Basketball On The Internet.

TWO of the WNBL's all-time superstars, Sara Blicavs and Lauren Nicholson, returned to open the 2025-26 season with match-winning performances before Abbey Ellis saved title favourite Townsville with a career-high 31 points on the road to Bendigo, adding 10 boards and four assists in a super performance.

The championship-winning past Opals led Canberra and Sydney respectively to road wins over Southside and Geelong, Blicavs returning from serious back surgery and Nicholson as a first-time mother.

In Adelaide, another young mother, Alex Ciabattoni, created history as the first person to score a basket in SA's State Basketball Centre, new home of the revamped, refreshed Lightning - ironic that the first to christen the venue with a bucket would be an Adelaide-born player who debuted with Lightning a decade ago but this time was doing it for Perth.

Townsville earlier hit Bendigo and survived a spirited fightback by the champs but in so doing, the Fire ensured Round 1 of the WNBL would see a unique situation with every road team winning.

If homecourt advantage mattered anywhere, it had to be in Adelaide where a record opening day crowd - the biggest in the club's storied history for a season-opener - jammed into the "Sparkhouse" making more noise and creatring more atmosphere than ever heard or seen before in the usually sedate "city of churches". (This was akin to the Justin Nelson days at Bulleen Boomers.)

Off to a tentative start, as were the Venom in Geelong, Adelaide was quickly swamped, down 9-26 at the first break. The insertion of Jasmin Fejo had an instant impact and even though much of what she did in the second quarter did not stat, her energy, enthusiasm and quickness noticeably lifted Lightning. 

With Tayla Brazel knocking down three 3-pointers in the quarter and Dallas Loughridge finding her feet, Adelaide rallied, Fejo managing to also irritate Lynx shooter Amy Atwell but unable to stay in front of Ciabattoni.

In the injury-forced absences of Ally Wilson and Steph Gorman, Lynx's makeshift point guard enjoyed arguably the best game of her WNBL career, finishing with a game-changing 23 points at 60 per cent, three rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block but mostly it was Ciabattoni's composure and control which guided Perth to safety.

Despite going close to a triple-double with 11 points, 10 boards and 8 assists, Lightning captain Steph Talbot had virtually nothing of consequence to contribute until a brief final quarter rally which saw Adelaide take the lead 69-68 on a Fejo cut with 2:27 left.

But longtime Adelaide import Brianna Turner, now the interim at Perth until Han Xu is available, ensured there would be no fairytale finish for her old - now very new - basketball club.

Nicholson was huge in Geelong, her 20-point first-half significant in Sydney seizing complete control of the contest.

Already down injured recruit Shyla Heal, Geelong was dealt a further blow when WNBA import Alissa Pili went down injured after just 5:32, before impressive young backup PG Lilly Rotunno left the game hurt. Deja vu anyone?

Trailing 6-15, the Venom rallied to cut it back to 22-26 at the first break but Nicholson (27 points, 5-of-10 threes) had the Flames red hot with a 22-8 second period which guaranteed a long game of chasey for the home team.

Canberra without Zitina Aokuso took to Southside in Melbourne, Blicavs and Kadiatou Sissoko on fire early and Jade Melbourne relishing not having to do everything in a far more balanced Caps crew.

Blicavs scored her 19 points at 50 per cent, with 3-of-5 threes and nine rebounds, Teige Morrell adding nine boards of her own, Nicole Munger generating energy as the Capitals controlled the match, ahead by as many as 22.

Tera Reed (22 points at 77 per cent) and Isabelle Bourne (18 points at 60 per cent, 9 boards) paced the Flyers but co-captains Cayla George (4 points, 2-of-11)  and Maddi Rocci (14 points, 5 turnovers) were well below their best.

Reigning Betty Watson Youth Award winner Abbey Ellis was very much at her best for Townsville with 31 points at 63 per cent, including 6-of-9 threes, 10 rebounds, four assists and no turnovers as the Fire held on for a 74-66 win.

Coach Shannon Seebohm left both his imports out of his starting quintet - be interesting to see how long that lasts - preferring his talented local content and they got the job done.

Round 1

Canberra Capitals 80 (Blicavs 19, Puoch 16, Melbourne, Sissoko 15; Morrell, Blicavs 9 rebs; Melbourne 8 assts) d Southside Melbourne Flyers 71 (Reed 22, Bourne 18, Rocci 14; Bourne 9 rebs; Rocci 7 assts) at The Caravan Park, John Cain Arena. Crowd: 4,342

Sydney Flames 85 (Nicholson 27, Thompson, Froling 15, McSpadden 10; Froling 12 rebs; Cann, Froling 7 assts) d Geelong Venom 77  (Holmes 20, Sharp 14, Clinch Hoycard 11, Brett 10; Holmes 11 rebs; Rotunno 8 assts) at The Poison Penthouse, Geelong Arena. Crowd: N/a

Townsville Fire 74 (Ellis 31, Sowah 13, Woods 10; Fowler, Ellis 10 rebs; Ellis 4 assts) d Bendigo Spirit 66 (Borlase 17, Tolo 14, Griffin 13; Tolo, Borlase 8 rebs; Wehrung 5 assts) at The Goldmine, Bendigo Stadium. Crowd: N/a

Perth Lynx 75 (Ciabattoni 23, Turner, Atwell 15; Maley 15 rebs; Turner 6 assts) d Adelaide Lightning 72 (Feagin 16, Loughridge, Brazel 12, Talbot 11; Talbot 10 rebs; Talbot 8 assts) at The Sparkhouse, State Basketball Centre. Crowd: 1.964