Perth Lynx Preview – Home to Adelaide Lightning
Scott Ninnis brings his Adelaide Lightning west for the first time on Sunday afternoon with the Perth Lynx hunting a fifth successive WNBL win and to start 2025 on the perfect note at Perth High Performance Centre.
It will be the second game for the Lynx at the HPC, formerly HBF Stadium, and they will host the Lightning on Sunday afternoon looking to back up the pre-Christmas 25-point win in the same building against Geelong United.
That means the Lynx come into the Sunday match up having won their past four WNBL matches to be hot on the heels of the league-leading Bendigo Spirit with a 10-3 record.
They take on a Lightning team now coached by Adelaide 36ers Hall of Famer and head coach in two separate stints, Ninnis, who has replaced Nat Hurst this season for the Adelaide WNBL team for the first time.
The Lightning arrive in Perth fresh off losing to the Capitals on Friday night to slip outside of the top four now holding a 5-8 record.
So with the Lynx looking for a fifth consecutive win to stay clear in second spot and within striking distance of Bendigo, and the Lightning needing a bounce back win to try and get back in the top four, and it shapes as a tantalising match up.
The two teams did meet earlier this season in Adelaide back on November 9 and on that night the Lynx claimed the 92-78 victory to hit back just three days later after a tough home loss to the Townsville Fire.
In that win for the Lynx, seven players scored nine points or more with Anneli Maley putting up 18 (12 rebounds) of those, Laeticia Amihere 17, Alex Ciabattoni 15, Miela Sowah 13 and Ally Wilson 11 to go with nine rebounds and six assists back in her home state.
Both teams have also played their last games against the University of Canberra Capitals with the Lynx beating them 89-80 in Canberra last Sunday while the Lightning lost at home to the Caps on Friday night 88-77.
Despite the loss, Issie Bourne put up 29 points for Adelaide with Izzy Borlase adding 25 points, Brianna Turner 12 to go with 19 rebounds, and Steph Talbot four points, eight assists and six boards.
There was a lot to like from what the Lynx did in their win last Sunday in Canberra, but it took until late in the piece for them to pull away and score the eventual four-point win.
Amihere was outstanding finishing with 29 points, seven rebounds and three assists with Maley adding 21 points and 10 boards, Ciabattoni 12 points, and Wilson eight points, nine assists and seven rebounds as she threatened a triple-double.
The two teams now have plenty to play for with the Lynx trying to keep on winning and the Lightning to get back to winning as they lock horns at the Perth High Performance Centre for the first time making it a match no WA basketball fans should miss while the Wildcats are out of town.
CYGNETT WNBL SEASON 2024/25
Round 10 – Perth Lynx v Adelaide Lightning
Venue – Perth High Performance Centre
Tip-off – Sunday January 5, 1pm AWST
Tickets – Available by clicking here
How to watch – Live, free and on demand on 9Now