner not the loser,” Petrik said.

“We got beat, we deserved to get beat, end of story.

Originally published as How Townsville Fire star Sami Whitcomb stepped up to sink former club