THE seventh round of the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) for the 2023/24 season commenced out west on Wednesday night, with the Perth Lynx producing a huge 40-point win over the Sydney Flames.

Both sides had come into the game off a win, with the Lynx defeating the Lightning in extra time, while the Flames had won two on the trot and looked to be getting better by the game. It was an intriguing way to start the round, given both sides are vying for a spot in the postseason and the sheer amount of star talent across the board.

Although many expected it to be a tight contest, it was anything but. The Lynx managed to scrape ahead in the opening period, before outscoring the 55-22 in the second and third quarters to break the game open in that time. The Flames looked a step behind the home side at Bendat Basketball Centre, as Perth cruised to a massive 98-58 win to further their championship hopes.

Although it was a magnificent team performance from the Lynx, the standout was clearly Amy Atwell, who delivered a damaging showing offensively.

Perth Lynx (98) def. Sydney Flames (58)

Amy Atwell – 21 points, four rebounds, one assist

Atwell was the only player in the match to score 20 points, bringing her experience in finding the bottom of the net to the fore as she delivered one of her best performances of the season against the Flames.

Most of Atwell’s offensive success came from behind the arc, using her sweet shooting motion to knock down six triples for the match on 13 attempts in a reasonably accurate display. She is one of the best shooters in the WNBL, and continued to live up to that name on Wednesday night.

The Lynx used cuts and screens to get her open around the perimeter, and although the defensive attention increased as the game went on, Atwell was a presence from three-point land. She looked as confident as ever in her shooting motion and her score reflected that.

It was evident that Atwell brought in the momentum from her and the Lynx’s last appearance, after knocking down an extremely deep three-pointer in crunch time against Adelaide last round. It is evident that she is in ripping form shooting the basketball, and Perth looked to reward that by getting the ball in her hands as much as possible.

It is common knowledge around the WNBL that it is not wise to leave Atwell open around the perimeter, and she justified those claims with a terrific display on Wednesday.