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DEFENDING WNBL champion Townsville put the fire to the playoff aspirations of Adelaide and Perth in a sizzling Round 4, and Bendigo broke through for its first win of the season despite losing star Kelsey Griffin, Casey Samuels stepping up to sink Sydney. 

The Lynx took a double dose of defeat, blowing what should have been a match-winning lead to be over-run by Southside, sparked by Mercedes Russell and Bec Cole, and with warrior Lauren Jackson enjoying her best game of the season so far.

In Traralgon, Melbourne celebrated the career of star Desiree Glaubitz by clinching an overtime thriller over a desperately unlucky Canberra, the Boomers retaining their undefeated league leadership, the Caps now alone in the cellar without a win.  

After a positive win over Southside, Adelaide is back to the drawing board after succumbing at home to Townsville.

Bendigo broke its duck by putting out the Flames in no uncertain manner, last week's narrow loss to Melbourne a sign the Spirit were on the way forward and Sydney bearing the brunt of that momentum.

ROUND IN REVIEW

BEC Cole and Mercedes Russell rescued Southside from a second-straight loss, the former with the go-ahead game-winning basket, the latter with the block on Aari McDonald which prevented the Perth star from tying the ball game.

The Lynx played one of the outstanding first halves of the season to lead 54-34 at the long break and were ahead by as many as 21, Aari McDonald running the show, Emily Potter (22 and 13) controlling the keyways, Anneli Maley (14 and 15) active and Miela Goodchild having a career game.

She finished with a career-high 21 points but it was all in vain.

Dropping into a zone which allowed Southside to play two bigs together without being exposed defensively, Southside started the second half red hot and at 64-71 with a quarter left, had seized the momentum.

Cole's triple tied it at 73-73 and now Perth's resolve was about to be tested. The Lynx passed with flying colours, pushing 79-73 clear en route to rebuilding their lead to 84-75.

But slowly, Southside again grafted it back, Leilani Mitchell's solitary 3-ball a big one and Lauren Jackson joining Mercedes Russell as a big factor.

A three by Jackson cut it to two, and Russell then tied it up at 89-89. Again the Lynx were tested and again they responded, this time Maley nailing a 3-pointer.

Jasmine Dickey cut it to 91-92, a Perth turnover opening the door and Cole sticking a corner three for 94-92.

McDonald drove to tie the game but Russell rejected her shot, McDonald running it down to fire a second attempt, Emily Potter missing the offensive rebound and McDonald missing again in the frenetic finish.

SOUTHSIDE FLYERS 94 (Russell 19, Jackson 15, Ernst, Cole 14, Rocci 12; Jackson, Russell 9 rebs; Mitchell, Rocci 6 assts) d PERTH LYNX 92 (Potter 22, Goodchild 21, McDonald 15, Maley 14, Atwell 12; Maley 15 rebs; Mcdonald 8 assts) at State Basketball Centre. Crowd: 2,124

WHEN the visiting team opens with a 27-14 first quarter, then holds the hosts to 9 last-quarter points, you can pretty much presume what happened in between.

Adelaide just had no real answers for Townsville, the Fire with contributors across the board, paced by former Lightning import Mikaela Ruef with 10 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

This was a big test game for the Lightning after their resounding home win over Southside the previous week, a chance to prove they belonged in any conversation regarding probable post-season participants.

Unfortunately for Adelaide fans, it was a capital-F Fail from the home team, its only bright lights the fact Jocelyn Willoughby, with 20 points, had her best scoring game so far this season, and Brianna Turner hauled down a further 15 rebounds.

TOWNSVILLE FIRE 74 (Kunek 19, Ruef 10, Aokuso, Reid, Woods, Brown 9; Ruef 13 rebs; Ruef 6 assts) d ADELAIDE LIGHTNING 51 (Willoughby 20, Borlase 10, Mansfield 8; Turner 15 rebs; Mansfield 5 assts) at Adelaide 36ers Arena. Crowd: 530

SUPERSTAR Kelsey Griffin was a late pre-game withdrawal but Bendigo would not be denied, Casey Samuels picking up the slack as the Spirit produced a withering performance to bounce Sydney by 16 points.

Samuels paired 17 points with seven boards off the Bendigo bench, her points tally matched by Alicia Froling and Ally Wilson while conversely, Sydney struggled to find consistent offensive winners.

Lauren Nicholson endured a season-low four points on 1-of-9 shooting in 32:34 of (in)action but the Flames still looked likely to keep the Spirit winless across the first half.

When Lara McSpadden scored midway through the second quarter, Sydney was ahead 37-22, Cayla George heading for a double-double (14 and 13) and Opals captain Tess Madgen enjoying her first game as a Flame.

