Lynx take charge late for fourth straight win
The Perth Lynx will finish 2024 as the hottest team in the WNBL having to shake off a tough shooting first half before Anneli Maley caught fire in the third quarter, and they finished the game with an 18-3 run to beat the UC Capitals 89-80 in Canberra.
The Lynx arrived at AIS Arena for the Sunday match up on a three-game winning streak and full of confidence, but the Capitals were ready to try and snap their own five-game losing run on their home floor.
Canberra were leading a lot of the game until the Lynx assumed control late in the third period thanks to Maley, and then finished the game in dominant fashion to win by nine and improve to a 10-3 record with four straight victories.
Where the game was won
The Lynx had a rough shooting first half going into the break going 14/39 as a team from the field at 35 per cent along with 1/17 from three-point range at a paltry five per cent.
However, they had done well to only be trailing the Capitals by seven points at the break and then all of a sudden they made six three-pointers as a team in the third quarter including four of those in quick time to co-captain Anneli Maley.
Canberra still managed to be leading 77-71 with just over five minutes to play in the game, but the Lynx then took control with the next 11 points, and then the last seven of the game to finish with the 18-3 run to turn that six-point deficit into the nine-point victory.
Who the standout performers were
Laeticia Amihere only had the eight points on four shot attempts at half-time but she took over proceedings in the second half to finish with 29 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 10/12 shooting from the floor and 8/9 at the foul line.
Anneli Maley didn’t attempt a three-point shot in the first half either but then made four in the matter of minutes to close the third quarter on her way to 21 points, 10 rebounds and two steals.
Alex Ciabattoni also delivered 12 points, two rebounds and two assists for the Lynx with Ally Wilson contributing eight points, nine assists and seven boards, Teige Morrell seven points and three rebounds, Miela Sowah seven points and five boards, and Steph Gorman five points, two rebounds and two assists.
Charli Collier top-scored for Canberra with 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists with Monique Bobongie adding 13 points and three boards, Nyadiew Puoch 11 points and six rebounds, and Jade Melbourne 11 points, 11 assists, five steals and three boards.
How the game panned out
The Capitals on their home floor did get the better of the start opening up an early 14-6 advantage following three-pointers to Jade Melbourne and Monique Bobongie, but then the Lynx worked back into the contest.
Alex Ciabattoni started a run of seven straight points with a three-pointer before Teige Morrell and Ally Wilson also scored, but Canberra still managed to hold a 23-18 advantage by quarter-time thanks to a late triple from Katie Deeble.
Miela Sowah opened the second quarter with the first five points for Perth including a three-point play, but the Caps did continue to have the answers through the rest of the half to go into the half-time break leading 46-39.
The Lynx had shot just the 35 per cent from the field for the half including going 1/17 from deep but did get their second three-pointer of the game to open the second half thanks to Laeticia Amihere.
Ciabattoni then knocked down the team’s third of the contest before Anneli Maley took over the contest with some hot shooting of her own.
The Lynx co-captain made four three-pointers to close the third quarter in stunning fashion and the last of those gave her team the 66-64 lead by three quarter-time to be in front for the first time since the game’s opening minutes.
Canberra were back in front by starting the fourth frame with a 9-2 run and the Lynx were back down by six and they went without a field for more than five minutes of the quarter.
That quickly changed with a couple of buckets to Amihere before Steph Gorman landed a massive three-pointer and then Ally Wilson completed the 9-0 run that broke the game open to give them the five-point advantage.
After Charli Collier had a three-point play for the Caps, the Lynx then confirmed the victory with the game’s last seven points for the eventual nine-point victory.
What’s next for the Lynx
The Lynx now have until next Sunday when they play next and it’s back at the Perth High Performance Centre when they play host to the Adelaide Lightning, now coached by Adelaide 36ers great Scott Ninnis.
CYGNETT WNBL SEASON 2024/25
PERTH LYNX 89 (Amihere 29, Maley 21, Ciabattoni 12)
UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA CAPITALS 80 (Collier 20, Bobongie 13, Puoch 11, Melbourne 11)