ROUND 10 of the 2021/22 Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) season ended up taking place over a two-week period. The final match took place on Saturday night, in what was supposed to be a double-header (but the first matchup was cancelled due to the Perth Lynx not being able to put a side together thanks to COVID and injury). However, the final match was still able to go ahead, with the Townsville Fire taking on the Sydney Uni Flames at Townsville Entertainment Centre. The Fire entered this clash as favourites given the Flames’ lack of success with one win next to their name after 10 games. The game ended up panning out as expected, with the home side proving too good for their inexperienced opponents, claiming a 21-point win in front of their home crowd.

In this article, we take a look at some of they key statistical categories, and how their results may have influenced the outcome of this contest.

Team Stats:

The Fire’s dominance is clear in the statistics shown above, winning all but one of the categories in their big win. Their shooting percentages were terrific across the board, making the most of any opportunity the defence gave them. The Flames were inaccurate across the board (bar their shots from the free throw line), and it cost them a chance of staying in the contest.

One of the biggest differences between the sides is the bench production shown by the Fire in their big win. They tripled the amount of points shown off the bench by their opponents, thanks to a number of contributors off the pine. This gave them a major boost whenever their starters needed a well-deserved rest, and often outperforming the Flames’ starters to ensure they kept a step ahead of the visiting side at all times.

The Flames were able to excel in one area, outperforming their opponents in the offensive rebounding battle in a big way. They pulled down seven more than the Fire, as they fought tooth and nail to get themselves an extra possession. This was led by Kalani Purcell, who was able to pull down six on her own as she tried to inject some much-needed spark into her side, but this effort was not enough to pull off the miracle.

Top Points Scorers:

The Fire had a strong balance of contributors, with five players scoring nine or more points in the blowout win. Nicholson led the way with 23 points from some efficient shooting as she powered her side to a winning score. Reid and Billings were also excellent and provided a reliable avenue to scoring for the home side. Froling was a one-woman show in her team’s defeat, scoring nearly half of the Flames’ total points as she battled bravely to keep Sydney Uni in the contest, but she was sadly outnumbered.