Flames surge past Adelaide with shooting blitz

25/FEB/2008 – The ACUVUE Sydney Uni Flames will host the 2007/08 ADF WNBL Grand Final following their remarkable 90-71 win over the high-flying minor premier Adelaide LINK Lighting at the Distinctive Homes Dome this afternoon.

Brilliant team play and scintillating three-point shooting - the Flames hitting 15-of-26 (58%) triples, with five from the sweet shooting Kristen Veal - from last years' runner-up saw them progress to the March 8 decider at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre.

Up 36-32 at halftime, the Flames outscored the league's best offensive team 54-40 in the second half.

The 19-point loss was Adelaide's first since December 10, 2007, where they lost to the Rangers - the team they will play in next week's preliminary final at the Distinctive Homes Dome.

In a huge blow for Adelaide, star import Tracy Gahan suffered a knee injury early in the second term and took no further part in the game and remains in serious doubt for next week's clash.

The Flames were led by 17 points apiece from star duo Nat Porter and game MVP Alicia Poto, who also tallied eight rebounds and five assists while Veal (15 points), Michelle Musselwhite (14 points) and Mikaela Dombkins (14 points) all made valuable contributions.

Renae Camino scored a game high 20 points to go with ten rebounds to lead Adelaide with Erin Phillips adding 14 points, Jess Foley 13 points and Jenny Whittle 11 points in support.

"We've worked really hard this week," Poto said. "We scouted them well but it was a really good team effort and when we share the points around we are hard to stop.

"The girls are a year older now and they had to step up and there might be some pressure in having the Grand Final in Sydney but we will just focus on our game."

"Their third quarter was awesome," Lightning coach Vicki Valk said. "They just seemed to be hitting everything."

Despite Adelaide and Sydney Uni being the best two offensive teams respectively all season, the opening term, although extremely intense and played at a high tempo, was a defensive grind.

The Flames started with back-to-back triples from Musselwhite and held a 10-8 lead with 3:05 remaining and although they committed five turnovers for the term finished with a 17-12 quarter time lead, assisted by Adelaide hitting at just 36% from the field.

Three-pointers from Woosnam and Marino put Adelaide back in front but free throws from Porter quickly reestablished the Flames lead. Enter the experience of world champion Opal Jenny Whittle who nailed a triple to lock scores up at 21-all with 7:30 left.

The lead continued to swap hands as the sides traded baskets and their respective offence's clicked into gear, especially from three-point territory with both sides shooting at 50% (Sydney Uni 6-of-12, Adelaide 4-of-8) - the Flamed up 36-32 at halftime.

A Veal triple and Dombkins jumper saw Sydney Uni open a 41-32 lead and when the scores hit 43-34 Valk called for a time-out only to spark the shoot-out we all knew would eventuate with the teams sharing in seven straight triples but saw the Flames lead grow to 55-43.

The Lighting were missing the offensive rebounding of the injured Gahan, falling 64-51 behind with 1:47 remaining and with the Flames bagging 31 points for the term, their best third term of the season, Adelaide were down 67-53 at three quarter time.

Foley netted consecutive baskets to bring the Lighting within ten, 67-57, but the on the back of stellar shooting from the Flames and the shots not dropping for Adelaide, Sydney Uni were ahead 76-59 with 5:56 remaining.

Poto went down clutching her ankle with four minutes remaining to send a scare through the Flames camp and immediately went to the bench but was cleared of injury.

Veal's hot hand continued and when she nailed another triple to give the Flames an 83-64 lead with 3:23 left the game was over.

Next week's preliminary final will be broadcast LIVE on ABC TV at 4pm AEDT.

Sydney Uni 90 (Porter 17, Poto 17, Veal 15) def
Adelaide 71 (Camino 20, Phillips 14, Foley 13)
at the Distinctive Homes Dome.