29
Dec
4 min read
Woods stokes Fire with 23, burns Geelong
Courtney Woods of the Fire attempts to get past Jaz Shelley of Geelong United during the round nine WNBL match between Townsville Fire and Geelong United at Townsville Entertainment Centre on December 29, 2024, in Townsville. Photo: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images
Townsville dominant at home, beats Geelong by 24
- Townsville Fire win third straight, move to 7-4
- Fire's Courtney Wood drops 23 on 7-from-10
- Geelong lose third straight, drop to 4-7
The Townsville Fire scorched the Geelong United 85-61 (Game Centre) at the Townsville Entertainment Centre on Sunday, December 29, 2024 in round nine of the WNBL.
The Fire's relentless offense and stifling defence left the visitors struggling as the home team solidified their position in third on the ladder. The Fire is now 7-4.
From the opening tip, Townsville asserted their dominance, racing to a 24-14 lead in the first quarter. Fire star Courtney Woods, was in scintillating form, leading all scorers with 23 points on an efficient 7-from-10 shooting. She also had six assists.
The second quarter saw Geelong attempt to claw their way back into the contest, matching Townsville's 19 points. However, any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished in the third quarter, as the Fire reignited their offense while tightening the screws defensively. The home team outscored Geelong 21-14 in the third period, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Townsville's superiority was evident in the statistics, with the Fire shooting a blistering 53% from the field compared to Geelong's meagre 29%. The disparity in shooting efficiency told the story of the game, as the Fire consistently found high-percentage shots while forcing the United into difficult attempts.
The Fire's frontcourt duo of Abby Froling and Lauren Cox dominated the paint, combining for 27 points and 15 rebounds. Their presence inside not only provided scoring punch but also created opportunities for Townsville's perimeter players. Alanna Ellis took full advantage, contributing 17 points including two three-pointers, while playing a game-high 36 minutes.
For Geelong, Hannah Jones provided a lone bright spot, scoring a team-high 22 points on 9-from-19 shooting. However, her efforts were not enough to overcome the United's collective shooting woes. The visitors struggled to find rhythm against Townsville's suffocating defence, which forced 16 turnovers and held Geelong to just 4-from-19 from beyond the arc.
For Geelong United, this loss drops them to a 4-7 record, leaving them in a precarious position as they fight for a playoff spot. Townsville has a quick back-up at home against the top-of-the-ladder Bendigo Spirit (Game Centre) on December 31, 2024 in the last game of 2024.
