WNBL: Suzy Batkovic fires Townsville past Sydney Uni Flames
An inspirational performance from Suzy Batkovic led Townsville Fire to a stunning 78-49 victory over Sydney Uni Flames.
An inspirational performance from Suzy Batkovic led Townsville Fire to a stunning 78-49 victory over Sydney Uni Flames in game one of their WNBL semi-final series in Townsville last night.
The five-time league MVP combined with Cayla George and Darcee Garbin to overwhelm the Flames under the basket as the Fire scored 50 points in the paint to Sydney’s 18, while holding the defending champions to a lowly 24 per cent in shooting for the match.
Batkovic tallied 19 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in 25 minutes of court time, sitting out the final quarter with the result beyond doubt.
George (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Garbin (15 points, six rebounds) were also standouts.
An early barrage from beyond the arc saw Sydney Uni charge to an early 14-6 lead but their offence stalled as Townsville’s dominant front court took control of the game to outscore the Flames 37-13 on the way to a 16-point lead at halftime.
Things did not improve for the visitors in the second half with Belinda Snell the only Flames player to finish in double-digits with 11 points.
The visitors made the perfect start with Snell and Katie-Rae Ebzery each hitting twice from long range to race to an eight-point lead. But Garbin’s quick-fire seven points off the bench kickstarted Townsville’s offence and a late basket to Batkovic handed the home side a 21-19 lead at the first change.
The Fire kept the momentum rolling in the second term with Batkovic and George converting three-point plays to push the lead into double digits, while the Flames went ice-cold in attack with just eight points for the quarter.
Holding a 43-27 halftime lead, Batkovic opened the third quarter with a pair of baskets and George chipped in to push the lead out to 20 points.
Each time the Flames managed to score consecutive baskets, Townsville fired back immediately and with Garbin reaching double figures, the home side took a 61-38 lead into the fourth quarter and blew that out by as many as 34 points.
The series now moves to Sydney tomorrow.
AAP
Hurt, Sobey and Phoenix breeze past Taipans
Matt Hurt and Nathan Sobey put on a show as the SEM Phoenix took down the Cairns Taipans.
Stroke of luck for Bullets amid horror injury run
Brisbane Bullets will have just nine fit bodies to take on the Wildcats, but fears a star might be done for the season have been allayed in a massive boost for a team in talks with the NBL about an injury exemption.