Rejuvenated Lightning are on a three-game roll

• Isobel Borlase's 22-point performance propels Adelaide Lightning to victory
• Brianna Turner dominates boards with 14 rebounds for Adelaide
• Sydney Flames struggle despite Tahlia Tupaea's 18-point effort

Scott Ninnis is 2-0 as head coach of the Adelaide Lightning after a big 13-point — 86-73 — road win against the Sydney Flames in Round 8 of the WNBL on December 22, 2024 (Game Centre).

‍Ninnis has been in the job less than a week and already has the Lightning playing better basketball. They've now won three straight since they "mutually" parted ways with Nat Hurst in early December and are now 5-6 on the season.

‍Borlase shines as Lightning strike

‍Isobel Borlase led all scorers with an impressive 22-point performance to help the Adelaide Lightning secure a crucial road victory. She shot 41.2% from the field and was near perfect from the free-throw line, going 8-of-9.

The Lightning's balanced attack had four players score in double figures, with Brianna Turner contributing a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds. Steph Talbot also filled the stat sheet with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.

‍Flames struggle to ignite offense

‍Despite a valiant effort from Tahlia Tupaea, who led the Flames with 18 points, Sydney struggled to find their rhythm offensively. The team shot just 35.8% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc, failing to keep pace with Adelaide's efficient 50.8% shooting.

Celeste Taylor added 15 points and six rebounds for Sydney, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Lightning's dominance in the paint, where they outscored the Flames 52-26.

The loss drops Sydney's record to 4-6 for the season, while Adelaide improves to 5-6.

What's Next

Adelaide Lightning face Bendigo Spirit (Game Centre) at home on December 27, 2024 in the first game of Round 9 while the Flames face Southside Flyers (Game Centre) at home on Monday, December 30, 2024.