[South01]

WNBL: ROUND 17 PREVIEW



With only two rounds remaining, five teams are battling for finals positions this weekend in Round 17 of the Women’s National Basketball League.

The round kicks off with a blockbuster battle between second-placed Sydney Uni and fourth-placed Townsville, with both sides needing to keep winning in order to ensure favourable schedules when the finals roll around.

In other games, Bendigo Spirit host the Perth Lynx on Sunday needing a victory to keep their finals chances alive, while the Adelaide Lightning face the tough task of slowing down Lauren Jackson and the Canberra Capitals on Sunday to hold off the Spirit in the fight for fifth place.

You can follow the WNBL action this week on www.wnbl.com.au and with LIVESTATS, on WNBL Radio and on ABC TV.

Friday February 5

TOWNSVILLE MCCAFE FIRE V ACUVUE SYDNEY UNI FLAMES, 7.30pm at New Projects Australia Stadium, Townsville

This game will be broadcast live with audio commentary on WNBL Radio from 8.00pm AEDT.

The Fire will be desperate to prove that their home court is still a fortress, despite their 20 game home win streak ending in Round 15. But they are facing a Sydney Uni side that know they must win their remaining two games to have any hope of holding onto second place come finals time.

The season series is split 1-1 thus far, with the Fire taking out an 89-80 victory when the two sides last met in Round 12.

A win here by the Fire could ensure they move into position to host an all important home finals game, but with Olympian Natalie Porter playing her 250th WNBL game and qualifying for WNBL Life Membership in the contest, the Flames will be determined to make it a memorable win for their star player.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Townsville LWLLW / Sydney Uni WWWLW

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Townsville 8 – 18 Sydney Uni

CANBERRA TRANSACT CAPITALS V GO FOR 2 AND 5 PERTH LYNX, 8.00pm at Southern Cross Stadium, Canberra

Canberra is storming towards the finals having ripped off a seven game winning streak, and are well positioned to sneak up and steal the all important second place come finals time.

This is a must win game for the Capitals, who head to Adelaide on Sunday for what is set to be a much tougher challenge, leading into their final round showdown with top of the table Bulleen.

Perth is looking forward to the end of a tumultuous year, and having faced Lauren Jackson in her comeback game and fallen to the Capitals 102-64, the score line in this game may not look any better.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Canberra WWWWW / Perth LLLWL

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Canberra 35 – 20 Perth

Saturday February 6

GLOBAL METALS BULLEEN BOOMERS (19-1) V DANDENONG JAYCO RANGERS (6-14), 1.00pm at Dandenong Basketball Stadium, Dandenong - ABC TV GAME OF THE WEEK: This game will be broadcast Live on ABC1 from 1.00pm AEDT

The two great Melbourne rivals will complete their season series in Dandenong on Saturday where the Rangers will be keen to put in yet another good showing in front of a national audience.

But despite picking up a victory in their last outing, the Rangers face a tough ask against a Bulleen team on a ten game winning streak, and fine tuning for a serious run at the title.

Having sown up first place for the remainder of the season, Bulleen have done a good job thus far of not getting ahead of themselves. But with the shadow of the Canberra Capitals clash in the final round looming large, Tom Maher will need to keep his troops focused on the job at hand.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Bulleen WWWWW / Dandenong LLLLW

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Bulleen 20 - 30 Dandenong

BDS LOGAN THUNDER V AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT, 7.30pm at Logan Metro Indoor Sports Centre, Logan

Logan would have marked this game down as a certain victory earlier in the season, but having picked up only one win since the two sides last met in Round 8, a victory is anything but assured.

Meanwhile the young AIS team are coming off their most promising performance in some time, having pushed finals contender Bendigo in an 85-65 road loss in their last game.

