UC Capitals improve their defence against the reigning Champions but go down by 35

The UC Capitals had an intention to improve defence this round and didn’t they deliver. They came out swinging in the second quarter with some incredible defensive pressure but in the final half the Melbourne Boomers were just too good, recording a 103-68 loss to the 2021/22 Champions.

It was all about Alex Bunton in the first quarter with the former Opal using her size and physicality to reach the basket and notch up 10 points. Dekeiya Cohen earnt yet another double double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, Rae Burrell with 15, Shaneice Swain with 12.

Q1

The UC Capitals started off their Round 3 game against the Melbourne Boomers with pace.

With Brittany Smart a late scratching due to a foot injury, Sherrie Calliea was brought into the starting five.

With another change to the line-up, the Caps went into the game feeling no pressure and as the underdogs, just hoping to improve defence.

The Caps started with a fast tempo and wasted no time getting points on the board. The Boomers came out looking very relaxed, with threes from Cayla George dropping with almost every shot.

Alex Bunton was the first quarter hero for the Caps with ten points, while development Chloe Tugliach got more minutes into her first season, coming on in the seventh minute

Q2

What a second quarter. The Caps started the quarter off with a big defensive stop and two buckets, forcing the Boomers to call a time out and ask what they were doing wrong.

The timeout had no effect, only scoring their first points three and a half minutes in – through a free throw. The Caps continued to dominate and give glimpses of what a focussed five can do.

They held Melbourne to 13 points, most of those coming in the final few minutes.

Q3

The Caps let the margin widen in the third quarter with some lapses in discipline, resulting in a 27 point lead.

Dekeiya Cohen showed her athleticism and fight again in quarter three, and Sherrie Calleia really started to settle into the point guard role.

Veal called a timeout to stem the flow of the Boomers who were getting a little too comfortable, while injured players in Jade Melbourne, Gemma Potter and Brittany Smart were on the sideline to help keep the energy up.

Q4

DC got some tough buckets but the Boomers were confident on their home court and the threes just kept coming.

As the game started to run away from them with the Boomers inching closer to 100 points, a time out was called. The Boomers’ Tiff Mitchell was almost unstoppable though and while the Caps very nearly held the Melbourne side off from hitting the 100, they clocked it up in the final moments before the buzzer.

Dekeiya Cohen recorded yet another double double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, Rae Burrell with 15, Shaneice Swain with 12.

The Caps next game is on Wednesday, November 30 in Adelaide, up against the Lightning.