Chibba’s game winner gives Lynx second spot
Alex Ciabattoni hit the biggest shot off her WNBL career and it was two late steals from Steph Gorman and Laeticia Amihere that inspired Perth Lynx’s 87-86 overtime victory to secure second spot over the Townsville Fire.
The coming semi-final series between Townsville and Perth got underway early in all reality when the Fire and Lynx did battle at the Townsville Entertainment Centre on Sunday in the very last game of the WNBL regular season.
The two teams were already locked into playing one another for a third straight semi-final series, but home court advantage was on the line and it was the Lynx who prevailed in overtime by a point thanks to the game winning shot from Ciabattoni.
Where the game was won
The Lynx were playing catch up for most of the game trailing the Fire by 11 points at quarter-time while losing the rebound count 15 to six, and shooting just 33 per cent opposed to the 55 from Townsville.
Townsville were still leading 42-37 at half-time thanks to 12 offensive rebounds to six that led to them taking eight extra field goals and four more free throws.
The Lynx had pulled that back to a three-point game by three quarter-time and then put themselves in a winning position with a 12-0 fourth quarter run, but the Fire hit back with a shot just before the buzzer from Nia Coffey to send it to overtime.
Townsville then had all the momentum leading 86-80 with 45 seconds to go, but that’s where the Lynx turned up the pressure. A steal from Steph Gorman set up Anneli Maley to bring it back to a two-point game.
Then Laeticia Amihere grabbed the steal off a driving Lauren Cox before she took off to lead the break and then found Alex Ciabattoni who was waiting out on the wing. She knocked down the three just before time expired and the Lynx won 87-86 to grab home court advantage.
Who the standout performers were
There were once again plenty of strong contributors in the win for the Lynx with Ally Wilson top-scoring with 21 points to go with five rebounds and five assists.
Laeticia Amihere battled hard against the bigs from Townsville for 18 points, six blocks, four rebounds and two assists with co-captain Amy Atwell putting up 16 points along with four rebounds.
Anneli Maley finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds with Alex Ciabattoni ending up with nine points and two boards, Miela Sowah five points and four assists, Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard five points and four rebounds, and Steph Gorman two points, two assists and two steals.
Courtney Woods ended up top-scoring for Townsville with 27 points while Nia Coffey adding 19 points and nine rebounds, and Lauren Cox 14 points, 10 boards and three blocks.
How the game panned out
It was a tough start for the Lynx with the home team getting out to an 8-2 opening with six straight points from Courtney Woods before Anneli Maley knocked down a steadying three-pointer for Perth.
Amy Atwell also came on to score five quick points, but it was Townsville still on top 26-15 by the end of the first quarter on the back of shooting 55 per cent to 33 with 15 rebounds to six.
The Lynx went on three separate runs during the second frame starting with six straight points with an and-one from Ally Wilson and three-pointer from Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard.
Wilson and Atwell then combined for another 6-0 run before it was Alex Ciabattoni and Laeticia Amihere making up six more consecutive points, but still by half-time it was Townsville leading 42-37 on the back of taking eight extra shots thanks to 12 offensive rebounds to six.
The Lynx did get back to a point early in the second half but the Fire pulled away again to up by nine points before Perth finished the third quarter with the last six points from Ciabattoni, Amihere and Atwell.
Townsville were still leading by six early in the fourth period but then the Lynx made their move starting with Miela Sowah’s lone three-point make of the afternoon.
That turned into a game changing 12-0 run for the Lynx to see them open up their own six-point lead, and to still be up by four heading into the final minute.
However, the Fire got back to within two with free throws from Abbey Ellis before then forcing Sowah into a turnover with their pressure defence. It turned into a long two from Nia Coffey that tied scores up and sent the game to overtime with scores 75-75.
Then in the extra period, Townsville scored the first four points through Lauren Cox before the Lynx responded with a three ball from Atwell.
Woods then scored five straight points for the Fire and the home team was still leading by six with 45 seconds to go, but the Lynx weren’t ready to lie down.
Maley made two free throws before Steph Gorman forced the steal on Woods to set up Maley to score and it was just a two-point ball game.
The Lynx forced another turnover when Amihere snatched the ball off the driving Cox. She then ran the break, dished it out to a waiting Ciabattoni who knocked down the game winner.
What’s next for the Lynx
First up is the WNBL Awards on Monday night in Melbourne before the Lynx return to Perth to prepare to host Game 1 of the semi-final series against the Townsville Fire which will be on Saturday evening.
CYGNETT WNBL SEASON 2024/25
PERTH LYNX 87 (Wilson 21, Amihere 18, Atwell 16)
TOWNSVILLE FIRE 86 (Woods 27, Coffey 19, Cox 14)