Logan is keen to repay the support of their home town followers and should be too strong in this game.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Logan LLLLL / AIS LLLLL

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Logan 5 - 0 AIS

Sunday February 7

BENDIGO BANK SPIRIT V GO FOR 2 AND 5 PERTH LYNX, 12.00pm at Bendigo Stadium, Bendigo

Bendigo were unable to pull off the upset win over Bulleen last round despite heading into the fourth term with scores tied, before accounting for the AIS in a less than convincing fashion on Sunday.

The Lynx will be backing up in this one for their second road trip of the round, having had to face the Canberra Capitals on Friday night.

The Spirit will be sure to bring their ‘A’ game in this contest which could, depending on the result of the Adelaide v Canberra game, push them up into fifth position heading into the last week of the regular season.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Bendigo LWWLW / Perth LLLWL

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Bendigo 6 - 2 Perth

ADELAIDE LINK LIGHTNING V CANBERRA TRANSACT CAPITALS, 3.00pm at Distinctive Homes Dome, Adelaide

This game will be broadcast live with audio commentary on WNBL Radio from 3.00pm AEDT.

Adelaide were able to rebound from the loss of inspirational point guard Angela Marino last round to defeat the Townsville Fire in a must win home game. For the second straight week they face a finals bound opponent, when Canberra brings their star studded line-up to town.

This will be earmarked as a danger game for the Capitals, who face a Lightning side desperate to keep their one game lead over sixth-placed Bendigo for the last finals place.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Adelaide LWLWW / Canberra WWWWW

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Adelaide 33 - 16 Canberra

For more information please contact:
Kimberley Lewis
Basketball Australia
T: 02 9469 7236
M: 0419 448 375
E: kimberley.lewis@basketball.net.au
W: www.basketball.net.au

[South01]

WNBL: ROUND 18 PREVIEW



In the final round of the Women’s National Basketball League regular season, only the Bulleen Boomers are assured of their ladder spot in first place.

The Canberra Capitals and Sydney Uni Flames are in a battle to finish second and ensure a double chance in the finals, while Townsville Fire, Bendigo Spirit and Adelaide Lightning are battling for fourth and fifth place on the ladder to ensure a playoffs berth.

In the ABCTV Game of the Week the Bulleen v Canberra encounter has been renamed the Clash of the Titans, as young Jayco Opal Liz Cambage and the Boomers host triple Olympian Lauren Jackson and the Canberra Capitals.

You can follow the WNBL action this week on www.wnbl.com.au and with LIVESTATS, on WNBL Radio and on ABC TV.



Friday February 12

AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT (0-21) V GO FOR 2 AND 5 PERTH LYNX (2-18), 7.00pm* at AIS Training Hall

This game will be broadcast live on SportsRadio.

This is the Institute’s last chance to get a win this season. The AIS fought hard for a 13-point loss to Logan last week, a team which Perth has lost to twice in 2009/10.

With guard Tess Madgen and centre Tayla Roberts leading the way, the AIS has shown signs of improvement since their influx of new talent in December 2009 but the Lynx are likely to walk away with this one.

LAST FIVE GAMES: AIS LLLLL / Perth LWLLL

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Perth 33 – 25 AIS



BDS LOGAN THUNDER (7-14) V BENDIGO BANK SPIRIT (12-8), 7.30pm at Logan Metro Indoor Sports Centre

If Bendigo win this game they are guaranteed a spot in the finals.

With reigning Player of the Week Kristi Harrower leading the way (the Jayco Opals point guard put up 40 points last week) and her support players stepping up in recent weeks the Spirit are looking good.

Logan is still a danger however, and lost to the Spirit by just one point in their most recent meeting, 72-71 in Bendigo in Round 3.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Logan LLLLW / Bendigo WWLWW

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Bendigo 3 – 0 Logan



Saturday February 13

GLOBAL METALS BULLEEN BOOMERS (20-1) V CANBERRA TRANSACT CAPITALS (16-5), 1.00pm at The Cage, Melbourne – THIS GAME WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE ON ABC1 FROM 1.00PM AEDT.

