Fire's Shiel and Ellis burn Flames in blow out

• Townsville Fire's offensive onslaught led by Ellis and Shiels
• Sydney Flames struggle to keep pace, shooting just 41.8% from the field
• Lauren Cox impresses with double-double for Fire

The Townsville Fire overwhelmed the Sydney Flames 98-73 (Game Centre) in a decisive WNBL victory at home on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

The Fire's offensive firepower and rebounding prowess proved too much for the visiting Flames.

Townsville was was firing on all cylinders, with Abbey Ellis and Saffron Shiels leading the charge with 18 points apiece. The Fire shot an impressive 49.3% from the field and 45.8% from beyond the arc. Courtney Woods contributed a well-rounded performance with 15 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.

The Fire's dominance extended to the boards, where they out-rebounded the Flames 51-29, including a commanding 16-3 advantage on the offensive glass. This rebounding edge led to 25 second-chance points for Townsville, compared to just six for Sydney.

Lauren Cox's standout performance for the Fire, recording a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, along with 4 blocks, highlights the team's strength in the frontcourt.

Flames struggle to ignite

Sydney struggled to find their rhythm throughout the game, shooting a subpar 41.8% from the field. Celeste Taylor and Shaneice Swain tried to keep the Flames competitive with 15 points each, but the team's overall offensive output fell short.

Looking ahead

Townsville moved to 5-4 and face the struggling 2-8 UC Capitals (Game Centre) on Saturday, December 21 in the second of the home double-header while the 4-5 Flames take on the 3-6 Adelaide Lightning at home (Game Centre) on Sunday, December 22, 2024.