ROUND 8 PREVIEW: FLAMES V LIGHTNING, LYNX.
FLAMES ROUND EIGHT PREVIEW – FLAMES V LIGHNTING, LYNX.
The Brydens Sydney Uni Flames have a packed few weeks ahead, with five games in two rounds the Flames will have to gain momentum in round eight to get this new year started right.
Adelaide Lightning
The Flames will first take on the Adelaide Lightning, who sit on top of the WNBL ladder led by Opal and WNBA player Alanna Smith and 2020 WNBL MVP Stephanie Talbot.
Alanna is the daughter of former King Darren Smith and niece of Jason Smith.
The Lightning are dangerous. They have beaten the UC Capitals by 26 points and closed close wins against the Melbourne Boomers and Perth Lynx – both projected title favourites.
The Flames defence will have their hands full with Talbot and Smith, both are tall electric scorers averaging 13.8 points per game and 17.5 points per game respectively.
The Flames have been good defensively, with their best stretch coming in their last game against the Boomers back in December.
Coach Shane Heal told Megan Hustwaite that our defence has been great but we will need to work on our offence going into this stretch.
“Our defence has been elite so far, in a number of categories,” Heal said.
“It’s just our offence that’s a little further behind because we haven’t played and we’ve missed the Americans.”
In our first game of 2022, the Flames will play their first game back at Brydens in over 700 days on Thursday, January 20 at 6.30 pm.
This will be a members-only event, read more here.
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Perth Lynx
The Lynx have had a strange start to the season, they did not play until round five due to COVID and border restrictions.
Going into the season they are one of the projected favourites along with projected MVP and WNBA 2019 No. 1 pick Jackie Young.
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The Lynx are 2-2 going into round eight but they have recently added superstar Sami Whitcomb. The Lynx may struggle for a few games adjusting to Whitcomb while they build chemistry for a title-run, they just fell three points short to the Boomers on Monday, so the Flames have a chance to steal a great win on Sunday.
The Flames will take on the Lynx at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday 23 at 3.30 pm, tipping off after the Kings play the Brisbane Bullets.
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