flames up 70 - 65 - nothing between these teams - but looks like no chance adelaide final now.

that's ok - we have won there before

looks like too much lightning struck on wednesday night and not enough tonight

i meant no chance of an adelaide based or played final 3 v 4

Summerton had 18 and 7, Screen had 17 and Phillips had 17 also plus 8 rebounds.

Even for most of the game, but the first quarter (13-21) hurt.

Heres my match report
---------------------

On the back of a 20 point and eight rebound game from Olympian Belinda
Snell, the Sydney Uni Flames have defeated the Adelaide Quit Lightning
70-65 at the Lighthouse in Adelaide, as part of Round 17 action of the
Price Attack Women's National Basketball League.

Supported by an 18 point game from fellow Olympian Trish Fallon, the Flames
fought all night for a well earned victory.

Fallon dominated the first quarter, Adelaide unable to find any answers to
contain the veteran on her way to six first quarter points and three
rebounds. Sydney's rebounding effort saw them pull down 15 rebounds for
the term, with Adelaide only able to grab nine.

Both teams traded scores for most the term, neither team able to get a
clear lead until the Flames closed the term out with a 10-2 run. Erin
Phillips leading the scoring for Adelaide with five on her way to 17, and
Sydney ahead 21-13.

Adelaide's woes continued early in the second term, with both Jennifer
Screen and Cherie Smith being called for their third fouls, forcing coach
Chris Lucas to bench them. The Sydney defence was tight, taking away
Adelaide's interior game, forcing them into taking tough long range shots,
at the same time opening the game to a 11 point lead.

Adelaide went on a small 6-1 run during the term to get themselves back
into the game, taking advantage of the Flames physical play getting them to
the free throw line, shooting 5/8 from the line. With both teams almost
evenly matched for the term, Sydney held the advantage going into the main
break with the scores at 37-31, with both Fallon and Phillips sharing game
high scoring honours with nine each.

Adelaide one again out scored Sydney for the third term, by one point to
close the gap even further. Through some inspirational play by Phillips
who scored eight for the term Adelaide managed to keep their hand in the
game, even snatching a brief moment as leader of the game with a slender
one point lead, courtesy of a 11-3 run.

Snell then found her range, sinking two separate three point shots in the
last three minutes of the quarter to extend the lead back to five points
for the final break, the final break having the score at 51-46, with Snell
on 14, and Phillips on 17, along with seven rebounds.

Fallon continued her dominance in the game in the final period, opening the
scoring with a three point shot, and then when former Lightning player
Tammy Hoare scored for the Flames, they had opened up to a 10 point lead
again, and the game looked over. Coach Chris Lucas called a timeout, with
8:45 left on the clock, and a Summerton basket as well as drawing Snell's
fourth foul was just what the coach ordered. However with Summerton
managing to jam the ball between the ring and the back board on her free
throw, the ball turned over to Sydney with the possession arrow.

Sydney called a time out before the free throw, Dalton concerned that
Adelaide had made in roads to the lead, scoring seven unanswered points to
bring the lead back to three. When play resumed, the next score saw Screen
draining the bottom of the net for a triple, levelling scores. Cherie
Smith split her free throws from an Adrianne Gilbert foul, then Summerton
found the basket again to bring the Adelaide crowd to full voice as the
Lightning enjoyed their biggest lead of the game of three points. However,
Snell and Fallon were not going to be denied, working hard to find the
basket, and wrestling the lead back for the visiting team.

Adelaide were reduced to fouling in the last 90 seconds of the game to try
and keep a chance alive, but missed baskets by Phillips, and tough Sydney
defence gave the Flames the win, and the right to host the Lightning in the
minor semi final in two weeks time.

Summerton finished the game with 20 points and eight rebounds for the
Lightning, continuing her recent great form, and a great effort against
some very tough Flames defence focussed on her during the game.


After the game Sydney coach Karen Dalton, whilst happy with the result,
still had concerns over her team.

"We still have a way to go," stated Dalton when looking forward to the
upcoming finals series.

"We had some defensive breakdowns, and some things that we still need to
work on."

Dalton also reflected on the tough win saying, "we held strong and played
well away from home."

Adelaide coach Chris Lucas was also thinking ahead.

"We still have some work to do, but as long as we keep working hard we
should be fine."

He was also full of praise for the teams hard work in adversity, commenting
"tonight we were in foul trouble, yet we only lost one quarter of the
game."

When asked about the prospect of facing Sydney a fourth consecutive time in
Sydney for the finals, where Adelaide have not won a final in that time he
said "the girls mentioned it during the week, but I haven't been involved
in those, so it doesn't mean a thing to me."

Sydney move on to continue with the "Doomsday Double" in Perth Saturday
night, with Adelaide playing their next game at home on Friday, against
Dandenong.


ADELAIDE 65 (Summerton 18, Screen, Phillips 17)
SYDNEY 70 (Snell 20, Fallon 18)
@ The Lighthouse, Adelaide 21/01/2005