Caps playoff hopes dashed after tough loss to Flames

The UC Capitals playoff aspirations have been dashed following a 71-86 loss to the Sydney Flames on Sunday afternoon. 

A 21-point performance by Nyadiew Puoch was the highlight in an otherwise disappointing night for the Caps, in which the team struggled to find rhythm in the contest. 

Isabella Bracatisiano played by far and away her best game of the season, dropping 26 points, including eight threes to go with 7 rebounds. 

The loss ends the UC Capitals season with a game to play against Bendigo at home next week. The Flames on the other hand still have two games to go against Townsville and Southside before preparing for their playoff series against Bendigo. 

Here is how it all played out at the AIS! 

Q1 

Both teams showed signs of early nerves, turning the ball over and missing buckets in the early minutes. 

Charli Collier got the first points of the afternoon thanks to a rebound under the rim, before Nards followed suit with a layup not long after. Charli would go to the line not long after, landing both free throws to give the Caps an early advantage. 

A three to Issy Bracatisiano got Sydney on the board but that was quickly answered by a long range shot from Nicole Munger.  

Sydney’s guards Shaneice Swain and Celeste Taylor had a field day against the Caps in the last game out, and the Caps focus on them in defense was evident early. While double teams kept Swain to a slow start, Taylor found her way to the rim early. 

Charli Collier would land two more shots at the line, before Swain showed her early frustration in a collision with Nards. Both teams continued to trade points in a feisty opening quarter, with fouls going each way. 

A turnover fell into the hands of Katie Deeble, who found Jade on the fast break for her first points of the night. 

Sydney had their own opportunity off a turnover not long after, but a double dribble by Shaneice Swain saw the Caps regain possession. When Charli found Katie for a three, the Caps extended their lead to six once again, however the Flames would return serve with a layup at the other end. 

A drive by Nards drew a foul on Tahlia Tupaia, with the forward sinking one of two at the line. Bracatisiano continued to impress, with another corner three to keep Sydney in the game. 

A foul called on Abby Bishop drew jeers from the AIS crowd, which only grew worse as another harsh foul was called on Nards. Celeste Taylor missed both free throws much to the joy of the AIS arena.  

A back and forth first quarter ended with one point the difference between the teams. 

Caps 17 

Flames 16 

Q2 

Some click passing between Taylor and Tupaia granted Sydney the lead, when the guard landed a shot from beyond the arc. 

Both teams traded misses before Jade went downhill to bring scores back level. The tied game didn’t remain for long as Sydney went on a 9-0 run before a timeout was called by head coach Paul Gorris in an attempt to stifle momentum. 

The Caps ended the run not long after when Charli scored off the back of a series of great passes. The AIS held its breath for a second as Jade Melbourne hit the floor after a slip in the defending paint. She limped to her feet and brought the ball down leading to a basket by Nicole Munger. 

Sydney’s offense continued to trouble the Caps, with Yemiyah Morris getting in on the action. Charli however marched on in the paint, forcing a defensive stop before scoring a tough layup in the paint. 

While Swain wasn’t at her best in the opening half the guard would still find ways to create for the Flames, recording another assist before getting to the line not long after. 

Rebounding kept proving an issue for the Caps, but a timeout by Sydney gave them a chance to catch their breath before the end of the half.  

A steal to Jade led to a crucial Katie Bishop three. In unbelievable scenes another steal saw Bish again receive the ball, landing another shot from range to bring the Caps crowd to its feet, narrowing the Sydney lead to 5. 

In the last minute of the quarter Nicole would receive her third foul with Tupaia splitting the free throws. Nicole, seemingly buoyed by the call, earned a rebound and a basket soon after. 

A bucket to Nards on the buzzer helped the Caps cap off a mesmerizing run that saw the team take all the momentum into the main break. 

Caps 36 

Flames 38
Q3 

With their first possession of the quarter the Caps erased the lead through Nards. Swain quickly gave Sydney back the advantage off the back of a high-quality step back three.  

Nards got downhill with a fading layup before a great steal by Munger was met with a questionable charge call on Jade, which brought her to her fourth of the night leaving coach Gorris with no other option than to substitute his main option on offense. 

Swain found Taylor for a mid range shot before another foul against the Caps threatened to derail their focus as frustration set in. 

Celeste Taylor continued her love for the AIS. After scoring 22 last time out, she would evolve into the focus on offense for the Flames in the third. Without Jade on the court the Caps offence began to look clumsy, before Nards answered with another tough bucket to keep the team in the contest. 

When Bracatisiano got another three, it could of fell apart for the Caps, but Nards again stood up with 5 straight points, before a three to Monique Bobongie brought the difference back to two before a Flames time out. 

The Caps upped the pressure on defense leading to a shot clock violation from Sydney. However, yet another foul on the Caps took Sydney to a four-point lead heading into the final period. 

Caps 50 

Flames 54 

Q4 

As the final quarter got underway, it was impossible to ignore the eerie similarities to the previous game between the two sides. A turnover early saw Sydney get the first bucket of the quarter. A pick and roll by Indy Bowyer to Charli saw the Caps immediately erase that basket. 

Frustratingly for the Caps it again would be Bracatisiano who found another crucial three points from the corner. Nards’ impressive night continued with the forward drawing another foul and landing shots from the line. 

Some poor defense in transition led to Sydney getting an easy basket, which acted as the catalyst for Jade returning to the game. 

The crowd favorite made an immediate impact, forcing a turnover which led to a Monique three. However, the delirium would not last long as Jade fouled out on offence, meaning she was forced to the bench with 7 minutes to play. 

The crowd voiced their frustrations at a timeout not long after, as coach Gorris launched one final attempt to bring the Caps back into the game as Sydney’s confidence was visibly high. 

When Sydney landed another three late in the game, it became clear that it was a long way back for the Caps. Monique gave the Caps some life soon after, but another Sydney three, this time through Taylor again provided answers for the Flames. 

However, the Caps again showed the same spirit that has driven their resurgence in the 2nd half of the season, going on a 6-0 run off the back of back-to-back threes to Monique and Indy. 

Trailing by 9 coming out of a timeout, Sydney again went through Bracatisiano, who was increasingly seeming as though she wouldn’t miss a shot from corner all afternoon.  

The AIS arena rose to a deafening level of volume, as the Caps inbounded with their season on the line. Indy landed two free throws soon after before a turnover and basket by Mon got the deficit sound to single digits. 

Two straight layups to Celeste Taylor restored Sydney’s advantage. It was a lead they wouldn’t relent, a late basket to Nards going in vain as Sydney ran out victors at the AIS, effectively ending the Caps season with a game to play. 

Final Score 

Caps 71 

Flames 86 

Key Performers 

UC Capitals 

Nyadiew Puoch 21 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts 

Monique Bobongie 13 pts, 2 rebs, 1 asts 

Charli Collier 12 pts, 8 rebs, 2 asts 

Sydney Flames 

Isabella Bracatisiano 26 pts, 7 rebs, 1 asts 

Celeste Taylor 23 pts, 8 rebs, 1 asts 

Shaneice Swain 14 pts, 7 rebs, 7 asts