THREE Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) clashes tip off in Round 4 of the competition over the next two days in what should be some fascinating action. We take a look at the clashes between the Sydney Uni Flames and Melbourne Boomers, UC Capitals and Bendigo Spirit, and Southside Flyers and Townsville Fire.

Wednesday, December 22 @ 5:00pm
Qudos Bank Arena

Since their Round 2 shock loss to Bendigo Spirit, the Boomers have turned their season around with comprehensive double-digit wins. Taking on the Flyers back-to-back, the Boomers accounted for them easily off the back of Tiffany Mitchell and Cayla George, as they triumphed by 19 and 15 points. Then they slayed the Spirit to overcome their five-point loss in Round 1 with a huge 25-point win just a few days ago.

The Flames are yet to have the same sort of success, dropping a heartbreaking game to UC Capitals in the opening round, then going down to Townsville by 19 points on the road. Shane Heal is still searching for his first win as head coach, and his job will be made all the more difficult with the news that Stephanie Watts will miss the rest of the WNBL season. One positive is that the Flames host the Boomers at Qudos Bank Arena, with the Boomers yet to travel outside Victoria.

Melbourne is averaging 79.3 points per game compared to Sydney Uni’s 55.5 points, albeit off a small sample size. The Boomers have also proven to be a dominant team in the paint, averaging 36.5 points per game compared to 22 points per game, and their assist numbers (18 to 10) also point favourably towards them. The Flames do have something going for them, and that is their fast break points, where they are averaging similar numbers of six per game, as well as an almost-identical eight steals per game.

George is the player to try and contain for the Flames ,with the Boomers star averaging a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds per game. All the top four scorers available heading into this match are wearing Boomers colours, with Mitchell (18.3 points), Eziyoda Magbegor (13.5 points, 7.5 rebounds) and Lindsay Allen (13.5 points). The Flames will look to the likes of Shyla Heal (10.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals) who will want to step up for her dad, as well as Keely Froling (12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds).

Given the Boomers form, the visitors will be heavily fancied for this match as the Flames look to overcome the loss of Watts.

Wednesday, December 22 @ 7:30pm
National Convention Centre

Another couple of teams yet to face each other in 2021/22, the Bendigo Spirit will travel out of Victoria for the first time, whilst the UC Capitals will search for their first home win of the season. The traditionally-strong Capitals side scraped over the line against Sydney Uni Flames in Round 1, but then were embarrassed against Adelaide Lightning by 26 points on the weekend. Given the controversy surrounding the Round 1 clash – where WNBL referee Simon Cosier supplied Capitals’ head coach Paul Gorriss with “confidential video clips of the Sydney Uni Flames training scrimmage” resulting in suspensions – the home team may have more than just their usual pre-game nerves to overcome.

The Spirit on the other hand bounced back from a Round 1 loss against Southside Flyers to stun the Melbourne Boomers and break their two-season winless drought. Last year’s wooden spooners won by a thrilling five points in that clash, but were unable to replicate those heroics on the weekend, losing to the Boomers by 25 points. The last two meetings between these sides have gone the way of the Capitals by an average of 28 points, with the Spirit last getting the win almost two years ago when they got up by four points in a thriller in the lead-up to the Capitals winning yet another title.

This time around, the Spirit have been pretty competitive, averaging 33.3 points per game in the paint compared to the Capitals’ 26. The Capitals are on top in the rebounds (40.5 to 33.7), but the Spirit lead the assists (16.3 to 12.5). Both sides have similar points from turnover numbers, whilst the Spirit’s field goal percentage thus far is far better, averaging 37.3 to 31.5 per cent.

In terms of key players, it is hard to look past Brittney Sykes for the Capitals who has slotted into the WNBL aplomb. She is putting up 12.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists, teaming up well with experienced duo Kelsey Griffin (12 points, 11 rebounds and three assists) and Kelly Wilson (7.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists) also having good starts to the season. Young gun Jade Melbourne leads her side for points, putting up 13 per game across the two matches thus far.

Anneli Maley has been far and away the standout for the Spirit, averaging 14.0 points and 12.7 rebounds to be the top player in those statistical categories heading into the match. Madeleine Garrick (12.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists), Tessa Lavey (9.7 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds) and Leilani Mitchell (6.3 points, 3.7 assists) are others who are ever-dangerous.

This clash looms as a close contest, because both sides have had highs and lows already this season, but the home court advantage might point in the Capitals’ favour.

Thursday, December 23 @ 7:30pm
Dandenong Stadium

When the undefeated Townsville travels to Dandenong Stadium tomorrow night, the Fire will be looking to make history. They North Queensland team is yet to defeat the Flyers in the first five meetings between the sides, with Southside winning by double-digits in the last four clashes. Now the Fire are coming off 11 and 19 point wins over Adelaide Lightning and Sydney Uni Flames, whilst the Flyers sunk to 19 and 15-point losses to Melbourne Boomers after an initial 11-point victory over Bendigo Spirit in Round 1.

Townsville sits at the top of the table, ans id the only side yet to drop a match this season. They are averaging 72.5 points, 15.5 assists and 44.5 rebounds per match. The Flyers are a high-volume scoring team, avearging an impressive 79.3 points per match, which they have achieved off 19.3 assists per game. The Fire are comfortably ahead in the rebounds, with the Flyers 10 per game less than their opponents. It is an area the Fire can really capitalise on, as well as from their fast break points (12.5 to 9.0 per game).

Southside on the other hand, dominate the paint, averaging 41.3 points per game compared to Townsville’s 35.0 per games. Just as impressively, the Flyers average 45.3 and 34.0 per cent from the field, and three-point range respectively, whilst the Fire lag behind with 42.0 and 29.0 per cent. Both sides have a range of starts who have really stepped up this season, including a number of fresh faces in Townsville colours.

Lauren Nicholson has been a rock this year thus far, averaging 14.5 points and 4.5 assists for the Fire, whilst Monique Billings (18.0 points, 11.0 rebounds) and Sug Sutton (12.0 points, 7.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds) have impressed in limited time, with the latter only playing one of the games thus far. As a dominant rebounding side, Zitina Aokuso (8.5 rebounds) and Nadeen Payne (6.5) support Billings in that area. From an assist point of view, Steph Reid has managed the third most in her side, with 3.5 per game, to go with seven points per match as well.

Abby Bishop will be one player determined to step up against her former side, having left mid-season during the 2019-20 season. She has amassed 17.3 points and 9.0 rebounds thus far in 2021/22 and will need to be at her best to curtail Billings and her teammates. The Flyers have no trouble scoring, with Rebecca Cole (18.0 points) and Sara Blicavs (13.5) both among the top scorers heading into the game, whilst sisters in law, Maddison Rocci (5.3 assists) and Aimie Rocci (4.0) have been the perfect pairing of facilitators.

It comes down to a clash between points and rebounds. If the Fire can put enough pressure on the Flyers’ shooters, then the visitors team will have the advantage off the boards, but any drop off in intensity throughout the game, and Southside will make Townsville pay. The time seems right for the Fire to break their Flyers’ winless streak.