The Magnificent Seven
7 straight wins has rocketed the JCU Fire into contention to top the table at the end of the regular season, and hold home court advantage throughout the WNBL Finals. The Fire aren’t getting ahead themselves though, with their place in the playoffs still not guaranteed, but beating Perth again on Saturday evening, after winning in the West a few nights earlier has the side sitting second on the ladder, and sharing the same record as league leaders Melbourne.
Shannon Seebohm praised the visitors’ effort and intensity in round 13.
“Yeah especially that second game it really had a finals feel to it. Perth played really well as well. They gave us everything they had and to grind out a win, it has put us in a really good position moving forward.”
The coach can take plenty of credit for Townsville taking out the Lynx twice. The hosts nailed a three to hit the lead with 27 seconds remaining in the rematch, but Tianna Hawkins responded with a maximum of her own, executing a perfect play drawn up in the team’s time out.
“They’d been dropping off her all game and Scherf hadn’t been coming out to guard her on the perimeter so we felt we’d put her in a position where if Scherf did guard Steph on the ball screen Tianna would be open, and you know Steph made a great pass and Tianna hit a big shot and won us the game.”
The import scored most of the 26 points inside, in an imposing individual display.
“She was really aggressive and we need that from her. We need her to stand up week in week out and be our best player, and I really believe Tianna can do that so I’m excited to see what she can do for the rest of the year.”
Seebohm’s given the players some deserved time off from training with the JCU Fire not in action again until Wednesday Feb 15. He hopes Lauren Nicholson overcomes a foot injury in time to battle the Boomers.
“Loz is still day to day we’re just waiting to see how that foot responds and once the pain settles down she’ll return, she was pretty close to playing that second game against Perth but she wasn’t quite right, we’re hoping with this extended break we can get her foot right and she’ll be back in the line up.”
The clash is at the Fire Pit and tickets are available to purchase.