But a 9-0 run in a stunning 28-9 third quarter by Bendigo turned the match around, ensuring the 100th WNBL game of coach Kennedy Kereama would be celebrated in style.  

BENDIGO SPIRIT 82 (Froling, Samuels, A.Wilson 17, Wehrung 12; Froling, Samuels, K.Wilson 7 rebs; K.Wilson 5 assts) d SYDNEY FLAMES 66 (George 14, Bradley, Clarke 11; George 13 rebs; Madgen, Nicholson 3 assts) at Red Energy Arena. Crowd: 657

DOWN four at halftime in Perth, Townsville came out with a 28-10 third period in a whopping 47-27 second half that left the Lynx in no doubt they have a long way to go before planning any post-season participation.

Showing no early signs or debilitating remnants of Wednesday's disappointing collapse against Southside in Melbourne, the Lynx led by as many as 11 during the first half, again taking it right up to one of the league's title favourites.

But after the interval, Alice Kunek with a three, then Zitina Aokuso - with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists already fulfilling her undoubted promise - quickly erased the Fire's deficit in a 17-3 run which swept them to a 10-point buffer.

The 28-10 quarter effectively sank Perth, Aari McDonald with 4 points on 1-of-8 shooting still dishing seven assists, Amy Atwell going down fighting with a game-high 25 points, plus seven boards, three assists and two steals.

TOWNSVILLE FIRE 92 (Aokuso 18, Brown 16, Kunek 13, Ruef 12, Whitcomb 11, Woods 10; Aokuso, Ruef 8 rebs; Whitcomb 8 assts) d PERTH LYNX 76 (Atwell 25, Potter 18, Goodchild 14; Maley 10 rebs; McDonald 7 assts) at Bendat Basketball Centre. Crowd: 647

MELBOURNE produced another great escape to stave off winless Canberra in overtime at Traralgon, the Boomers led by Naz Hillmon, Keely Froling and Jordin Canada and the Caps thriving on the efforts of Jade Melbourne, Alex Sharp and Alex Fowler.

Hillmon had her WNBL career-high with 33 points at 65 per cent, 13 rebounds, four assists and two steals, Canberra left to lament the 12 points it left at the free throw line where it was a miserable 11-of-23.

The Boomers were only marginally better from the stripe with 20-of-30 makes, but Canberra's misses came at costly times when it had chances to help seal what would have been the season's biggest upset.

Leading through most of the first half, Canberra suffered a morale-shaker when Aimie Rocci beat the clock to give Melbourne a 39-38 lead with a layup.

When the Boomers opened the third with a 15-3 run to motor 54-41 ahead, this looked over. Jade Melbourne and Sharp had other ideas though, Canberra closing the period on a 12-2 run and trimming the deficit to 53-56.

Nicole Munger's 3-pointer to open the fourth tied it up, Fowler gave the Caps the lead and minutes later it was out to four and building, the momentum completely with Canberra, its third quarter defensive shift to zone proving decisive.

A Monica Okoye triple gave Canberra a 69-61 lead with 4:25 left and Melbourne's unbeaten run was under its most serious threat.

Rocci's three stalled the Caps but when Sara Blicavs fouled out, Canberra still looked in good shape. Canada and Hillmon offensively, plus Froling sweeping the boards, changed that, the game tied at 71-71.

Inside the last minute Jade Melbourne swished a huge 3-pointer but out of the Boomers timeout, Canada tied it with an even bigger three.

Free throws by Jade again gave Canberra the lead before Canada worked through the last play, drew defenders and handed it to Froling for a layup and 76-76, just 0.8 of a second to go.

Caps coach Kristen Veal sent her team in for the last play, Melbourne lobbed a perfect pass to a cutting Sharp but her shot missed, sending this to overtime.

Hillmon and Froling (6 and 7 offensive rebounds respectively) quickly pushed Melbourne in front in the five-minute extension and while Canberra cut it back to two and three-point leads, the Boomers had the upper hand, Canada dictating the final outcome.

The only drawback was the officiating, five players fouling out - three from Canberra, two from Melbourne, with a third Boomer, Monique Conti, on four - as the refereeing panel played too big a role.

MELBOURNE BOOMERS 87 (Hillmon 33, Froling 17, Canada 16; Froling 14 rebs; Canada 9 assts) d UNI of CANBERRA CAPITALS 81 (Melbourne 24, Fowler, Sharp 20; Sharp 14 rebs; Melbourne 7 assts) in overtime {76-76} at Gippsland Stadium, Traralgon. Crowd: 1,100