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Class permanent as George douses unbeaten Fire
Cayla George of the Flyers celebrates a big three pointer during the round three WNBL match between Southside Flyers and Townsville Fire at VIC State Basketball Centre on October 31, 2025 in Melbourne. Photo: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Highlights
Cayla George led Southside Flyers past Townsville Fire 89–83 with clutch shooting and veteran poise.
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"Cayla George! No way!" ... Yes, way as veteran Australian Opal George hit a dagger three and and iced the game with two free throws in the clutch to lead Southside Melbourne Flyers to a statement win against WNBL26 favourites Townsville Fire 89-83 in Round 3 at State Basketball Centre on Friday, October 31, 2025.
Those were the words of the WNBL commentator as George hit a three with 38.5 seconds left to put the Flyers up 85-80. The Fire's Lucy Olsen came back with a three of her own 10 seconds later to make it 85-85 but Maddi Rocci and George closed the game out from the free throw line.
The Flyers moved to 2-1 and the Fire dropped to 2-1.
"It was a great win for us tonight," Flyers head coach Kristi Harrower said.
"I think it was a great team effort. The last couple of weeks we’ve been really working on the physicality at training — pretty much going to war with each other — and I think it really helped.
"We followed the scout, we were patient offensively, and to beat a quality team like that — that a lot of people think is probably the team to beat this season — it’s a huge win for us.
"It just gives a lot of confidence to the group. Especially, you know, our first game was against Canberra and we didn’t play the way we wanted to play.
"Then the second game was against Sydney last week and, even though we got the win, it wasn’t pretty getting it.
"Today was, like I said, a really good team effort. It’s really important to get that win today to boost confidence in our group and to know that the work we’re putting in at training is actually transferring onto the court in a game.
"We’ve got another big one next week against Perth — in Perth — so it was really important to get that win today."
George finished with 26 points including an outstanding 6-from-11 threes and 12 boards while guard Maddi Rocci was equally outstanding, dropping 22 points in 29 minutes of 8-from-10 from the field. She also had four boards and five assists.
"Obviously when there’s a lot of talk about a team in the league that’s predicted to win it, you probably want to come out and show the league that you’re also capable of winning it as well," Rocci said.
"So I think with the belief that we had in the group this week — like Kristi said, our training’s been a lot of physicality, it’s wrestle ball — and I think that definitely helped us tonight.
"Townsville are the benchmark team and I think we did a great job defending them tonight."
Key Details
- Result: Southside Melbourne Flyers 89 def. Townsville Fire 83
- When: 31st October 2025
- Where: VIC State Basketball Centre, Melbourne
- Standings: Standings
By the Numbers
- Cayla George (Southside Melbourne Flyers) starred with 26 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 37 minutes.
- Courtney Woods (Townsville Fire) scored 23 points, had three rebounds, nine assists and four steals in 35 minutes.
What Happened
The contest featured an astounding 25 lead changes, showcasing the back-and-forth nature of this high-intensity matchup. Southside began strongly, leading 19-14 after the first quarter before Townsville responded with a 24-17 second quarter to take a 38-36 halftime advantage.
The Flyers reclaimed momentum in the third quarter, outscoring the Fire 21-14 to build a 57-52 lead heading into the final period. Both teams exploded offensively in the fourth, with Southside winning the quarter 32-31 to secure the six-point victory.
George dominated throughout, shooting an impressive 6-from-11 from three-point range while controlling the glass with 12 rebounds. Her interior presence helped Southside maintain control during crucial stretches, particularly when Townsville threatened late in the fourth quarter.
Maddi Rocci provided excellent support with 22 points on efficient 6-from-7 shooting from two-point range and 2-from-3 from beyond the arc. The Flyers' guard also contributed five assists and four rebounds, forming a potent partnership with George that Townsville struggled to contain.
For the Fire, Courtney Woods delivered an outstanding all-around performance with 23 points, nine assists and four steals, while Lucy Olsen added 22 points including 4-from-9 from three-point territory. Despite their efforts, Townsville couldn't overcome Southside's 50 percent shooting from the field (23-from-46) and 45.8 percent accuracy from three-point range (11-from-24).
The Flyers' frontcourt advantage proved decisive, with Southside out-rebounding Townsville 43-37. Defensively, Isabelle Bourne made significant contributions with three steals and two blocks, disrupting the Fire's offensive rhythm at critical moments.
