IN one of the most exciting games of the 2023/24 Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) to-date, the Perth Lynx defeated the Adelaide Lightning to the tune of three points in a game that went to extra time.

The match took place at Adelaide 36ers Arena on Sunday afternoon, with the Lynx looking to bounce back after a massive loss to the Boomers just days earlier. Prior to this match, Perth was in ripping form and had four wins next to its name. On the other hand, Adelaide had been inconsistent with its form but looked dangerous at times, and had the boost of a home crowd behind it. If the Lightning could cause an upset here, it would do do wonders for their season.

It was a high-scoring match, with both teams having their patches of dominance. For much of the contest, it looked as if the Lynx would continue their slide down the standings with another loss. However, Perth delivered a remarkable comeback to force overtime and get the job done in the extra period to claim win number five for the season.

Adelaide Lightning (95) def. by Perth Lynx (98)

Adelaide’s intent was evident early, as the home side scored the first seven points of the game, and leapt out to a nine-point lead in no time at all. The Lightning pushed the ball inside for some early offence inside the paint, and once they had their eye in as a team, the jumpshots started to fall. At the first change of play, the Lynx trailed by 13 and had plenty of work to do moving forward.

The Lightning showed no signs of slowing down in the second term, continuing to push the ball inside and get some good looks close to the rim. Conversely, the shots were simply not falling for the Lynx, who trailed 40-20 at the halfway point of the second quarter. However, Perth’s big names nailed some important baskets to draw that margin back to 13 once again to keep the faint hope of a comeback alive.

After a cold performance from the field in the first half, the Lynx finally began to consistently knock down shots, but they were answered down the other end a lot of the time. Once again, it was Perth’s leaders that made the most important shots, and heading into the fourth quarter, the deficit was back to seven points, with the visitors well and truly in striking distance.

The fourth quarter saw the Lynx continue their run and look to take away the Lightning’s interior presence and force shots on the perimeter. Star import Aari McDonald scored nine points in a row as Perth went on a big tear late in the match and a clutch three-pointer from Amy Atwell with 26 seconds on the clock tied things up. Neither side was able to answer and the game went to overtime.

The two sides started the extra period looking to generate scores in different styles, with Adelaide looking to knock down three-pointers while Perth drove the ball inside and scored at the rim. Joceyln Willoughby nailed one of her two free throws to put the Lightning up by a solitary point. However, McDonald nailed the game-winning three-pointer with less than 30 seconds on the clock, with Willoughby’s match-tying triple not falling, capping off a dramatic finish to an enthralling affair.

For the Lynx, McDonald continued her potential Most Valuable Player (MVP) campaign with another match-winning performance, pouring in 35 points on 12/24 shooting from the field. She was the catalyst for the team’s remarkable turnaround after halftime and still appears to be the most damaging player in the league. Speaking of MVP’s, Anneli Maley did a bit of everything with 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Atwell had some massive moments.

For the Lightning, Willoughby top-scored with 23 points on an accurate 9/14 shooting, making the most of the opportunities generated in the paint. Not far behind was breakout star Isabelle Bourne, who continued to make a name for herself with an impressive 22 points of her own.