WITH the finals series well underway for the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL), the Melbourne Boomers have maintained their status as the side to beat. Against the Adelaide Lightning on Saturday afternoon at the Lights Community and Sports Centre, the Boomers were a class above their opponents on their way to a 12 point victory on the road. The result gave Melbourne the series win as they advance to the big dance in the coming weeks. Adding to this the manner in which they did it, the Boomers have shown that they will take some stopping in the upcoming grand final series.

In this article, we take a look at some of the key statistical categories from the contest, and how they may have shaped the end result.

Team Stats

The Boomers were able to gain some success in a number of vital statistics throughout the contested, which aided them to their double-digit lead. One of the biggest positives from a Melbourne standpoint was the shooting from inside the arc, where it had a clear ascendancy over the Lightning. The visiting side made just under half of their shots from this area, while the Lightning struggled a fair bit from here. It gave the Boomers quite a boost on the scoreboard, which proved vital in the end.

While the scoreboard suggests otherwise, there were some areas in which the Lightning had the upper hand over Melbourne. Their shooting from the charity stripe was impressive, making four more shots from four more attempts than their opponents, which gave their score a much needed lift. They also ended up winning the rebounding battle, thanks to three players registering nine or more in the category. Despite these efforts, Adelaide could not convert them into scoreboard success.

Top Points Scorers

The Boomers were well served by a strong balance of scorers in the end, with four players scoring nine points or more in the match. Allen led the way with 15, thanks to three shots from behind the arc, while Magbegor recorded a double-double from 10 points and 12 rebounds, with five steals to go in there as well. Smith could not have done any more for the Lightning, doubling the next highest points scorer for her side. However, she did nOt have enough help with Adelaide struggling to find any scoring outside of her efforts.