WNBL's Sydney Uni Flames decisively beat Canberra Capitals

Friday, December 7, 2012

Tonight (Friday night) in Australia, the Women's National Basketball League's Sydney Uni Flames decisively beat the Canberra Capitals by a score of 96–50 at a game played in Sydney.

The Capitals shot poorly, with a team average of 30% from field goal range, ultimately going 21/70. In contrast, Sydney shot 54%, 36/67 from field goal range. Canberra was worse from three point range, going 3/11 compared to the Flames who shot 8/15.

The Flames had several players in double digits, including April Sykes with 29, Alicia Poto with 15, and Rohanee Cox with 14. Only Brigitte Ardossi was in double digits for the Capitals with 21 points. Canberra's next leading scorers were Michelle Cosier with 9 and Nicole Hunt with 6.

Sydney also dominated in other key statistics, including total rebounds with 36 to the Capitals' 28, steals with 12 to Canberra's 2, and blocks with 7 to the Capitals' 5. The Capitals turned the ball over more than Sydney, with 22 to the Flames' 11.

The win was only the third of the season for Sydney, who are now on a two game winning streak. Canberra's loss continues their loosing streak, now sitting at four in a row. They sit sixth on the ladder, two games behind the Bulleen Boomers in the playoff chase.

Canberra had off court problems in the game against Sydney with Michelle Cosier and Alexandra Bunton both dealing with illness. The Capitals will not be able to count on Lauren Jackson coming back any time soon, as she is out until at least after Christmas with a hamstring injury.

Canberra's poor performance comes at a time when the team's head coach, Carrie Graf, is under scrutiny. The previous Australian women's national basketball team coach, Jan Stirling, has suggested perhaps Graf should take leave from the team during Olympic and World Championship years, as part of analysis following the national team's performance at the London Olympics. Graf's coaching contracts with the national team and the Capitals both finish at the end of the year, and she is currently negotiating for a new deal with Basketball Australia that may create a situation where she is ineligible to coach for the Capitals because the national team position may become a full time one.

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Sources

"FIBA LiveStats: Sydney V Canberra" — FIBA, December 7, 2012
Jon Tuxworth. "Capitals sink to new low" — The Canberra Times, December 8, 2012
"Ladder for 2012/2013 WNBL Season" — Women's National Basketball League, December 7, 2012
Jon Tuxworth. "Share Graf as needed, says Stirling" — The Canberra Times, December 7, 2012
Chris Dutton. "Graf's future with Capitals hinges on Games review" — The Canberra Times, December 6, 2012

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