22
Feb
Game 1
Coffey fills it up, drops 36 as Lynx blow home court
Nia Coffey of the Fire knocks down another during Game 1 of the WNBL Semi-Finals between Perth Lynx and Townsville Fire at Bendat Basketball Stadium on February 22, 2025 in Perth. Photo: James Worsfold/Getty Images
Nia Coffey's 36-point Masterclass secures Bendat Basketball Centre win in WNBL Semi-Finals Game 1
- Townsville Fire rips home court advantage away from Perth Lynx
- Perth must win Game 2 or they are out
- Nia Coffey was a wrecking machine, shooting 12-from-17 from the field
Townsville's Nia Coffey's 36-point explosion propelled the Fire to a crucial WNBL Semi-Finals Game 1 road win against the Perth Lynx 92-87 (Game Centre) at Bendat Basketball Centre on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
The Fire can win the series if they defend their home court in Game 2 but it's going to be a battle. Perth ripped the semi-finals series' home court advantage with a one-point overtime win against the Fire in Townsville last week.
Key Details
- Result: Townsville Fire 92 def. Perth Lynx 87
- When: 22nd February 2025
- Where: Bendat Basketball Centre, Perth
- Status: Townsville Fire leads the best-of-three series 1-0
By the Numbers
- Nia Coffey (Townsville Fire) starred with 36 points, five rebounds, and one block in 29 minutes.
- Ally Wilson (Perth Lynx) scored 32 points, and had three rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and one block in 35 minutes.
What Happened
The Townsville Fire snatched home court advantage heading back to North Queensland in a high-scoring clash against the Perth Lynx, with the lead changing hands multiple times throughout the contest.
The Fire established an early advantage, outscoring the Lynx 27-16 in the opening quarter but Perth responded strongly in the second period, tightening their defence and finding their rhythm offensively. The Lynx outscored Townsville 20-16 in the quarter, narrowing the gap to 43-36 at halftime.
Townsville pushed the lead to 11 at 50-39 with 7.36 left in the third quarter but the Lynx stuck tough and went on a 27-16 run to tie it up with 13 seconds left.
But Coffey hit a big three with just under four seconds to go to make it 69-66 at the final break.
Townsville's Courtney Woods made a lay-up and hit a three in an 8-0 run to start the quarter putting the Lynx on the back foot for the remainder of the quarter. But they toughed it out, closing to within one at the 1.46-minute mark.
Again, Coffey hit another clutch three to push it back to four — 89-85. Perth's Ally Wilson missed a three with 21 seconds left and Lauren Mansfield made 3-of-4 free throw attempts to close out the ball game.
Coffey's performance was the difference-maker for Townsville. Her efficient 12-from-17 shooting from the field, including a remarkable 6-from-7 from beyond the arc, kept the Perth defence off-balance throughout the game. Her plus-minus rating of +12 underscored her impact on both ends of the court.
For Perth, Ally Wilson's 32-point, nine-assist effort nearly carried the Lynx to victory. Her ability to create for herself and her teammates kept Perth competitive until the final buzzer. Anneli Maley also made a significant contribution, grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds and providing a strong presence in the paint.
The Fire's balanced attack proved too much for Perth to handle. Courtney Woods complemented Coffey's scoring outburst with 17 points and a game-high 10 assists, while Alexandra Fowler added 14 points on efficient 5-from-7 shooting.
The Fire shot 45.8% from the field compared to Perth's 41.8%, and they held a slight edge in three-point percentage (39.1% to 38.5%). The Fire also dominated in points in the paint, outscoring the Lynx 48-32 in that category.
Rebounding played a crucial role in Townsville's victory, as they out-rebounded Perth 45-39.
Next Up
- Game 2: Wednesday, February 26, 6:30pm AEST in Townsville
- Game 3 (if necessary): Saturday, March 1, time TBC in Perth
