Flames fall to ladder leaders in last home game of season

Brydens Sydney Uni Flames were defeated by ladder-leading Canberra in their final home game of WNBL 2018-19 at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday.

The depleted Flames fell to the in-form Capitals, 99-79, despite a hard-fought comeback in the second and third quarter, coming within nine-points of the eventual winners.

Starting without not only Alex Bunton, Alex Wilson and Britt Smart, but Sarah Graham, who injured her ankle last week against Dandenong, the team struggled to match the visitor’s well-rounded roster with a number of turnovers and missed shots.

In addition to this, the Flames were without Tahlia Tupaea for the final quarter after she sustained a knee injury at the end of the third.

Tupaea top-scored for the Flames with 22 points in her best performance of the season, followed by Belinda Snell with 15 and Vanessa Panousis with 14. Development player, Alex Delaney also contributed 8.

It was a tough day in the office for Sydney all around with the Kings also falling short against the Illawarra Hawks in the double-header, 96-84.

During the Kings half-time break, they honoured retiring Flames Captain, Belinda Snell, for her contribution to Australian Basketball following her last ever game in Sydney.

Snell and the Flames will play their final match this Saturday against Townsville in Townsville, hoping to finish off their WNBL 2018-19 campaign with a win.