8
Dec
4 min read
Adelaide Lightning lives, dies by the three ball
Isabelle Bourne of Adelaide Lightning went 2-from-7 from three against Geelong United in Geelong on Sunday, December 8, 2024. Photo: Mike Owen/Getty Images
Geelong United win third game of WNBL season
- Geelong United secures 69-59 win against Adelaide Lightning in WNBL clash
- Haley Jones leads Geelong with 13 points
- Isabelle Bourne and Isobel Borlase score 14 each for Adelaide
Live by the three, die by the three — and that's precisely what happened to the Adelaide Lightning on the road against Geelong United in the last WNBL game of Round Six on Sunday, December 8, 2024.
The Lightning crashed to 2-6 after falling to United 69-59 (Game Centre).
Both teams were poor from behind the arc (18%) but Adelaide simply shot itself out of the game on 5-from-28. The Lightning took 61 shots, just under half from three-point land: Isabelle Bourne (1-from-8); Isobel Borlase (2-from-7); Brooke Basham (1-from-5); Japreece Dean (1-from-4) and Steph Talbot (0-3).
Geelong was 5-from-25 (20%) but had 71 field goal attempts, outscored Adelaide 38-28 in the paint (the ball game).
United's Jaz Shelley came off the bench in the first quarter and provided a spark for the home side. She finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and assist, block and a steal. The United bench destroyed the Lightning bench, outscoring them 24-5.
The loss would ultimately cost head coach Nat Hurst her job with the club announcing on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, that the coach and the club had "mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately".
Jones and Froling power Geelong's offense
Geelong Haley Jones led the charge for United with 13 points, six rebounds, and 2 assists. The dynamic forward's ability to create shots and facilitate for teammates proved crucial in breaking down Adelaide's defense. Keely Froling also made her presence felt, recording a double-double with 12 points and eight rebounds.
The victory improves Geelong's record to 3-4 for the season while Adelaide is stuttering at 2-6.
Adelaide's offensive struggles
Isabelle Bourne and Isobel Borlase, each contributed 14 points but the Lightning struggled to score the ball, shooting just 37.7% from the field and 17.9% from beyond the arc. Adelaide scored just seven points in the second quarter and 13 in the third.
Next Up
The Adelaide Lightning face the UC Capitals (Game Centre) on Sunday, December 15, 2024 while Geelong United go on the road to face Southside Flyers (Game Centre) on Wednesday, December 11.
