Captain Woods sparks Fire to series lead over Lynx

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A defensive masterclass in the third quarter and stellar performances from captain Courtney Woods and Miela Sowah have led the Townsville Fire to a 88-79 victory over the Perth Lynx in game one and a 1-0 series lead in the WNBL Grand Finals series at the Townsville Entertainment Centre.

Woods and Sowah combined for 44 points, scoring half of Townsville's points but it was the Fire's defence which has helped them be just one win away from a fifth championship in the club's history.

As well as keeping the Lynx to just 10 points for the quarter, Townsville beat the visitors on the offensive rebounds, grabbing 15 to Perth's 13.

"I feel like game one is so important, especially when you've got to go into Perth who play really great at home, so really happy we can get that but obviously one game doesn't mean anything in a series so hopefully we can get the second one," Woods said in the post-game interview.

"They're huge, they've got (Anneli) Maly and Han (Xu), two of the best rebounders in the league so we know it's going to take all of us, so really happy when they came back at us hard in the fourth, happy we could keep the lead and come away with a win."

Game two at the sold out Perth High Performance Centre is on Sunday at 4pm AEDT.

Key Details

• Result: Townsville Fire 88 def. Perth Lynx 79
• When: Wednesday, 26th February 2026
• Where: Townsville Entertainment Centre, Townsville
• Attendance: 3,891
• Standings: Standings

By the Numbers

• Courtney Woods (Townsville Fire) starred with 22 points, six rebounds and two assists in 37 minutes.
• Amy Atwell (Perth Lynx) scored 19 points, five rebounds in 33 minutes.

What Happened

The Fire established early control with a balanced opening quarter, taking a 20-22 lead before extending their advantage through the second period. Townsville's 22-23 halftime advantage set the stage for a commanding third quarter performance where they outscored Perth 24-10 to build a decisive 19-point buffer heading into the final period.

Perth mounted a spirited fourth quarter comeback, outscoring Townsville 24-22 in the final period, but the deficit proved too substantial to overcome. The Lynx managed to cut into the Fire's lead but couldn't sustain the momentum needed to complete the comeback at Townsville Entertainment Centre.

Courtney Woods delivered an outstanding performance for the Fire, shooting an efficient 11-from-17 from the field to lead all scorers with 22 points. The captain's stellar display was complemented by Miela Sowah's 20-point contribution, including a perfect 8-from-8 performance from the charity stripe. Alicia Froling added 17 points on exceptional 7-from-9 shooting, demonstrating the Fire's balanced offensive attack.

Townsville's shooting efficiency proved decisive, converting 54.7% of their field goal attempts compared to Perth's 48.65%. The Fire dominated inside the paint with 29 two-point makes from 53 attempts, while the Lynx struggled from deep, connecting on just 11-from-36 from beyond the arc despite Amy Atwell's solid 4-from-11 three-point shooting performance.

The victory showcased Townsville's superior rebounding ability, claiming 45 boards compared to Perth's 37, with the Fire securing 15 offensive rebounds to create second-chance scoring opportunities. The win strengthens Townsville chances of winning a fifth WNBL title, only one game away from a series win, while Perth will need to rebound in front of a sold out Perth High Performance Centre on Sunday.