River City Recap

October 18, 2023 | Townsville Fire news

In an action-packed weekend, the Fire set the courts ablaze in Brisbane at the River City Rebound Pre-Season Tournament, an event hosted by Basketball Queensland and supported by the Queensland Government.

During this tournament, the Fire came up against, Adelaide Lightning and the Perth Lynx, each game offering a distinct narrative. In a game that had fans on the edge of their seats, the Fire secured a thrilling victory over Adelaide Lightning with a slim 98-97 scoreline. The standout performance came from none other than Sami Whitcomb, one of the Fire’s newest additions, who demonstrated her WNBA prowess by notching up 33 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Supporting her were Steph Reid, who contributed 15 points and 4 assists, and Mikaela Ruef, who showcased her dominance on the boards with an impressive 12 rebounds.

After a day of rest, the Fire paid a visit’s to the community, at schools and junior Basketball associations before going head-to-head with the Perth Lynx.

The game began with the Fire in control, but the Perth Lynx managed an incredible comeback, ultimately seizing an 80-86 victory. Sami Whitcomb continued to dazzle, racking up an astounding 37 points, 5 rebounds & 2 steals, while Courtney Woods delivered a solid performance with 18 points and the teams Rookie Saffron Shiels with an impressive 9 rebounds.

While this marked the Fire’s first loss in 10 months, it was a great opportunity for the clubs younger players to get decent court time, with the Fire resting, Alice Kunek, Cassandra Brown and Zitina Aokuso unavailable with family commitments.

“ The pre- season tournaments aren’t really about the wins or the losses, it about testing our structures and getting some game time under our belt before the season kicks off”

Head Coach Shannon Seebohm said.

The Fire’s performance at the River City Rebound Pre-Season Tournament is an exciting glimpse into what we can expect in the upcoming season.

A huge thank you to the Queensland Government and Basketball Queensland for a wonderful pre season tournament.