Fire maintain unbeaten start
The JCU Townsville Fire stand as the only unbeaten team in the WNBL this season after accounting for the UC Capitals at home tonight.
In a quirk of the fixture, six teams suffered first-round losses, with the Fire and the Capitals the only two teams to escape unscathed.
Adding to the intrigue, the pair were drawn against each other to start round two, with the Fire prevailing 76-65 in an arm wrestle.
Dusting off the cobwebs from the opening round, five-time WNBL MVP Suzy Batkovic was back to her dominant best, collecting 20 points, 12 rebounds and four assists to lead the hosts to a 2-0 start.
WNBA draftee Laurin Mincy was named the First Things First MVP after registering 13 points, six rebounds and three assists in another polished performance, while Cayla George narrowly missed another double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds in her 200th WNBL game.
The Fire sit on top of the ladder as the only unbeaten team in the @WNBL after our 76-65 win over the UC Capitals. Check out the key stats! pic.twitter.com/QoU89ijz5i
— Townsville Fire (@TownsvilleFire) October 13, 2017
“It was an ugly win – a bit like last week – but we will take it,” Fire coach Claudia Brassard said.
“They’re a good team and we couldn’t find our offensive rythym in the opening half, but we made some adjustments as the game wore on which helped us.
“Suzy was great but I thought Laurin was our MVP tonight. She knocked down some important shots in the third term when we needed her and she was good defensively.
“It’s great to be able to bank another win.”
With Mia Murray and George playing in milestone games, little looked to be going right in the opening term, although the former came out all guns blazing.
Getting fouled at the rim, Murray converted the bonus before issuing a huge block on Misty Bass – her first of three for the game – to stamp her authority on the contest.
Straight into the game & Zitina Aokuso goes hard to the rim to cut the margin to 27-31! #FireUpTownsville pic.twitter.com/04qQhcpske
— Townsville Fire (@TownsvilleFire) October 13, 2017
Fore a successive week, Mikhaela Donnelly (seven points and four assists) looked lively running the team, while Kelly Wilson (seven points and four rebounds) also enjoyed a solid showing.
The Fire return to their home floor on Thursday night when they host the Sydney Uni Flames before flying to Melbourne to face the Dandenong for the Fox Sports game of the week.
Click here to see full box scores from tonight’s game between the Fire and the Capitals.
Image courtesy of Lawrence Surgers.