WNBL: Flames combination Taylor and Mitchell dominate
Image Credit: Sydney Uni Flames
Townsville have crawled up the ladder to reach second position after knocking off powerhouse Bendigo by a massive 20 points.
Leading the way for the Fire, yet again was the forceful Suzy Batkovic who dominated with 28 points, 14 rebounds and 2 assists.
Townsville forced Bendigo into a massive 19 turnovers compared to the Fire’s 9, and strangely enough Bendigo did not commit 1 steal on Townsville all game.
In support of Batkovic’s huge game was Mia Murray with 18 points, Kayla Standish with 10 points and 5 rebounds, and Darcee Garbin with 10 points and 4 rebounds.
Nayo Raincock Ekunwe was Bendigo’s best with 15 points and 7 rebounds, but the highlights for the Spirit were limited as they struggle through a bad patch in form.
Dandenong were out for revenge on Adelaide who embarrassed them at home a few weeks ago, and they got it. Sara Blicavs led the Rangers to an 85-58 victory, encompassing 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals for a stellar performance. Steph Cumming was too solid with 22 points and 5 rebounds.
The game saw another massive difference in the turnovers with Adelaide’s 21 to Dandenong’s 10.
It was an ugly night for the Lightning but Sophie Elsworthy provided a memorable game with 11 points alongside Tayla Roberts with 10 points.
Sydney achieved a massive victory at home against the Perth Lynx, situating them in a healthy 2nd position on the ladder. The 90-78 win came from a phenomenal effort from the solid partnership of Asia Taylor and Leilani Mitchell. Combining for 49 points together, Taylor had 32 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists while Mitchell totalled 17 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists and 4 steals.
Carley Mijovic had a standout game for the Lynx with 22 points and 7 rebounds, but Sydney’s early pressure and dominance took this one too far out of the Lynx’s reach.
Mitchell's 7-12 shooting at 58% and massive effort with 11 steals earned herself this Round's Player of the Week. Check out all her highlights here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vap_8q8XIRg
Bendigo suffered another loss for the round, forcing them down to 6th position on the ladder. Canberra had a solid win at 77-63 over the Spirit, led by dynamic duo Marianna Tolo and Lauren Mansfield. Tolo totalled 28 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals and 5 blocked shots for the night, complemented by Mansfield’s 19 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
Canberra capitalised on Bendigo’s mistakes by a huge margin, and again there were only a limited number (3) of steals committed by the Spirit.
Despite a solid battle, Melbourne succumbed to the Perth Lynx at home by 8 points at 87-79. Whitcomb tore the Boomers apart with 25 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals, alongside centre Ruth Hamblin who totalled 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Maddie Garrick did all she could for the Boomers with 21 points and 5 rebounds, but the Lynx proved too strong and powerful for Melbourne.
Round 16 Previews:
Melbourne Boomers v Dandenong Rangers
The annual Australia Day Eve match between the cross-town rivals will take place yet again, and whilst the Rangers sit in a far better position than the Boomers, something tells me that all goes out the door when these two meet on Wednesday evening.
Key Match-Ups:
Maddie Garrick v Steph Cumming
Canberra Capitals v Sydney Flames
Both teams are hitting their strides at the important part of the season. Expecting a solid battle between these two, but predicting Sydney to come out on top.
Key Match-Ups:
Lauren Mansfield v Leilani Mitchell
Adelaide Lightning v Perth Lynx
Whilst the Lightning were hitting form, a win over Perth might be too far out of the question. Can’t see Perth dropping this game.
Key Match-Ups:
Samantha Logic v Sami Whitcomb
Townsville Fire v Sydney Flames
Just like the Capitals are as well, Townsville are hitting form at the right time of the season. With a tough double-header for Sydney, it will be extremely impressive to see them come out 2-0 from this upcoming round.
Key Match-Ups:
Mia Murray v Asia Taylor
Bendigo Spirit v Melbourne Boomers
Bendigo’s form has dropped recently, and I’m predicting a solid response as they protect their home floor this weekend.
Key Match-Ups:
Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe v Alice Kunek
Perth Lynx v Dandenong Rangers
These two powerhouses have led the competition this year, and it will be a tough battle for both as Perth hit their best form at home and Dandenong continue to prove why they are on top.
Key Match-Ups:
Carley Mijovic v Sara Blicavs