It was a spectacular start to the 2022 NBL1 North Women's Grand Final Series on Friday night with the Townsville Flames handing the Logan Thunder their first loss of the year to the tune of 28 points.
Friday night marked the opening night of the 2022 NBL1 North Grand Final Series at Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre with the Logan Thunder playing host to the Townsville Flames.
The Thunder had gone through the season with a perfect 19-0 record before advancing to the Grand Final with finals victories against the Cairns Dolphins and Brisbane Capitals.
Meanwhile, the Flames finished the regular season in third spot before beating the Mackay Meteorettes and then the Southern Districts Spartans to set up the Grand Final Series.
Despite Logan being undefeated and Townsville being away from home for the Grand Final weekend, it was the Flames who delivered a stunning dominant second half on Friday night to end up beating the Thunder 85-57.
That now sets up an even more tantalising Game 2 on Saturday night in the same building with Logan needing to bounce back to force Game 3 on Sunday or else Townsville will secure the 2022 NBL1 North championship.
NBL1 NORTH – 2022 WOMEN'S SEASON
GRAND FINAL GAME 1 – FRIDAY NIGHT
LOGAN THUNDER 57 lost to TOWNSVILLE FLAMES 85
The Logan Thunder will be grateful for the best-of-three Grand Final Series in the NBL1 North after the Townsville Flames handed them their first loss of the 2022 season in emphatic fashion on Friday night.
The 2022 NBL1 North Grand Final Series got underway on Friday night at Bendigo Bank Cornubia Park Sports Centre with the Thunder coming up against the Flames.
Logan had gone through the regular season undefeated before winning their first two finals in dominant fashion while Townsville had been just as impressive in the first two weeks of the finals to book a Grand Final spot after finishing in third position.
Logan then ended up starting Grand Final Game 1 strongly going on a 12-0 run in the opening quarter which saw the regular season champs leading 23-15 by quarter-time.
However, Townsville turned the tide in the second quarter and worked their way on top by outscoring Logan 24 points to 15 to end up going into the half-time break leading narrowly 39-38.
The stage was set for a big finish to open the Grand Final Series but nobody could have predicted the dominant second half showing that was to come from Townsville, maybe except Shane Heal.
The Australian basketball legend and Sydney Flames WNBL coach predicted the Flames to be the team to stop Logan's winning run, and he read the tea leaves well based on what happened in the second half on Friday night.
It was a remarkably dominant showing from the Flames the entire second half as they went on an 8-0 run in the third term to open up a double-figure advantage.
There would be no Logan fightback on this night with another 14 straight points from Townsville seeing their advantage grow to 28 points which was the final winning margin in the eventual 85-57 victory.
Townsville is now one win away from winning the 2022 NBL1 North championship while Logan has to find out how it responds to a loss now for the first time with a must-win Game 2 on Saturday to force the decider on Sunday.
It was a hot shooting performance from the Flames as they went at 52.3 per cent from the field while knocking down 15/33 at 45.5 per cent three-point range.
Logan struggled with shooting 35.5 from the floor and 8/28 at 28.6 per cent from downtown while neither got to the foul line too much with a combined nine free-throws for the entire night.
Steph Reid was outstanding once again for Townsville finishing with 21 points, 11 assists, four steals and two rebounds while Alanna Smith contributed 20 points and six boards despite being in foul trouble most of the game.
Courtney Woods also had 19 points and six rebounds for the Flames, Jaimee Seebohm nine points and five boards, and Mia Murray eight points and seven rebounds.
Mikaela Ruef still managed to produce 22 points and 17 rebounds on 9/18 shooting for Logan despite the loss with Chevannah Paalvast contributing 14 points, four rebounds and three assists, Carla Drennan nine points and two boards, and Ashley Taia eight points and four assists.