This game pits the current Opals star centre against the rising star, Canberra’s Lauren Jackson v Bulleen’s Liz Cambage. Jackson won the battle against fellow Jayco Opals centre Suzy Batkovic-Brown in Round 15, and will be a tough test for 18-year-old Cambage. Jackson is in hot form, named Player of the Month for January, but Cambage is averaging 20.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, and scored 36 points last week.

It could also be a preview of the first Semi Final, as Bulleen are cemented atop the ladder while Canberra, with more to play for, must win this encounter to finish in second place.

This game will be broadcast live with audio commentary on WNBL Radio from 12.30pm AEDT.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Bulleen WWWWW / Canberra WWWWW

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Canberra 42 – 21 Bulleen



ACUVUE SYDNEY UNI FLAMES (16-5) V GO FOR 2 AND 5 PERTH LYNX (2-18), 7.00pm at ACUVUE Sports Hall, Sydney

The Flames will use this game to adjust to life without Suzy Batkovic-Brown; the Olympian has been ruled out for at least four weeks with a knee strain.

With Nat Porter still playing her way back into form and forward Ellie Manou to shoulder more responsibility in the absence of Batkovic-Brown, the Flames need a good hit out against the ninth-placed Lynx, but also need the win (and Canberra to lose) if they hope to advance to the first semi final.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Sydney Uni WWLWW / Perth LWLLL

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Sydney Uni 43 – 8 Perth



DANDENONG JAYCO RANGERS (6-15) V ADELAIDE LINK LIGHTNING (12-9), 7.30pm at Dandenong Basketball Stadium

This game will be broadcast live with audio commentary on WNBL Radio from 7.00pm AEDT.

The Lightning must win this game to keep their finals hopes alive while also relying on other results.

Adelaide has the team to get the job done but has struggled throughout this season. Jess Foley and Cayla Francis were two shining lights last week and will need to lead the team again if Lightning want to walk away with a win in Francis’s 100th WNBL game.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Dandenong LLLWL / Adelaide WLWWL

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Adelaide 35 – 18 Dandenong



TOWNSVILLE MCCAFE FIRE (13-8) V BENDIGO BANK SPIRIT (12-8), 7.30pm at New Projects Australia Stadium, Townsville

This game will determine which team hosts the Elimination Final; with Townsville in fourth place and Bendigo in fifth, both teams will be aiming to finish fourth and win the crucial advantage of a home final.

Kristi Harrower will be at her dangerous best as Townsville point guard Rachael Flanagan plays her first game since a calf injury.

Bendigo came up trumps in the teams’ last meeting, 92-77 in Bendigo, however the Spirit play Logan on Friday night and, despite losing two games in Townsville this season, the Fire is still a tougher opponent on their home court.

LAST FIVE GAMES: Townsville WLLWL / Bendigo WWLWW

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Bendigo 3 – 2 Townsville





*All times are in local time unless otherwise indicated

[South01]

WNBL: ELIMINATION FINAL RESULT



TOWNSVILLE MCCAFE FIRE 84 (R Flanagan 20, A Lewis, 19, J Hill 12, T Smith 12) bt
BENDIGO BANK SPIRIT 73 (K Harrower 23, L King 19, K Wilson 14)
At New Projects Australia Stadium, Townsville



WNBL FINALS SCHEDULE

Semi Final 1: 3.00pm Saturday February 20
Bulleen Boomers v Sydney Uni Flames at Knox Stadium, Melbourne
LIVE on ABC1 and WNBL Radio

Semi Final 2: 3.00pm Sunday February 21
Canberra Capitals v Townsville Fire at AIS Arena, Canberra
LIVE on ABC1 and WNBL Radio

Preliminary Final: 1.00pm Saturday February 27
Loser Semi Final 1 v Winner Semi Final 2
TBA Venue LIVE on ABC1 and WNBL Radio

Grand Final: 1.00pm Saturday March 6
Winner Semi Final 1 v Winner Preliminary Final
TBA Venue LIVE on ABC1 and WNBL Radio

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