Ciabattoni splashes game-winning three

• Ally Wilson made big play after big play in OT to lead Perth to one-point win
• Townsville's Courtney Woods had 27 points and seven rebounds
• Lynx secure home court advantage against Townsville in three-game finals

WOW! What a ball game. Perth's Alex Ciabattoni nailed a clutch three with five seconds left in overtime to give the Lynx a one-point win home court advantage against the Townsville Fire in a WNBL instant classic at the Townsville Entertainment Centre.

Perth, stunningly, came from six points down in the last minute to win 87-86. Turnovers killed Townsville in the clutch in a game that was for all the marbles in their second vs third three-game finals series.

Three more of these games, please.

Key Details

• Result: Perth Lynx 87 def. Townsville Fire 86 (OT)
• When: 16th February 2025
• Where: Townsville Entertainment Centre, Queensland
• Standings: Townsville Fire (#3) | Perth Lynx (#2) (League Ladder)

By the Numbers

• Ally Wilson (Perth Lynx) starred with 21 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 39 minutes.
• Courtney Woods (Townsville Fire) scored 27 points, had seven rebounds, and four assists in 41 minutes.

What Happened

With just three seconds remaining in regulation and the Fire trailing by two, Nia Coffey sank a clutch long pull-up jumper to tie the game at 75-75 after Lauren Cox missed an open three from the top of the key to potentially win the game with eight seconds left.

The extra period was just as tightly contested as the preceding four quarters.

The Fire went on a 9-3 run in the first two minutes of OT. Cox had a wide open three in the left corner with 90 seconds to go that would have killed the game. But Ally Wilson ripped down the rebound, drove the length of the floor for a lay-up to make it 84-80. She missed the and-1.

Coffey hit another clutch pull-up jumper from the top of the key with 36 seconds left to make it 86-80. The Fire was seemingly in control.

But ... the Lynx refused to surrender. Anneli Maley sank two free throws after Fire centre Alicia Froling fouled her with 30 seconds left and then laid the ball in after turning the Fire over on the inbounds to make it 86-84. On the next possession after a time out, Cox turned the ball over on a baseline drive with 10 seconds left.

Queue Alex Ciabattoni. Lynx centre Laeticia Amihere pushed the ball hard up the floor, found Ciabattoni on the left wing and she splashed it with a hand in her face.

87-86, Lynx.

Townsville had one final chance to win, but Abbey Ellis' long, long three-point attempt at the buzzer rimmed out, securing — stealing — second place and home court advantage.

The Townsville Fire came out firing in the first quarter, establishing a commanding 26-15 lead behind Cayla Woods' hot shooting. However, the Perth Lynx steadily chipped away at the deficit, outscoring the Fire 22-16 in the second quarter to narrow the gap to 42-37 at halftime.

The third quarter saw both teams trading baskets, with the Fire maintaining their lead 58-55 heading into the final period.

The Lynx's bench provided a significant boost, outscoring the Fire's reserves 30-12. Alex Ciabattoni's perfect 4-from-4 shooting night for nine points off the bench was crucial.

Shooting efficiency proved to be a key factor in the outcome. While the Fire attempted more field goals (93 to 79), the Lynx shot a higher percentage from the field (43% to 38.7%) and from three-point range (26.7% to 11.1%). This allowed Perth to overcome Townsville's significant rebounding advantage (60-42) and stay competitive throughout the contest.

Next Up

Game 1 — Saturday 22nd February – 5:00pm (AWST) – Bendat Basketball Centre, Perth

Game 2 — Wednesday 26th February – 6:30pm (AEST) – Townsville Entertainment Centre

Game 3 (if required) — Saturday 1st March – 5:00pm (AWST) – Bendat Basketball Centre, Perth