Lynx continue winning run over Lightning
The Perth Lynx remain the hottest team in the WNBL with a fifth consecutive win after Sunday’s 94-76 victory against the Adelaide Lightning at the Perth High Performance Centre.
The Lynx were playing their first game of 2025 and continued their winning form going with the 18-point victory to make it five wins on the trot to improve to an 11-3 record and to stay right in touch of the league-leading Bendigo Spirit.
Where the game was won
The Lynx had to work hard to shake off the Lightning and after leading by 17 points late in the first half, Adelaide went on an 11-1 run to cut the half-time lead for Perth to just 42-35.
The Lynx were able to build that lead back up throughout the second half, though, including Amy Atwell making all of her five three-pointers across the last 20 minutes.
Perth ended up leading by as much as 23 points on the way to the 18-point win thanks to going 20/24 at the free-throw line along with having 28 assists as a team and collecting 13 offensive rebounds for 17 second chance points.
The Lynx also scored 18 points off the 19 turnovers from the Lightning while holding the visitors to shooting 38 per cent from the field and just the 14 free-throw attempts.
Who the standout performers were
Once again key for the Lynx was the contributors across the board with four players scoring in double-figures, and eight players scoring overall.
Laeticia Amihere continued her hot form with another 20 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks including going a perfect 8/8 at the foul line.
Co-captain Anneli Maley added 19 points, 14 rebounds and five assists with Amy Atwell knocking down 5/8 from three-point range for 18 points, five boards and two steals.
Miela Sowah also ended up with another 18 points, six rebounds and four assists while Ally Wilson had nine points, 10 assists and four boards, Alex Ciabattoni six points and three rebounds, Steph Gorman two points, five assists, four steals and four boards, and Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard two points.
Australian Opals and WNBA star Steph Talbot finished with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists for Adelaide with Brianna Turner contributing 15 points and 14 rebounds, Issie Bourne 13 points and six boards, and Hannah Andrews 12 points.
How the game panned out
It was basket for basket early on to start the contest before the Lynx opened up a 9-4 lead when Miela Sowah knocked down a three-pointer.
Ally Wilson then scored four straight points and Perth were able to go on another 6-0 scoring run on the way to a double-figure lead, and being on top 21-14 by the end of one.
Anneli Maley opened the second term with a three-pointer for the Lynx and when Sowah completed a four-point play, the lead for the home team was out to 11 and was soon 15 when Laeticia Amihere scored seven straight points individually.
The Lynx were still on top 42-35 heading into half-time but the Lightning had done well to stay in touch scoring 11 of the last 12 points of the half.
Adelaide then scored first to start the second half and it was just a five-point game, but Perth responded with the next nine points starting with a nine-point run to push back out to a 14-point advantage.
Amy Atwell then knocked down a couple of three-pointers to push the lead out to 21 and it was still 19 by three quarter-time when the co-captain hit the third triple from her hand for the period.
The Lightning did hit a couple of early threes in the fourth quarter to be back within 15, but the Lynx continued to have all the answers and Sowah started another 8-0 scoring run with a three.
Atwell would land another pair of three balls late in the game and Perth were able to close out the 18-point victory for the fifth win in-a-row.
What’s next for the Lynx
The Lynx will now hit the road for their next two games putting their five-game winning streak on the line firstly against Geelong United next Sunday before then taking on the league-leading Bendigo Spirit on Wednesday.
The next home game will be back at the Perth High Performance Centre against the Southside Flyers in a Grand Final rematch on Saturday January 18.
CYGNETT WNBL SEASON 2024/25
PERTH LYNX 94 (Amihere 20, Maley 19, Sowah 18, Atwell 18)
ADELAIDE LIGHTNING 76 (Talbot 17, Turner 15, Bourne 13)