Basketball On The Internet.

TOUPEES off and doffed to Perth Lynx coach Ryan Petrik. He consistently has his team well-placed for a strong WNBL title run. But until he develops a coping strategy or a legitimate Plan B, odds are players such as Abbey Ellis always will sink his best laid plans and leave the Lynx as a regular season anomaly.

That old Wild West Cal Bruton credo of "run, stun and have fun" as adopted by the Lynx makes for some exceptional, even breath-taking performances across the home/away season.

But once an opponent makes its defensive adjustments, the shots are not dropping as regularly and your commitment to genuine defence barely rises above token, chances are you are heading (yet again) for the crash heap.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, yet expecting a different result. Welcome to the Lynx game plan. We blow you off the floor, and if that's not working, we keep doing the same thing anyway as we go down in flames ... or fire.

Tonight in Townsville, the Fire booked its berth in the Grand Final Series with a basketball clinic. From go-to-whoa, Townsville had every answer for the none-too-challenging questions Perth put to it as it belted the great pretenders 106-76 for a 2-0 semi final sweep.

Ellis stuck three early 3-pointers as the Fire went 15-of-30 from long range, the plucky playmaker leading the way with 4-of-7 in her 18-point, nine-assist, four-rebound tour de force.

Courtney Woods also had 18 and 4-of-7 triples, none bigger than the one she banked to close the first half. Instead of leading 51-40, the Fire snuffed out the Lynx, heading into the break up 54-40.

This was over then. We just had to still be subjected to another half of Ally Wilson taking every shot she could find (8-of-21, 1-of-9 threes, 5 turnovers), Amy Atwell being continually exposed as an Opals Olympian who cannot defend a filing cabinet, Steph Gorman producing a disappearing act worthy of David Copperfield, and Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard revealing just how badly her career has stalled this season.

Perth's import centre Laeticia Amihere had every right to feel hard done-by, the victim of four of the most absurd five fouls of the season, three of them offensive - and that is in every sense of the word.

(So too, frankly, was Alicia Froling grinning and waving her off after her fifth foul. Hardly her classiest moment.)

Nia Coffey (13 points at 56 per cent, four rebounds, six assists) was all class as always and unquestionably is the key to Townsville winning the championship.

Once again, Alex Fowler was tremendous too, her 16 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting, five rebounds, three asssists and just a whole file-full of smart plays standing out.

Fire coach Shannon Seebohm had his team primed and ready to deal with whatever Perth could muster but his opposite number's glaring lack of imagination or options made the Fire look even better.

And that was despite Lauren Cox - the WNBL's "best defensive player"? Just ridiculous - having a far less impactful game than her quality numbers of 15 points, 11 rebounds and six assists would imply.

Capitalising also on Lauren Mansfield's experience and smarts, Townsville look to now have assembled a roster every centimetre capable of stealing the championship from unbackable Bendigo, Coffey the addition who has iced it.

In the meantime, Perth is back at the drawing board, as it regularly is about now. Its 7-of-31 threes and smashing on the boards reminiscent of Game 3 of the Grand Final belting by Southside last year, after the Game 3 mauling in the Grand Final with Melbourne two years earlier. Time for a rethink yet?

SEMI FINAL (1v4) BENDIGO SPIRIT v SYDNEY FLAMES

Game 1 – Bendigo Spirit 76 (Whitcomb 26, Burton 19, Wehrung, Tolo 10; Griffin 12 rebs; Burton 4 assts) d Sydney Flames 67 (Tupaea 16, George 14, Swain 7; Pitman, George 5 rebs; Pitman 5 assts) at Red Energy Arena, Bendigo. Crowd: 1,514. Bendigo lead series 1-0

Game 2 – Tomorrow, February 27, 7pm (AEDT) – Quaycentre, Sydney

Game 3 (if required) – Sunday, March 2, 2:30pm (AEDT) – Red Energy Arena, Bendigo

SEMI FINAL (2v3) PERTH LYNX v TOWNSVILLE FIRE

Game 1 – Townsville Fire 92 (Coffey 36, Woods 17, Fowler 14, Froling 10; Froling 8 rebs; Woods 10 assts) d Perth Lynx 87 (Wilson 32, Amihere 20, Atwell 11; Maley 15 rebs; Wilson 9 assts) at Bendat Basketball Centre, Perth. Crowd: 1,496. Townsville leads series 1-0

Game 2 – Townsville Fire 106 (Woods, Ellis 18, Fowler 16, Cox 15, Coffey 13, Froling 12; Cox 11 rebs; Ellis 9 assts) d Perth Lynx 76 (Wilson 24, Maley 17, Sowah 14, Ciabattoni 11; Maley 6 rebs; Wilson 7 assts) at Townsville Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 3,004 Townsville wins series 2-0

ON TOP: From start to finish, it was a Fire service as the Lynx wilted again.