Southside Flyers                19           34           14           24           91

Defeated                              1             2            3            4            Final

Perth Lynx                           25           17           11           17           70

Round 13 WNBL game at the State Basketball Centre on 31 January 2024

The victory against Perth was the first time in 2023/24 that Southside had three players score at least 20 points in a game. Leilani Mitchell scored a team-high 22 points closely followed by Bec Cole and Mercedes Russell with 21 points each. Cole made seven assists and Russell took 10 rebounds to record a double-double. Maddi Rocci scored 13 points, made nine assists and nine steals to set game-highs in the latter two categories and fell one assist and one steal shy of reaching a triple double. Rocci set a new career-high with her nine steals, all other players in the game had eight steals between them which highlights how dominant the Flyers vice-captain was in this facet of the game. Lauren Jackson took an equal season-high 10 rebounds. Southside won the assist count 25-11 and made all nine free throws.

With Perth Lynx captain Anneli Maley sidelined due to an ankle injury vice-captain Amy Atwell captained the Lynx for the first time and scored a game-high 24 points and took a team-high six rebounds against Southside. Off the bench Steph Gorman scored 12 points – ranked second for the Lynx and was joined in double figures by Meila Goodchild (10 points) who had an equal team-high three assists along with Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard.

Their Round 13 home victory against Perth Lynx enabled the Southside Flyers to win the 2023/24 regular season series against Perth two games to one with the home side winning each game. At the end of Round 13 Southside Flyers are second on the ladder with 11 wins and seven losses. Perth Lynx are sixth on the WNBL ladder with nine wins and 10 losses.

There is a currently a break in the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season due to a FIBA window. From 8 to 11 February the Australians Opals will be one of four teams competing at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 in Belem, Brazil along with Germany, Serbia and host nation Brazil. The nations that finish in the top three at the OQT in Brazil will qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and be one of 12 teams competing at the tournament. Southside Head Coach Cheryl Chambers is an Assistant Coach of the Opals and four-time Olympic medalist Lauren Jackson is a member of the 12 player Australian team.

Southside Flyers next scheduled game is on the road against Sydney Flames at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday 18 February. Sydney Flames are currently level with Melbourne Boomers on a record of 11 wins and eight losses. Whichever team wins the Round 14 encounter between Sydney and Southside will be higher on the ladder at the end of the round and will win the 2023/24 regular season series between the two clubs two games to one.

In the final game of Round 14 Perth Lynx host the UC Capitals at Bendat Basketball Centre on Sunday 18 February. Perth need to win their last two games of the season and have other results go their way to make the finals. Importantly Perth won their season series against Sydney two games to one which means that if the two clubs are tied on 11 wins at the end of the season the Lynx will win the tie-breaker.

Photographs and writing by Dean Andrews