Basketball On The Internet.

UNI of CANBERRA did it again last night, this time collecting Perth's scalp and unsettling the Lynx's hopes of clinging onto a top four spot, Alex Sharp slicing the visitors to ribbons with a monster 25-point, 19-rebound tour de force. How she is absent from the 20-player Opals squad for next month's Olympic qualifiers in Brazil is a mystery.

Oh no wait, that's right, just remembered - the squad was selected on reputation, not form. My mistake. 

Because if form mattered, Perth's Amy Atwell, who led the Lynx with 29 points, also would be under consideration, not an omission.

Jade Melbourne, who rightly IS in the squad, again had a big night with 24 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and a steal, her five turnovers the only cause for minor alarm.

Holding the initiative going into the final period, Perth still enjoyed the upper hand leading 67-63 on an Atwell layup inside the last five minutes. The lead could have been greater but Emily Potter (10 points on 5-of-14 shooting) simply did not convert close-in baskets that she should have.

It came back to bite the Lynx.

Gemma Potter's 3-pointer (she swished 3-of-4 in her 11-point tally) had the Canberra faithful in full  voice before Alex Ciabattoni drove to restore the Lynx's cushion to three points.

When Monica Okoye landed a big three, it was 71-71 but, heading toward the final two minutes, Potter stroked another to give the Capitals a 74-71 lead.

Atwell trimmed two points back from the free throw line but Melbourne scored the Caps' next seven points, a drive, a 3-point swish and two free throws, leaving Ciabattoni's bucket as Perth's solitary interruption.

UNI of CANBERRA CAPITALS 81 (Sharp 25, Melbourne 24, Potter 11, Fowler 10; Sharp 19 rebs; Melbourne 8 assts) d PERTH WILDCATS 75 (Atwell 29, Maley 12, Potter 10; Potter, Maley 12 rebs; Ciabattoni 4 assts) at National Convention Centre. Crowd: 1,756