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Froling and Cox fire Townsville into equal second
Alicia Froling of the Fire celebrates a point during the round 12 WNBL match between Adelaide Lightning and Townsville Fire at Adelaide 36ers Arena on February 05, 2025, in Adelaide, Australia. Photo: Mark Brake/Getty Images
Townsville Fire go equal second with Perth after Adelaide demolition
- Townsville Fire hitting stride at right time, WNBL playoffs beckon
- Alicia Froling (22) and Lauren Cox (16) led the demolition
- Adelaide Lightning suffer massive blow to finals aspirations
In a stunning display of dominance, the Townsville Fire scorched the Adelaide Lightning 90-63 (Game Centre) in a lopsided affair at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre on Wednesday, February 6, 2025.
The Fire's relentless offensive onslaught, coupled with a smothering defensive effort, left the Lightning scrambling to keep pace throughout the contest.
From the opening tip, Townsville asserted their will on both ends of the court. Led by the dynamic duo of Alicia Froling and Lauren Cox, the Fire quickly built a double-digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back.
Froling was particularly devastating, pouring in a game-high 22 points on an efficient 11-from-21 shooting while also contributing six rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.
As the Lightning struggled to find their offensive rhythm, the Fire's lead ballooned to 20 points by halftime. Adelaide's usually reliable three-point shooting abandoned them, as they connected on just 1 of 17 attempts from beyond the arc.
The Lightning's offensive woes were compounded by their inability to protect the ball, committing 19 turnovers which the Fire expertly converted into easy transition baskets.
The statistical disparity between the two sides was stark. Townsville shot a blistering 48.1% from the field compared to Adelaide's 36.6%. The Fire also dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Lightning 49-41, with Lauren Cox securing a game-high 11 rebounds to go along with her 16 points and two blocks.
While Alicia Froling's offensive explosion rightfully garnered attention, it was Courtney Woods who emerged as the unsung hero for Townsville. The versatile guard stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, 5 assists, and a game-high 4 steals, consistently disrupting Adelaide's offensive sets and igniting the Fire's transition game.
For Adelaide, the lone bright spot was the play of young gun Isobel Borlase, who led the team with 16 points and six rebounds. However, her efforts were not nearly enough to overcome the Lightning's collective struggles.
