Wilson’s 32 not quite enough against Coffey’s Fire
The Perth Lynx stormed back from a 14-point deficit to lead with two minutes to go but Nia Coffey’s huge night was the difference as the Townsville Fire grabbed Game 1 of the WNBL semi finals 92-87.
The third successive semi-final series between the two teams got underway on Saturday night at Bendat Basketball Centre and while Townsville did lead by as much as 14 points in the third quarter, the Lynx were in front with two minutes to play.
From there, the Fire handled the last two minutes the better for the five-point win to claim the one-nil series lead ahead of Game 2 in Townsville on Wednesday night.
Where the game was won
Townsville opened up a 27-16 advantage by quarter-time thanks to closing out to opening period with the last eight points before still leading 43-36 going into the half-time interval.
That was on the back of limiting the Lynx to 34 per cent field goal shooting in the opening half and limiting the home team to two second chance points on eight offensive rebounds, and helping to force them into nine turnovers.
Despite Ally Wilson and Laeticia Amihere combining for 27 points in the first half, the Lynx had plenty of work to do and that was even more so the case with Townsville’s lead out to 14 points midway through the third quarter.
However, that’s where the Lynx made their move outscoring Townsville 18 points to four which saw them back square just before three quarter-time.
Nia Coffey hit a three on three quarter-time and the Fire went back up nine early in the fourth frame, but the Lynx responded with three balls to Wilson and Anneli Maley. When Wilson hit her third three of the game with two minutes left and suddenly Perth were in front for the first time since the opening stages.
It was the Fire who took back control from there closing the game with an 8-2 run and ultimately the 36 points from Nia Coffey was the major difference.
Who the standout performers were
On the back of being named the Lynx MVP for the 2024/25 season on Wednesday night and making the WNBL All-First Team, Ally Wilson had a terrific Game 1 performance finishing with 32 points and nine assists on 9/14 shooting from the floor, 3/5 from downtown and 11/14 from the foul line.
Laeticia Amihere also delivered 20 points and five rebounds for the Lynx with Amy Atwell contributing 11 points and two assists, Anneli Maley nine points and 15 rebounds, Miela Sowah eight points and five boards, Alex Ciabattoni four points, three assists and two steals, and Steph Gorman three points and two assists.
Having joined Townsville in the second half of the WNBL season, Nia Coffey proved a difference-maker in Game 1 finishing with 36 points in 30 minutes of court time with 12/17 field goal shooting and going 6/7 from three-point territory.
Courtney Woods added 17 points, 10 assists, four rebounds and three steals while Alex Fowler had 14 points and six rebounds.
How the game panned out
The Lynx did open the game’s scoring thanks to Laeticia Amihere but that gave them their only lead of the contest until the closing minutes.
The Fire answered back by scoring the next seven points to open up a 7-2 away from home to open the semi-final series.
Perth did hit back to tie scores up at 11-11 thanks to a three-point play from Ally Wilson and another bucket to Amihere, but Townsville finished the first quarter with the last nine points.
Eight of those points came courtesy of Nia Coffey with Townsville leading 27-16 by quarter-time before the Lynx did open their three-point scoring account after six misses early in the second period thanks to Miela Sowah.
Townsville continued to build on its lead, though, and it got to 13 before Wilson went on her own 6-0 scoring run for the Lynx, but it was still the Fire on top 43-36 going into the half-time interval.
After 15 points in the first half, Coffey came out and scored Townsville’s first eight points of the second half as well. When she landed a three-pointer midway through the third term it was the Fire leading 62-48.
That’s when the Lynx kicked things up a gear to fire themselves right back into the contest starting with a 7-0 run topped off with a three-pointer to co-captain Amy Atwell.
Atwell then landed another three ball as part of a 6-0 run that saw the Lynx suddenly with three points, and then following a triple from Wilson and free throws to Amihere, scores were tied just before three quarter-time.
Townsville did finish the quarter leading 69-66 with a three-point dagger on the buzzer to Coffey but Sowah ensured Perth were back within a point to start the fourth quarter.
Townsville responded with the next eight points to reassert a nine-point advantage with that run concluded with a triple from Courtney Woods.
The Lynx needed to respond and they did with their own 8-0 run including three balls to Wilson and Atwell to make it a one-point contest.
When Wilson connected on another triple, the Lynx regained their first lead since the game’s opening minutes with two minutes to play.
However, the Fire answered to go ahead again thanks to Alex Fowler before Coffey knocked down another massive three-pointer to go to 36 points in the game.
Lauren Mansfield then hit the clutch free throws to make it a five-point game which was the final margin when the Lynx’s last two three-point attempts from Wilson and Maley failed to land.
What’s next for the Lynx
The Lynx now travel to Townsville for Game 2 on Wednesday needing to bounce back to win to force the deciding Game 3 next Saturday back in Perth with a Grand Final spot at stake against either the Bendigo Spirit or Sydney Flames.
CYGNETT WNBL FINALS 2025 – SEMI FINALS GAME 1
PERTH LYNX 87 (Wilson 32, Amihere 20, Atwell 11)
TOWNSVILLE FIRE 92 (Coffey 36, Woods 17, Fowler 14)