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PERTH, not so unexpectedly, but Melbourne by complete surprise, tonight took us into Christmas Eve by rewarding themselves with upsets, the Lynx stopping Southside in its tracks, the Boomers going back into Chris Lucas' former stomping grounds and taking down the WNBL-leading Fire by 20 points.  

Both the Flyers and Fire were boasting key player absentees but you can only beat what the opposition puts in front of you and in both instances, Perth and Melbourne did just that, AND convincingly.

Whacked by Sydney by 28 points in Melbourne, the depleted Boomers were rated no chance of taking down Townsville at home, where Lucas coached the club to four consecutive WNBL Championship Series and back-to-back championships.

But from the grind of the first half, Melbourne emerged victorious, following in Perth's footsteps after the Lynx silenced Southside to sneak into second place over the Boomers.

For the last round ahead of Christmas, it was chock full of excitement and drama. Oh yes, and let us not forget plenty of "high octane".

* * * 

SYDNEY defied the scouting report as the league's worst outside shooting team, blowing a depleted Boomers outfit off the floor and sticking 18-of-33 threes in the process.

Still minus its WNBA backcourt duo of Jordin Canada (concussion) and Kristy Wallace (knee), Melbourne's 17 turnovers and 30 per cent shooting from the floor destroyed any chance it had of keeping the Flames in their recent doldrums.

And that was despite Melbourne's former league MVP Cayla George stinking it up for Sydney with two points on 0-of-8 shooting, 2-of-4 free throws, and star guard Lauren Nicholson going into halftime on four first-half points.

It didn't matter. After weathering Melbourne's best shots to lead 20-16 at the first break, the Flames' floodgates opened with Emma Clarke on her way to a career-best 16 points on 5-of-7 threes, Didi Richards - who hadn't hit a 3-pointer all season - nailing 2-of-2, Sydney ahead 42-29 at halftime and Boomers star forward Naz Hillmon a non-factor on three fouls.

Then Nicholson cut loose, brilliant in the third with 14 of her game-high 24 points as Sydney ensured any ground the Boomers briefly made up always was quickly nullified.

A long 3-pointer by Monique Conti to close the third meant Melbourne was still alive, albeit on life support, trailing 48-60.

But the last quarter was a procession as Paige Bradley joined in the 3-point blitz, adding a pair of her own, Nicholson also sinking another to be a dazzling 6-of-8 from outside the arc.

SYDNEY FLAMES 86 (Nicholson 24, Clarke 16, Richards, Bradley 14; George 8 rebs; Bradley 9 assts) d MELBOURNE BOOMERS 58 (Froling 14, Blicavs 11, Conti 10; Froling 9 reebs; Rocci 4 assts) at Melbourne Sports Centre. Crowd: 1,868

AS predicted, Canberra continued to build on last week's breakthrough win over Melbourne, Jade Melbourne topping her 30-point haul against the Boomers with a new career-high 31, leading the Capitals to a thoroughly well-deserved win over Lightning.

Adelaide tied the game twice in the first quarter, at 10-10 and 12-12, but then gave up a 12-2 run by the Caps in which Alex Fowler, Monica Okoye, Nicole Munger, Melbourne and Alex Sharp all featured, Canberra out 24-14 at the first break.

Lightning continued to threaten but Canberra consistently was able to hold them at bay, Jade Melbourne even hurling in a one-handed flying chuck from outside the 3-point line which banked and connected, beating the shot-clock.

It's moments such as those when you start believing the basketball gods are with you, Melbourne's 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 6-of-7 threes, plus five rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block.

She also had seven turnovers, understandable when you are so much a part of your team's every activity.

Nursing a 66-51 lead with a period to play, the Caps weathered the best Adelaide had to offer, Sharp posting 18 points and 13 rebounds, Fowler also hauling down 13 boards as Canberra handsomely owned the boards 47-36.

Lightning "Iron Woman" Brianna Turner played the full 40 minutes, contributing a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, Izzy Bourne continuing to blossom with 10 points and nine boards.

UNI of CANBERRA CAPITALS 86 (Melbourne 31, Sharp 18, Okoye 16, Munger 10; Fowler, Sharp 13 rebs; Melbourne 7 assts) d ADELAIDE LIGHTNING 73 (Mansfield, Borlase 16, Willoughby, Bourne, Turner 10; Turner 12 rebs; Mansfield, Willoughby 4 assts) at National Convention Centre. Crowd: 1,515

AFTER so far this season living on her reputation as the league's reigning MVP and a WNBA champion, Cayla George finally performed like someone worthy of being in the Opals squad to lead Sydney to a 79-67 win over Bendigo.

George finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists as the Flames broke the Spirit after halftime with a vice-like defensive performance.

Sydney contained the Spirit to 9 points in the third period, then only 7 in the last, Bendigo's 16-point second half among the worst in the club's long history.

Lauren Nicholson continued her exceptional form with 20 points at 53 per cent, with six rebounds, four assists and two steals as the Flames scored 36 after the main break.

Bendigo opened well, leading 25-19 and with Kelsey Griffin and Casey Samuels shining, extended that lead to 51-43 by halftime.

Griffin pushed the lead back to 53-43 with the second half's first bucket, but Nicholson - as she had against Melbourne with a 14-point third period - this time delivered 12 in the third, tying the game at 60-60 just before the last break.

Paige Bradley gave Sydney the lead going into the last and the Spirit were offensively done, unable to keep up as the margin slowly inflated. 

SYDNEY FLAMES 79 (Nicholson 20, George 17, Richards 13, Bradley 12; George 8 rebs; George 9 assts) d BENDIGO SPIRIT 67 (Griffin 14, Samuels 12, Davis 11; Davis 7 rebs; A.Wilson 6 assts) at Quaycentre. Crowd: 1,118

AS soon as you know your opponent will be minus the GOAT of Australian basketball, Lauren Jackson, your confidence and belief immediately escalate.

So it was for the Lynx in Perth as they sent Southside into Christmas on a major downer, steadily taking control of what was a see-sawing battle upto halftime when they held a slender 48-46 lead.

A three-point play by Bec Cole gave Southside a 54-51 lead early in the third period, quickly erased by an Emily Potter (13 points, 12 rebounds) three-point play.

Nyadiew Puoch put Southside up for the last time 56-54 with 6:07 left in the third.

Amy Atwell (27 points at 61 per cent, 5-of-9 threes) stuck an immediate 3-pointer and a bonus free throw, sparking a Perth run, Atwell's next triple driving the lead to 61-56.

Aari McDonald (25 points at 55 per cent, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals) pushed the buffer to 63-56 forcing Cheryl Chambers into a Southside time-out. When Atwell scored for 65-56 it was an 11-0 outburst from which the Flyers never fully recovered.

The lead ballooned to 12, Southside battling to get it under double-digits throughout a torrid final quarter where Perth always had the answers.  

PERTH LYNX 95 (Atwell 27, McDonald 25, Maley 15, Potter 13; Potter 12 rebs; McDonald 8 assts) d SOUTHSIDE FLYERS 85 (Russell 20, Cole 19, Puoch 11; Russell 12 rebs; Cole 6 assts) at Bendat Basketball Stadium. Crowd: 1,002

PERHAPS expecting an easier game than it got, Townsville gave Sami Whitcomb the night off to return home, the Fire also down Alice Kunek (wrist) for Melbourne's visit.

It would have been an easy mistake for the Fire to make, the club on a seven-game winning streak at the top of the table and Melbourne on a three-game losing skid.

The Boomers also still were down WNBA duo Jordin Canada (concussion) and Kristy Wallace (knee), then had third guard and promoted starter Aimie Rocci ruled out with a recurrence of knee soreness.

Under-estimating what Monique Conti would bring and who would lift, turned into a miscalculation of the highest order as Melbourne stuck to its defensive plan and crashed the boards to the tune of a whopping 48-29 advantage, Keely Froling (17 points, 11 rebounds) leading the assault on the glass.

Froling also had four assists, as did Sara Blicavs, to go with her 15 points and eight rebounds, Naz Hillmon also hauling down eight to go with her equal-game-high 22 points at 61 per cent.

Leading 32-30 after a dour half, Melbourne exploded in the third and at one stage had gone 29-7 to lead 61-37, Lucas not only drawing the best from his starters but also from Penina Davidson, Sherrie Calleia and Lilly Rotunno off his bench.

A late 7-0 outburst gave Townsville a sniff at the last break, trailing 44-61. But the Boomers had Steph Reid (5 points, 2-of-9 shooting) shut down, and Zitina Aokuso (4 points, 1-of-3) in foul trouble.

If not for Courtney Woods' 22 points and Saffron Shiels' 11 off the bench, this could have been even uglier for the Fire.

MELBOURNE BOOMERS 82 (Hillmon 22, Froling 17, Blicavs 15; Froling 11 rebs; Reed 7 assts) d TOWNSVILLE FIRE 62 (Woods 22, Shiels 11, Zahui B 9; Ruef 9 rebs; Reid 6 assts) at Townsville Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 2,530