Townsville lit the wick for a red-hot WNBL Grand Final series, holding off a fast-finishing Perth to win Game 1.
The Fire produced some of their finest basketball of the season on Thursday night, as their offence flowed and their defence was on point holding the high-octane Lynx to under 80 points.
The 88-79 home victory gives Townsville a 1-0 advantage heading into Game 2 in Perth on Sunday afternoon. The Fire can go on and win their fifth championship in 14 years and for the Lynx its win or stay home. If Perth can rebound, a third and deciding game will be back in Townsville next Wednesday.
The third quarter of a sporting contest is often referred to as the championship quarter and the Fire suffocated the Lynx, keeping them to 10 points, in a title-worthy display of defence.
Perth will be ruing that third period after quick buckets through Amy Atwell (19 points including four triples), Han Xu (16 points) and Anneli Maley (12 points) got them within five late in the game, but it wasn’t enough. Coach Ryan Petrik should be buoyed by the fact his team lost by nine points but were well off their best.
Out of the Woods
Courtney Woods is as Townsville as the cowbells are to the Fire Pit crowd and was at her influential best in the series opener.
Having dealt with injury twice this season, Woods’ output in recent weeks had been below her lofty standards but the guard showed promising, trademark glimpses in game 3 of the semifinal series, particularly down the stretch.
A game-high 22 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists was a classic Woods stat line. She is at the heart of all the Fire do and that was evident during her injury absence earlier in the season when teammates struggled without their floor general and her composure and calming influence.
Finals Froling
If the WNBL had a player of the finals award, Alicia Froling would be the clubhouse leader right now.
The 30-year-old forward packed a punch across the Fire’s 2-1 semifinal series win over Southside and her February form spilled into Game 1.
Tasked with a big matchup in the form of 211cm Han Xu, Froling, giving away 20cm, was everywhere, crashing the boards (seven rebounds) and finishing with 17 points as her scoring run continued.
Froling plays hard, hustles and can get up the nose of opposition. But they’d all agree, they’d love her on their team.
Lynx buck trend
History has repeated itself for Perth in its last two Grand Final appearances, but the tables were turned on Thursday night and the superstitious types will try to tell you it’s an omen.
In both 2021-22 and 2023-24, the Lynx won the opening game away in Melbourne emphatically.
With the chance to wrap up the series and win their second-ever title back on their home court, the Lynx twice lost in heartbreaking circumstances and, deflated, returned to Victoria and lost the decider and the series.
To win the 2025-26 silverware, Perth was always going to have to prevail in north Queensland at least once.
Now, on Sunday afternoon the Lynx must win to keep their hopes of their first championship since 1992 alive. If they do, they’ll welcome the longest trip in the league with open arms.
