Kunek goes 4-for-5 from three, Flyers win

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basketball.com.au

Kunek goes 4-for-5 from three, Flyers win

Alice Kunek of the Flyers shoots a free throw during the round Six WNBL match between the UC Capitals and the Southside Flyers at AIS Arena, on December 04, 2024, in Canberra, Australia. Photo: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Flyers give Capitals a WNBL 89-78 blood nose

Southside Flyers clinch victory over UC Capitals 89-78 .
Maddi Rocci leads Flyers with 22 points
Jade Melbourne top-scores for Capitals with 16.

Australian Opals forward Alice Kunek, 33, and Southside Flyers teammate, 26-year-old guard Maddi Rocci poured in a combined 43 points to lead the WNBL champions to a tough, physical 98-79 win (Game Centre) against the UC Capitals in Round 6 on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.

In a short rotation, five Flyers scored in double figures: Rocci (22); Kunek (21); Tera Reed (18); Dallas Loughridge (14); and Naz Hillmon (12).

Southside head coach Kristi Harrower played Hillmon all 40 minutes, Rocci 35, Kunek 29, Reed 26, Loughridge 32, and Bec Cole 25. In contrast, Capitals head coach Paul Goriss went deeper into his bench with eight players logging more than 15 minutes.

Australian Opals, WNBA and Capitals guard Jade Melbourne, coming off a less than pretty 1-for-11 performance against the unbeaten Bendigo Flyers, scored a team-high 16 on 6-for-13 from the field. Charli Collier added 13, Ella Tofaeono 12, Nyadiew Puoch 11, Chantel Horvat 10, and Monique Bobongie 10.

Early in the third, Melbourne copped a blow in the face from Kunek that kept her out for the remainder of the period. She returned in the 4th with her head wrapped with strapping tape.

Jade Melbourne of the Capitals comes back into the game, taped, during the round Six WNBL match between the UC Capitals and the Southside Flyers at AIS Arena, on December 04, 2024, in Canberra, Australia. Photo: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Game Highlights and Key Performances

The game was tied 41 at half-time despite the Flyers jumping out to a 7-0 lead from the tip-off. The Flyers locked in after the break, leading 61-56 after three and then outscoring the Capitals 28-22 in the fourth to pull away for the 11-point win.

Kunek's 21 points included a red-hot 80% (4-for-5) from downtown. She also collected five boards. Hillmon didn't come out of the game and was outstanding. She finished with a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double as well as three assists a block and steal.

For the Capitals, Melbourne dished out 7 assists and WNBA-bound Puoch grabbed nine boards

The Flyers shot 93.3% from the free throw line (14-of-15) and 44% (11-for-25) from behind the arc. The Capitals, despite a decent 45.1% field goal percentage, struggled from the three-point line, shooting just 30% (6-for-20).

Alice Kunek of the Flyers grabs a rebound during the round Six WNBL match between the UC Capitals and the Southside Flyers at AIS Arena, on December 04, 2024, in Canberra, Australia. Photo: Mark Nolan/Getty Images.

Looking Ahead

The 3-4 Flyers have a big chance to move to .500 at home against the bottom-of-the-ladder (1-5) Adelaide Lightning on Friday, December 6, 2024 (Game Centre) while the 2-6 Capitals are off for eight days, facing the 6-1 Perth Lynx (Game Centre) on the road on Thursday, December 12, 2024 in Round 7.