FRIDAY night saw another clash in the 2021/22 Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) season, and fans were treated to a dominant team performance when the Perth Lynx took on the UC Capitals at the National Convention Centre in Canberra. After a delayed start to the season, the Lynx were finally able to get their season going in recent weeks, and had broken even in their first two matches, with one win and one loss coming from two outings. However, they produced a dominant display against the Capitals, firing on all cylinders to blow away their opponents early in the contest and never allow the chance of a comeback.
- Team
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- T
- Outcome
UC Capitals
- 13
- 14
- 20
- 22
- 69
- loss
Perth Lynx
- 31
- 14
- 26
- 17
- 88
- win
The Lynx opened the match in red hot form, scoring 31 points in the first term to claim a strong lead early on. The charge was led by their starters, with the likes of Marina Mabrey and Lauren Scherf getting involved early. Mabrey in particular was remarkably impressive and has continued her strong start to the season. She had 12 points in the first quarter alone, and has fully announced herself as one of the competition’s premier scorers. The Capitals defence tried incredibly hard to contain her, as she worked her way to a 27-point outing.
The Lynx were also able to dominate the rebounding battle, pulling down 16 more boards than the opposition teams, demonstrating their ascendancy in the air. This area has been a strength for the Lynx all season, given the high quality front court they possess.
Scherf has controlled the glass for the opening three Lynx matches, and once again reached double-digit rebounds against the Capitals. She finished with 12 for the match and was a major source of possession for her side. The victory in this battle also saw the Lynx finish with more second chance points, thanks to some handy work on the offensive glass.
The Lynx have well and truly announced themselves as one of the stronger performers in their opening three matches of the season. Their one loss was by just two points to the ladder leading Adelaide Lightning, and they have followed this result up with two commanding wins in the rounds that followed. If they can continue to produce performances of this calibre, they will soon be putting their name in the conversation of championship fancies.
PER | |
|---|---|
| FG | 32/69 (46%) |
| 2P | 23/39 (58%) |
| 3P | 9/30 (30%) |
| FT | 15/19 (78%) |
| REB | 54 |
| AST | 15 |
| STL | 3 |
| BLK | 2 |
| TO | 19 |
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