The Lightning List: Top Frantic Finishes of the 2010s
The Adelaide Lightning have had some tight finishes in the last decade so we picked out some you would know and others you may have forgotten which had significance for various different reasons, here is the Lightning list for September.
1. Seekamp sees ball before buzzer to send Lightning to game three (2018/2019 Grand Final Game 2 vs Canberra Capitals)
The game that flared the argument for the video review system once again in history will still go down as one of the greatest finishes of the 2019 WNBL season. With 5.5 seconds remaining and the Lightning needing a score to take the Grand Final series to a decider in Canberra, Lauren Nicholson with a behind the back dribble regained control despite some full court pressure from the Capitals. She got the rock to outside the three point line and dished inside to a free Nicole Seekamp who had led the Lightning back into the contest and managed as history will now show on scoreboard (whether you look at the replay or not) get the ball up on the rim. It tumbled in to send the largest Lightning crowd of the decade into jubilation and the Lightning to a deciding game three of the 2018/2019 Grand Final Series.
- Dickel debut ring of fire for rookie Talbot (2012/2013 Round 17 vs Townsville Fire)
A tough week for the Lightning with several changes including personnel and current South Adelaide Panthers Womens NBL1 Central coach Richard Dickel taking the reigns for the first time in an ABC televised game against the Townsville Fire. Dickel recalled being more nervous about meeting the girls than the game itself, “I was coming into the club in unusual circumstances and only had 2-3 training sessions before the first game, from the outside offensively I don’t think the girls had too much of an issue.” Dickel shared about his first days at the Lightning.
The Lightning after being smashed in the live televised game the previous week brought their A-game against the Fire to a head tying the scores at 68-68. Lightning managed to get the ball under the basket through Laura Hodges who had it deflected by Suzy Batkovic out of bounds. The ball having hit the rim by the looks was not ruled to have done so and instead of a shot clock reset, the ball was with Lightning with 7.2 seconds to go from the inbound. A regather from veteran Jenny Screen off the missed shot from Jess Foley saw young rookie Steph Talbot head to the line for two free throws. “We worked on defence in this game switching up the sets with zone traps and all sorts, it was an area we continued to improve in as we progressed through the remainder of the season,” Dickel recalls about the game.
Commentators saying Talbot’s free throws were “shakiest” as she nailed the first one ice cool under all sorts of pressure. The second rebounding and falling out of bounds, to give the Fire one last gasp shot. Cumming had the ball for them with Kayla Standish taking a contested mid-range was of no avail to the Fire as the Lightning produced a backs-to-the-wall win 69-68 with a new coach and young star beginning to rise to the top in Talbot
- Roberts rebound seals first win in rough Lightning season (2016/2017 Round 14 vs. Melbourne Boomers)
A winless season can create a watershed moment for a club and in 2016 against the Melbourne Boomers although innocuous at the time, one of the biggest offensive rebounds and put backs finally put a W in the Win column for the club and coach Chris Lucas. Leading by 6 points and winless for the season at the Geelong Arena, import Coleen Planeta was looking to shoot a mid-range jumper from the free throw area before a little dish inside to a 3-1 Tayla Roberts (22 points and 13 rebounds in the finish) to have it bounce off the backboard. The centre was having none-of-that managed as she gathered the ball in and reeled it back in against her three Boomer opponents. She then put back the ball off the glass for a deuce as the margin pushed out beyond management for the Boomers. A last stop for Planeta produced the Lightning’s first win in that season 71-67.
- It’s off the Planeta for a last win of 2017 (2016/17 Round 19 vs. UC Capitals)
It was the last round of the 2016-2017 season and with wins few and far between for our girls, a win to finish off the season was a must have. With 1:20 to go on the clock and scores tied with a Canberra Capitals side desperate to make the finals, the Lightning struck down their finals chances with import Sam Logic waiting for fellow import Colleen Planeta coming off a double base line screen before faking a pick and roll move with Laura Hodges to find Planeta all alone on three point line. Game, set and match for their third win in a positive end to a tough season.
- Lucas return heartstopper for Lightning in overtime (2017/2018 Round 3 vs. Bendigo Spirit)
An emotional Adelaide Lightning took the court in this classic in 2017 with coach Chris Lucas having battled kidney-cancer returning to the head chair. After being tied at the end of regulation 71-71, it took a game winning block from Colleen Planeta with 15 seconds left on the clock to get the Lightning across the line in a thrilling 79-75 win in overtime. Planeta finished with 21 points in a match-winning performance.
Written by Tristan Prentice (South Australian Basketball Media Advisor)