Caps clinch the win over quick firing Flames

Match report via wnbl.basketball.com

The reigning WNBL Champions, the Canberra Capitals, have managed to overcome a quick firing Brydens Sydney Uni Flames 68-63 in Cairns on Saturday night.

Canberra missed their first six field goals attempts and took just over four minutes to make their first shot in open play and trailed by 12 at quarter time.

Sydney blew out their seven-point halftime lead to 13 by scoring six unanswered points in the first minute of the third quarter, but the Caps showed their championship mettle from that point.

Canberra outscored the Flames 18-4 in the last six minutes of the third quarter, taking the lead for the first time 45 seconds from the end of that term, which they ended with a 7-0 run.

Sydney couldn’t get the deficit below three in a nail-biter and hard-fought final quarter.

Lauren Scherf topped Sydney’s scorers for a second consecutive game with 19, point-guard Lauren Mansfield added 16 and young-gun Anneli Maley impressed again, with a haul of 13 points, 12 boards and five steals.

Despite their early shooting woes, Canberra still made eight more field goals, though Sydney stayed in the game by outscoring the Caps 18-6 from the free throw line.

It was a third straight loss for Sydney, who were coming off a three-point defeat by Townsville.

“It’s really frustrating we’ve lost our last couple of games really close,” Mansfield said

Both teams play in Cairns again on Monday, with the Caps facing the Jayco Southside Flyers in a clash between two of the in-form sides, while Sydney face Perth.
BOX SCORE

UC Capitals 68 (M Rocci1 7, K Froling 15, M Tolo 13)

Brydens Sydney Uni Flames 63 (L Scherf 19, L Mansfield 16, A Maley 13)