THE reinvigorated UC Capitals won their third consecutive game with an impressive come-from-behind victory over second placed Adelaide Lightning in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL). In doing so, the Capitals snapped the Lightning’s four-game winning streak, giving latecomers Perth Lynx pole position on the 2021/22 ladder. In the Capitals-Lightning clash, the visitors trailed by seven points at the main break, only to erase that by the final change, then scored a total of 47-27 in the second half to run out 80-67 winners.

Taking to the court in a Sunday afternoon clash at The Lights Community and Sports Centre, the Lightning were keen to keep their momentum flowing, whilst the Capitals were looking to build on their recent form. In what a nail-biting first term, the Capitals scored 18 points to 17 to take a narrow lead into the quarter time break. Though they were on top in the first term, the second quarter belonged to the home team.

Despite falling four points behind the Capitals (23-27), the Lightning – lead by Marena Whittle – got back on track, scoring 11 consecutive points. They had controlled play over those next few minutes and put themselves in a dangerous position. Though the Capitals put it back within five in the final 90 seconds, Abbey Wehrung and Alanna Smith put it out to nine points (40-31). A buzzer-beating layup from Mikaela Ruef saw the Capitals cut the deficit to seven (33-40).

The visitors had a roaring start to the third term with the first five points in the term, only for Sam Simons and Stephanie Talbot hit back-to-back triples and stretch the lead out to eight, 46-38. Though not a sudden run of baskets, UC did manage to cut right back into the contest thanks to triples of their own from Ruef and Tahlia Tupaea, which kick-started a run of nine straight points to have a five-point lead themselves. A long-range jumper from Taylor Ortlepp reduced the final deficit back to two at the break for the home team, but the Capitals were still in the lead, 58-56.

Just 16 seconds is all it took for the Lightning to regain the lead, as Ortlepp nailed a three-pointer, only for the lead to change hands four times in the first two minutes. A turning point in the match was at 63-apiece when the Capitals piled on 15 consecutive points over five minutes to race out to a 78-63 lead and eventually end any chance the home side had of winning. Despite the Lightning marginally outscoring the Capitals in the final three minutes, it would not be enough and the visitors won 78-64.

Ruef finished with a game-high 20 points at 64 per cent from the field, also picking up 10 rebounds in a massive double-double. She was far from alone from the Capitals perspective, as Brittany Smart (17 points, two rebounds and two steals) and Brittney Sykes (13 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals) also had a day out. For the Lightning, Smith helped herself to 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four blocks to be the best for the home side. Talbot (11 points, eight assists and four rebounds) and Ortlepp (12 points – all from beyond the arc) had an impact in her 11 minutes on court.