A team effort for the UC Capitals back at home

1,273 fans welcomed the Caps back to the NCCC for round 6 of the Cygnett WNBL.

Leading out the Caps for the first minutes was Jade Melbourne, Alex Sharp, Alex Fowler, Nicole Munger and Monica Okoye. For the Flames first lineup it was Paige Bradley, Lauren Nicholson, Didi Richards, Cayla George and Tess Madgen playing in her 250th WNBL game.

Q1
The game started off hot right from the tip off with both teams coming out with intensity early. The first points went to the visitors through George who got the scoring started down low. For the Caps, Fowler brought her recent good form back to the NCCC and made it known through a three-pointer to get her team on the board. The Caps strong defence resulted in multiple steals in defence across the first period. Five minutes in and the two teams couldn’t be separated as both continued to chip away at the scoreboard. The physicality of the match continued to heat up as both sides went over their team foul count. Fowler and Alex Bunton worked hard for the Caps down low within the key in their key matchup with Sydney’s George and Lara McSpadden.
Caps 14 – Flames 22

Q2
The Caps came out of the first break with their intensity still high, running out Sydney’s shot clock on their first possession. The home side backed it up at the other end with a driving layup from co-captain, Sharp. The Flames continued to flex their experience through Madgen and George who kept the scoreline ticking over in their favour. It was none other than Melbourne who brought the Caps back within single digits off the back of another determined drive to the basket. The young gun backed it up on the next play with an impressive no-look pass to Bunton who added two points to her name.
Top scorers for the half were Melbourne with 9 points, 2, assists, 4 rebounds, and Fowler with 12 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound. Leading for Sydney was Madgen with 14 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, and Nicholson on 13 points, 2 rebounds.
Caps 32 – Flames 44

Q3
After swapping ends at the main break the Caps came back with renewed focus to go on a six-point scoring run that halved the margin. Nicholson had her eye in early for the Flames and took control of her side to start the term. However, there was little that could stop the Caps as Melbourne and Munger fired up to draw the Caps back to level. The home crowd really came alive when Gemma Potter threw up a successful jump shot to give the Caps the lead for the first time. Momentum stayed with the home side as their defensive pressure stepped up another gear and they kept Sydney scoreless for the final four and a half minutes.
Caps 55 – Flames 49

Q4
The Caps started the final quarter on their terms with Potter adding another two points to her stat sheet. Melbourne then backed it up with another clip for her highlight reel when she let fly a three-point shot from far beyond the arc. The Flames went to their leading duo to keep their team in the match, with George and Madgen both contributing points. With four minutes remaining, the scoreline was back to within a one basket difference after Nicholson’s fine footwork earning her another basket. The game’s physicality continued to play out, with George fouling out for the Flames just as Madgen followed up with a three-pointer. Free throws to Nicholson and McSpadden gave Sydney back a two-point lead forcing Caps head coach, Kristen Veal, to call a timeout. The play came out perfectly when Melbourne found Sharp under the basket to draw the Caps level again. In a dramatic final thirty seconds, Nicholson scored again to lead by two, Melbourne sunk a free throw to claw back one more point, but a final free throw to McSpadden gave Sydney the final say.
Leading scorers: Melbourne on 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, Sharp with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and Potter with 11 points, 1 rebound. For Sydney, Nicholson led with 26 points, 1 assist, 4 rebounds and Madgen with 21 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists.