Graham Croker
The heat was on from the start when Sydney University headed to the far north for the first match of a Round 4 Women’s National Basketball League double-header, in Townsville on Friday night.
Townsville Fire ignited the local Basketball Stadium to account for the ACUVUE Sydney University Flames 97-58.
Still smouldering on Saturday night, the Flames regrouped to defeat Logan 83-82 in the second leg of the long road trip, played in Brisbane.
The Flames will now have a week off before hosting Townsville at the Sydney University Sports and Aquatic Centre on November 8.
The opening quarter against Townsville gave no indication of the final result, with just two points separating teams at the first break.
But the hosts lifted the tempo on the second quarter and three steals and 15 rebounds helped them post 25 points and go into the main break with a 13-point buffer.
With Rohanee Cox contributing 28 points, including a trio of three-pointers, the Fire ran out convincing winners to make it three on the trot.
The Flames regrouped on Saturday and a Rhonda Price bucket with 22 seconds left on the clock saw them prevail 83-82 over Logan Thunder in a nail-biter at Insports Cornubia Park Stadium in Brisbane.
Price finished the match with 24 points, shooting 11-12 from the field, while guard, Alicia Poto, finished with 23 points and six assists, before being taken off the court late in the game with a calf strain.
Eva Afeaki also had an industrious night for the Flames, finishing with 10 assists and seven rebounds.
After establishing a 14-5 advantage midway through the first quarter, the Flames led the way until the final minute, when the persistent Logan took the lead for the first time. But it was short-lived and the Flames now have three from five, including wins on double-header road trips to Canberra and Queensland.
Townsville Fire 97 (Rohanee Cox 28, Jennifer Crouse 19, Cherie Smith 11) d Sydney University Flames 58 (Alicia Poto 15, Rhonda Price 12, Lindsey Pluimer 10).
Sydney University Flames 83 (Rhonda Price 24, Alicia Poto 23, Lindsey Pluimer 15) d Logan Thunder 82 (Sarah Graham 24, Natali Purcell 15, Kristen Veal 12, Holly Smith 12).
