Match Report: Lightning claim top with win over Sydney

4/FEB/2008 – The Adelaide Lightning tonight were crowned 2007/08 minor premiers following their heart stopping 98-95 win over the Sydney Uni Flames in Sydney.

The Adelaide Lightning stretched their winning run to 13 games and claimed the minor premiership last night with a thrilling 3-point victory over the Flames at the Sydney Uni Sports and Aquatic Centre.

Leading by as much as 11 points in the final quarter, the visitors held on to win 98-95 after a barnstorming finish from the Flames which saw them close the gap and nearly send the game into overtime.

The scoreline was indicative of the hard-fought nature of the contest, but in no way told the full story of a match which ebbed and flowed throughout, the result still in doubt until Mikaela Dombkins and Kristen Veal both missed three-point opportunities with only seconds remaining.

Up until that point, Veal had hardly wavered and, along with the ubiquitous MVP performance from Nat Porter, was one of the reasons the Flames came as close as they did. It was a twofold shame that Veal's shot at the death did not drop; this was a match that deserved overtime, and it was unbefitting that the Flames guard's night ended in personal disappointment.

Prior to the edge-of-your-seat finish, the match had everything that could be expected of a contest between the league's finest two teams; high scores, lead changes, physicality and phenomenal skill from both sides keeping the Sydney faithful enthralled for the entire evening.

After a stuttering opening term, the match burst to life in the second, Jess Foley kick-starting the Lightning's charge with an incredible 17 points for the term, while 10 from Porter and cameos from Dombkins and Alicia Poto kept the scores tight, the sides going into the half-time break locked at 47 apiece.

The physical side of the match went up a gear in the second half, players from both teams lifting their intensity and spending almost as much time on the Aquatic Centre floor as on their feet. Michelle Musselwhite in particular demonstrated her commitment, at one point crashing through the courtside advertising while in pursuit of an errant pass.

But quite aside from the peripheral action, there was some brilliant basketball played.

Jenny Whittle found her way into the game, showing her versatility late in the third by nailing a skyhook and a long bomb before dishing off an assist in an inspired two minutes, while Erin Phillips also lifted for the Lightning. Porter kept trying to carry her team, but she was up against a well-drilled Adelaide side, and the Flames trailed by seven points with a quarter to play.

The pressure on both sides was evident in the final quarter, but it told on nobody more than Sam Woosnam. The Adelaide captain was on fire early in the term, draining eight points, including two threes, and effecting a pair of steals to help set up what looked like a match-winning lead.

But given an opportunity to seal the match from the charity stripe with 15 seconds remaining, the usually-composed Woosnam faltered, missing both shots and leaving the door open for Sydney's final charge. They could not take the opportunity, and after the match Woosnam praised her team's depth while lamenting the fact the game was so close. "We're fully aware that one week one person's going to be hot and have 20 and the next week it could be someone else so it's great," she told ABC TV. "(But) we actually have a goal to keep teams to 60 points so as you can see it didn't happen tonight but we got the win so that's important".

MVP Porter refused to acknowledge her own brilliant performance, instead concentrating on the team's disappointment. "We're obviously disappointed because it was there for the taking. Adelaide's a tough team& We let them get too many lay-ups, so we're obviously back to the drawing board to work on that and then (we have) finals so hopefully we'll get another crack" she said.

In other Friday night action, the race for the final spot in the playoffs hotted up with two overtime thrillers. In Bendigo, the Fire kept their slim hopes of post-season action alive with an 83-78 win over the Spirit. As usual, it was Rohanee Cox and Kath MacLeod who paced their teams, the former posting 23 points and the latter 28.

And in Dandenong, the Rangers finals hopes were dealt a blow as they went down to the Caps 57-63. Nat Hurst was the standout in the low-scoring affair, 20 points pacing her team as they look to secure the double chance.

Adelaide Link Lightning 98 (Foley 30, Phillips 16, Woosnam 15) def
ACUVUE Sydney Uni Flames 95 (Porter 36, Veal 25, Musselwhite 15 pts).

By Chris Thompson for ABC TV.