Conti splashes OT winner for United's first road win

• Jones shines with 27 points for Geelong United
• Kunek's 25-point effort not enough for Southside Flyers
• Geelong United wins 88-86 in overtime thriller.

Bang. Bang. Monique Conti. Splash. Game over.

Geelong guard Monique Conti hit a clutch baseline jumper off a Keely Froling's perfectly executed wing hand off as the clock expired (Game Centre) to give United its first road win — 88-86 — in its short WNBL history against Southside Flyers on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

Conti let fly with just 1.4 seconds left on the clock, just how United head coach Mark Neeld drew it up on the sidelines out of bounds play to win the game.

Geelong United moved to 4-4 to start the season while the defending WNBL champions 3-6.

The Princes Highway lived up to expectations as United overcome a 13-point quarter-time deficit to force overtime after scores were locked at 78 at the end of regulation.

United's Haley Jones was spectacular, finishing with a game-high 27 points, eight boards, eight assists, two blocks and a steal.

On the other side of the scoresheet, Alice Kunek had 25 points and nine rebounds.

Jones told Code Sports Basketball she had been putting in the work to help United in the back half of the season.

"I’ve just been trying to find my rhythm, find my flow and get my confidence back and (coach) Chris (Lucas) has been helping me a lot with that and today it was finally all coming to fruition," Jones said.

Jones said she is also starting to get into a rhythm with gamer-winner Conti.

“I think Mon brings a lot of stuff, defensive tenacity for one and I think she’s a great ball-handler,” Jones added.

“I think with Mon, with Jaz (Shelley), all three of us really share that point guard role — if I get off the rebound, I’m gone, they’re running, vice versa.

“It’s really fun to be able to have that flexibility in every line up.”

Read the full story at Code Sports Basketball.

Monique Conti finished with19 points, including four three-pointers, while Elissa Brett added 13 points. United shot 45% from the field on 36-from-80, including 7-from-20 from three while the Flyers, after a ripping start, shot 35.1% on 26-from-74 and 8-from-30 from three (27%).

For the Flyers, Maddi Rocci had an outstanding all-around ball game with 16 points, nine assists, and and rebounds in a game-high 43 minutes .

Teammate Naz Hillmon dominated the glass with 11 rebounds to go along with 15 points.

What's Next

Geelong have won two straight — home and away — and host 3-4 Sydney Flames (Game Centre) in Geelong on Saturday December 14, 2024 in the second of their Round 7 contests. The Flames are coming in after back-to-back wins with a chance to go to .500 while Geelong can move into third if 8-0 Bendigo keeps its unbeaten start to the season alive against the 4-3 Townsville Fire (Game Centre) in the earlier game on Saturday.

The Flyers have a week to think about Conti's game-winner. They don't play again until Friday December 20, 2024 against Adelaide Lightning (Game Centre) in Adelaide in Round 8.