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ALEX Ciabattoni's deceptively long arms last night made all the difference in Geelong as Perth maintained its undefeated start to the WNBL season when her deflection meant Mackenzie Holmes' game-winning basket was 0.2 of a second too late to reverse the Lynx's 77-76 road win.

Perth came into the game with key returnees Ally Wilson and Steph Gorman starting their seasons late from injury and Wilson revelling in her comeback with 14 points at 67 per cent, plus four rebounds, two assists and a block in managed minutes.

With Geelong stars Shyla Heal and import Alissa Pili joined on the sidelines by Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard (concussion protocols), this one seemed a foregone conclusion even before tip off.

An 8-0 start by the Lynx made the scenario even grimmer before Geelong responded with definite venom, going on a 10-0 tear of its own. Wilson's insertion was the big difference-maker, Gemma Potter working hard defensively to contain Amy Atwell (9 points at 25 per cent) when not on Anneli Maley (15 points, 5 rebounds) duty.

Potter also found her shot, her 16 points behind Holmes' 22, and 16 rebounds. For Perth, Brianna Turner had her best game, producing 13 points, 16 rebounds and only one turnover.

Yemiyah Morris' 13 points came on 6-of-7 shooting but the Lynx never were able to exploit their size advantage.

A driving Jaz Shelley layup off a steal pushed Geelong ahead at 74-72 with just over two minutes left before Ciabattoni swished an open 3-pointer from the top of the key, putting Perth back on top.

Maley took the lead to 77-74 before Shelley made it 76-77 with an amazing floating jump shot. Potter drew a charge from Ciabattoni and with 14.1 seconds, Geelong took time out.

Shelley's missed three for the win was rebounded by Holmes who missed a left-handed hook, Potter trying unsuccessfully to tap that miss in before the ball spilt out over the baseline, 0.3 of a second left, Venom possession.

Geelong executed a perfect play, Shelley's inbounds pass finding Holmes for the super-quick winning shot. But that Ciabattoni deflection before the ball reached Holmes was enough to ensure the star import's basket was after the siren.

In Melbourne, Cayla George struck two huge 3-point bombs, sandwiched around a drive which Hayley Peters finished off to give Southside a stunning victory over championship favourite Townsville.

The Flyers played with a belief not apparent in their previous outings, veterans George (26 points, 12 rebounds) and Rocci (22 points, five assists) leading by example.

Fire import Lucy Olsen (22 points, 4-of-9 threes) enjoyed her WNBL season-high return and brought Townsville back into the contest when Southside appeared to have it locked away.

A steal and lay-up by Courtney Woods (23 points, 9 assists, 4 steals) with 4:11 left gave Townsville a 72-70- lead and it was Woods again with 2:36 to go giving it the lead at 77-76.

Olsen's free throws produced the Fire's last lead at 78-77 before the first of George's huge late bombs which turned the game back to the Flyers.

If expecting an easier run in Adelaide, Canberra was shocked from the get-go as Lightning import Serena Sundell had the club's second home sell-out roaring its approval, racing to a 14-2 and 17-4 buffer early, its defence impeccable.

Nicole Munger's insertion lifted the Capitals to a 17-2 response and a 21-19 lead but no-one could have foreseen that would be Canberra's biggest edge of the day.

With captain Steph Talbot (18 points at 71 per cent, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and a block) actively engaged throughout and import Sania Feagin (19 points at 53 per cent, 10 rebounds) also enjoying her best game of the season, Adelaide kept the Capitals in chase mode for the overwhelming bulk of the game.

Dallas Loughridge (14 points at 50 per cent) hustled and harassed the hell out of Caps playmaker Jade Melbourne (3 points on 1-of-6 shooting, 9 assists, 4 steals, 5 turnovers) to be the game's stand-out, Canberra's offence moving away from Sara Blicavs and Kadiatou Sissoko to focus almost exclusively on Teige Morrell posting up.

Morrell delivered 15 points on 6-of-14 but was never going to provide enough as multiple contributors stepped up for Lightning, weathering a fiesty Caps fightback from 55-66 down to 63-66 before Talbot, Feagin and Sundell consolidated Adelaide's first win.

In Bendigo, the defending champs today suffocated the Flames behind a 26-point (at 65 per cent) return from Isobel Borlase and a 10-point, 14-rebound double from veteran Kesley Griffin.

Megan McConnell enjoyed her best game for the Spirit so far with 21 points, 6 assists and 3 steals.

Sydney's offence again relied heavily on Lauren Nicholson who came through with 27 points at 50 per cent but could not find sufficent consistent support, Bendigo's lead blowing out to 19 (79-60) midway through the final quarter on a Marianna Tolo basket.

Joint championship favourites the Lynx and Fire will close the round on Tuesday in Perth.

Round 3

Southside Melbourne Flyers 89 (George 26, Rocci 22, Peters 14, Bourne 11; George 12 rebs; Rocci 5 assts) d Townsville Fire 83 (Woods 23, Olsen 22, Fowler 10; Froling 10 rebs; Woods 9 assts) at the FlyBys, State Basketball Centre. Crowd: N/a

Adelaide Lightning 73 (Feagin 19, Talbot 18, Loughridge, Sundell 14; Feagin 10 rebs; Talbot 4 assts) d Canberra Capitals 65 (Morrell 15, Munger 14, Sissoko 11, Blicavs 10; Sissoko 9 rebs; Melbourne 9 assts) at the Sparkhouse, State Basketball Centre. Crowd: 1,806

Perth Lynx 77 (Maley 15, Wilson 14, Morris, Turner 13, Ciabattoni 12; Turner 16 rebs; Ciabattoni, Atwell 3 assts) d Geelong Venom 76 (Holmes 22, Potter 16, Shelley 12, Brett, Sharp 11; Holmes 16 rebs; Rotunno, Holmes, Sharp 3 assts) at the Strikehouse, Geelong Arena. Crowd: N/a

Bendigo Spirit 88 (Borlase 26, McConnell 21, Tolo 18, Griffin 10; Griffin 14 rebs; McConnell 6 assts) d Sydney Flames 75 (Nicholson 27, Thompson 12, Epoupa 10; Epoupa 9 rebs; Cann, Morgan 4 assts) at the Goldmine, Red Energy Arena. Crowd: 846