'That's actually nuts': Ellis joins WNBL royalty with 47

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WNBL royalty Belinda Snell, Julie Nykiel, Penny Taylor, Lauren Jackson, Jess Bibby, and now Abbey Ellis.

Townsville Fire guard Ellis, 25, produced one of the greatest scoring performances in the WNBL's 47-season history, leading the defending champions to an 86-68 win against Adelaide Lightning in Adelaide in Round 1 on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

Ellis' 47 (16-for-24) was the most points by any player in 21 years and equal fifth on the all-time individual game scoring list and is now only one of four players to have 47 points and six steals in a game. She played all 40 minutes and also set a new Fire record, beating Chandi Jones' 45 on 2004-05.

"That's actually nuts," Ellis said.

"Obviously, it's an amazing feeling. But you have these achievements, and you just want to keep on going and getting better.

"Honestly, celebrating with your teammates, being part of a great team, it's a pretty cool feeling.

"A lot of hard work and hard hours go into that. Tonight was just a fun night."

Ellis had 25 in the first half to keep the Fire close at 43-40 and 22 in the second (13 in the fourth) to deliver the Fire (1-1) its first win of WNBL27.

"Extremely proud. It's amazing," Fire head coach Shannon Seebohm said.

"I don't think I've ever seen a player that I've coached do anything close to that before, and we needed it.

"We're obviously backs to the wall a little bit right now. We need everybody to step up and step up in a big way.

"I think everyone else was struggling today, and Abbey just kept us afloat, especially throughout the first half. We were hoping someone else would step in and start to lift their game a bit.

"We had a few more contributors in the second half.

"Then obviously, once we needed buckets again, she kept it going. She did it at all three levels tonight.

"Threes, she got downhill and came off pick-and-rolls and scored. She scored in the mid-range.

"She got to the free-throw line and had the ability to create for her teammates, have assists, get steals and deflections and do all those things as well.

"We needed a big game like that from someone. It was amazing to watch. Can't wait to watch it back."

Ellis was a toddler the last time any WNBL player put up 47 or more, Belinda Snell, with the league record 54, in 2005.

"Oh God, no idea. I don't think I'd picked up a basketball yet," Ellis said.

"That's just pretty cool. I think all of us who play WNBL and play basketball have that joy for it.

"You put all those hours and minutes in. Having a game like that puts into perspective that you get to have these feelings on the court, and that's your job.

"It was pretty cool.

"Obviously, being with those amazing names and watching them growing up.

"I remember being at the Veneto Club with the Bulleen Boomers, Michelle Timms, Tom Maher, watching those games.

"It's crazy. I was always in the beanbags in the corner with my little domestic team.

"So it's pretty cool. Yeah, that's crazy."

Adelaide Lightning started the season 0-2. Las Vegas Aces and Australian Opals star Steph Talbot (11 points) returned to the lineup for the first time since coming back from the US, alongside Opals teammate Zitina Aokuso (12), Tayla Brazel (19), and Shay Ciezki (13).

But it was a 15-0 run in the fourth, with Ellis scoring 13 in the quarter, that ripped the game away from the home team.

"Yeah, she had one of those nights where it was an ocean," Adelaide head coach Aja Parham-Ammar said of Ellis.

"It's unfortunate for us, fortunate for her.

"We'll see them again two more times, and we'll come up with something for her for sure."

It was Ellis' night, and Seebohm couldn't be prouder.

"Even if you think back to the first two years she's been here, she's hit game-winning shots, she's hit big shots in finals games, she's done all these things," Seebohm added.

"From when I saw her at college, she was someone I thought we really wanted to be able to get here.

"I'd be lying if I said I thought in year three she'd have a 47-point game by now.

"But she's someone we saw a lot of potential in and could be a player who fits well into our program.

"She's done exactly that."

What you need to know

• The Townsville Fire beat the Adelaide Lightning 86-68 at the SA State Basketball Centre in Round 1 of WNBL27 on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, three days after their 86-83 loss to the Perth Lynx. Adelaide are 0-2 after their 95-68 loss to the Sydney Flames on Sunday.
• Adelaide won the first quarter 24-17 and led by as many as 14 at 35-21 in the second. Townsville won the second 23-19, the third 19-15 and the fourth 27-10, and went ahead for good on Alexandra Fowler's free throws with 22 seconds left in the third.
• Abbey Ellis scored 47 points in all 40 minutes on 16-from-24, including 7-from-13 from three and 8-from-8 at the line, with six steals. AAP reports it is the equal fifth-highest score in WNBL history and a Townsville club record. Tayla Brazel led Adelaide with 19 on 8-from-11.
• The game turned on turnovers and the free-throw line. Adelaide turned it over 22 times to Townsville's 16, and Townsville made 20 free throws from 27 attempts to Adelaide's seven from 14, a 13-point gap in an 18-point game.
• From 14 down, Townsville outscored Adelaide 65-33. They finished on a 17-3 run over the last 4:56, 11 of the points from Ellis, turning 69-65 into 86-68.

Townsville Fire

• Abbey Ellis scored 47 points with six steals, four rebounds and two assists on 16-from-24, including 7-from-13 from three and 8-from-8 at the line, and played every minute. She had 13 in the fourth quarter, three days after going 2-from-13 in Perth.
• Courtney Woods had 14 points, seven assists and three steals on 4-from-14, including 5-from-6 at the line, in 38:45.
• Marie Gülich scored 13 off the bench on 5-from-9 with 3-from-3 at the line, seven of them in the first three and a half minutes of the fourth, before fouling out.
• Alexandra Fowler had eight points, 10 rebounds and six assists on 2-from-9, with 4-from-8 at the line. Her two free throws with 22 seconds left in the third put Townsville ahead to stay.
• Alicia Froling had two points, 11 rebounds and three assists on 1-from-1, and Townsville were plus-26 in her 30:50, the best mark in the game.
• Lauren Jensen had two points, three rebounds and three assists on 1-from-4, and Townsville were plus-21 in her 32:08.
• Bree Stephens played 5:45 off the bench, missing her only shot. Only seven Townsville players took the court.
• Townsville shot 29-from-62 from the field, 8-from-28 from three and 20-from-27 at the line, with 40 rebounds (12 offensive), 21 assists, 13 steals, two blocks and 16 turnovers.

Adelaide Lightning

• Tayla Brazel top-scored with 19 points and two steals on 8-from-11, including 3-from-5 from three. Her three early in the fourth cut it to 62-61, the last time Adelaide were within a point.
• Shay Ciezki scored 13 on 4-from-11, including 2-from-4 from three and 3-from-3 at the line, with three turnovers. Her six straight points late in the third gave Adelaide their last lead, 58-55.
• Zitina Aokuso had 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals on 5-from-6, with 2-from-4 at the line, in a team-high 34:03.
• Stephanie Talbot had 11 points, a game-high nine assists, five rebounds and three steals on 5-from-13, with 1-from-5 at the line and five turnovers.
• Madeline Westbeld had six points and five rebounds on 2-from-3, with five turnovers.
• Kiara Waite had four points and five rebounds off the bench on 2-from-5 in 15:22.
• Elissa Brett scored three off the bench on 1-from-2 in 11:45.
• Jessica McDowell-White had three assists and two steals without a turnover, but went 0-from-9, including 0-from-4 from three, in 25:32.
• Adelaide shot 27-from-60 from the field, 7-from-19 from three and 7-from-14 at the line, with 29 rebounds (six offensive), 17 assists, 11 steals, three blocks and 22 turnovers.