Fire lift, despite switch

THE late withdrawal of Opals point guard Steph Reid saw Lauren Nicholson thrust into the Fire’s chief playmaking role for a big revenge win over the Adelaide Lightning.

Words: Patrick Woods, Townsville Bulletin

Warning bells were ringing when news broke that Reid had been ruled out of Friday night’s clash but by the final whistle, 92-63 to Townsville, it was clear that this team would not have let anything stop them.

Reid has been one of the team’s most consistent performers this season, lighting up the floor with her scintillating play time and time again, but missed the game due to a back issue.

Fire coach Shannon Seebohm said the best efforts of Townsville’s medical staff were not enough to get Reid right for the game, but the team was hopeful she would return to the line-up for Friday’s home game against the Capitals. “She got a bunch of treatment around the clock (for) the last 24 hours and it just wasn’t good enough to get going today,” Seebohm said.

“We’re hoping she’ll be back next week, but we’ll just have to wait and see.” Lauren Nicholson took control of the floor in Reid’s absence, only sitting for the final 2:25 with the result secured and Seebohm resting starters.

Despite her unfamiliar position, Townsville’s captain put up 15 points to go with five assists and four rebounds. “I knew she’d do a good job with it, she’s a great player,” Seebohm said. “She’s poised and I think once she figured out what she was doing she was off and running. “I thought she did an awesome job defending (point guard Lauren) Mansfield early, awesome job getting our tempo right, she pushed the ball really well – I thought it was one of the best games we’ve had at getting out in transition.”

Karlie Samuelson was named MVP after the match after draining five three-pointers on her way to a game-high 29.

It was the fifth game in a row a different player has led the Fire in scoring.

Although the US import admitted she had been nervous about Reid’s absence, she said she had been inspired by Nicholson’s work at No.1.

“I was a little bit nervous,” Samuelson said. “Loz (Nicholson) stepped up big … and I think that helped the rest of us step up. I don’t know if Loz ever gets tired, she guards everybody and has the ball and she just does a great job.”