Basketball On The Internet.

INDIVIDUAL performances stood out in a classic WNBL Round 3, Jade Melbourne, Lauren Nicholson, Aari McDonald, Izzy Borlase, Alice Kunek, Jordin Canada and Kelsey Griffin stamping their authority and Adelaide Lightning scoring a major upset.

The round started in Sydney where the Capitals gave a far greater account of themselves than may have been expected, Melbourne with a career-best 31 points and seven assists.

Lauren Nicholson led the Flames with 25 points, Didi Richards with an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double as Canberra grafted the whole way, reasserting no team would be an easybeat this season.

Monica Okoye was big for the Caps early but faded as Sydney's size and depth gave it a sufficient edge to keep Canberra from scoring a minor upset.

SYDNEY FLAMES 88 (Nicholson 25, Richards 18, Bradley 12; Richards 10 rebs; George 5 asts) d UNI of CANBERRA CAPITALS 81 (Melbourne 31, Okoye 17, Sharp 16, Munger 11; Sharp 13 rebs; Melbourne 7 assts) at Quaycentre. Crowd: 1,258

AARI McDonald, with a round-high 34 points at 69 per cent, steered Perth to its third straight home win when it sent Bendigo to its third straight loss 86-76 at Bendat Stadium.

Adding a regulation double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds, Anneli Maley was solid in her first outings against her former club, the Spirit still minus Kelsey Griffin.

And Emily Potter's 14 points at 75 per cent was huge for the Lynx.

Alicia Froling paired 18 points with 11 rebounds for the Spirit, which also had Abbey Wehrung delivering 15 points at 67 per cent, but ultimately stopping McDonald became Bendigo's unsolved headache. 

PERTH LYNX 86 (McDonald 34, Potter 14, Maley 10; Maley 14 rebs; Goodchild 5 assts) d BENDIGO SPIRIT 76 (Froling 18, Wehrung 15, Kraker 13, A.Wilson 10; Froling 11 rebs; K.Wilson 6 assts) at Bendat Basketball Stadium, Crowd: 656

HOLDING a team with the offensive potency of a Southside Flyers to 56 points was a giant feather in the cap of Adelaide as it sent the high-priced visitors home with their tails between their legs, Izzy Borlase dominating proceedings.

The livewire guard had a 25-point game, shooting the ball at 50 per cent, adding six boards, three assists and two steals to easily be the match's stand-out performer.

Brianna Turner's 16 rebounds helped too, although fellow WNBA centre Mercedes Russell went for 17 boards and had 14 points to pace the faltering Flyers.

Lightning's 25-11 second period was its best of the season - in stark contrast to their 8-point third period, only barely beaten by Southside's 9 - the Flyers floundering in the face of the onslaught.

ADELAIDE LIGHTNING 67 (Borlase 25, Bourne, Mansfield 12; Turner 16 rebs; 4 with 3 assts) d SOUTHSIDE FLYERS 56 (Russell 14, Cole 11, Puoch, Rocci 7; Russell 17 rebs; Rocci 5 assts) at Adelaide 36ers Arena. Crowd: 1,325

TOWNSVILLE led from tip-off to siren but was never comfortable against Canberra, the Capitals again showing an unmatched heart and desire, but not quite enough talent to douse the Fire.

Alice Kunek had her best scoring game as a Fire starter, her 27 points at 55 per cent, Sami Whitcomb dishing seven assists with her 16 points.

Again Jade Melbourne was a bright light for the Caps, her season-best 15 assists ensuring her teammates fed off her passing and energy. It meant over Canberra's two Round 3 matches, she averaged 22.5 points and 11 assists - a pretty good personal round by any measure. 

TOWNSVILLE FIRE 85 (Kunek 27, Whitcomb 16, Brown 11; Aokuso 10 rebs; Whitcomb 7 assts) d UNI of CANBERRA CAPITALS 73 (Fowler, Melbourne, Okoye 14, Sharp 13, Munger 12; Sharp 7 rebs; Melbourne 15 assts) at Townsville Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 2,488

THE return of club superstar Kelsey Griffin was massive for Bendigo which looked a completely different team with her in the lineup, scoring an inspired 15 points in the first quarter, en route to a career-high 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting.

Not a bad comeback game. In fact Griffin so inspired her Spirit that they led by as many as 17 points and were in almost total control through the first half, 41-27 up at the break.

Ruth Davis went to work in the third period and the Boomers' first home game of the season in Melbourne was very much looking like a blow-out end to their 3-0 season start.

Down 48-62 just before the last break, the momentum was shifting as Jordin Canada and Sara Blicavs stuck big shots.

More triples from Blicavs and devastating play by Canada (26 points at 52 per cent, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) were instrumental in a stunning 15-0 run which swept Melbourne into the lead 63-62.

Canada was unstoppable and when Keely Froling started burying threes, Bendigo was in danger of being blown out, the Boomers up 73-66 inside the final three minutes.

Stepping up again, Griffin converted a three-point play, then a 3-point shot for 72-73 before Ally Wilson put Bendigo into the lead, 74-73.

Canada then pushed Melbourne out to 76-74 as Griffin's late 3-point attempt for the upset clunked, preventing a fairytale Spirit finish and taking the Boomers to 4-0.  

MELBOURNE BOOMERS 76 (Canada 26, Blicavs 15, Froling 14; Canada 8 rebs; Canada 7 assts) d BENDIGO SPIRIT 74 (Griffin 33, Davis 14, Wehrung 11; Froling 10 rebs; A.Wilson 7 assts) at Melbourne Sports Centre. Crowd: 2,896