Flames need a whole 'Lozza' experience to beat Flyers

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Two-time champion Lauren Nicholson needed all of her 180-game WNBL experience to lead the Sydney Flames past a young Southside Melbourne Flyers 77-73 in their first game of WNBL27 in Melbourne on Friday, October 16, 2026.

Before tip-off, 33-year-old Nicholson had played 98 more games than the entire Flyers roster under new head coach Sam Mackinnon.

The 1.83m, 11-season veteran with 23 points, two rebounds, two assists, three steals and just one turnover in 32:23 minutes to drag the road team back from 13 down with 8:11 to go in the third quarter.

“I just think at halftime we knew that we had to be better in the second half,” Nicholson said.

“And I actually just think it started with the defensive end from all of us. We were able to get out and run a little bit more in the second half and just executed down the stretch.”

The young Flyers held Sydney to just 11 points in the second quarter, leading 46-37 at the half.

Melbourne guard Tess Heal returned to Australia after an outstanding NCAA Division I women’s college career and made an impressive debut for the Flyers.

She put up a scorching 24 points on 10-for-13 from the field in 34:09 minutes to go with four boards and two assists.

“It's been a dream forever, since I was little,” Heal said.

“I've grown up watching this league, and even at college I followed it.

“So it's an honour to play in it. There's great players on the floor, and I love being a part of it.

“But I'm not satisfied with the result tonight, and we're going to get back in the gym and get ready for Thursday.”

Six of Mackinnon’s Flyers were suiting up in their first WNBL game: Heal; Lara Edmanson; Sakima Walker; Wang “Rainy” Siyu; Madi Ryan; and Marianela Fakalata.

“I think it was great. Very proud of the girls,” Mackinnon said.

“We sort of set out with a certain group and a style of play.

“It's been a little bit interrupted with getting Rainy in here late, but the girl next to me has been leading the way in training, just getting after it on both ends of the floor.

“So, yeah, very proud of the team. It's disappointing to not win, but we just keep learning.

“The group's great to coach and, yeah, on to the next game.”

Flames head coach Renae Garlepp was without Australian Opals guard Ally Wilson, who returned from the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup with a minor knee injury. She’s expected back in a couple of weeks.

Garlepp admitted the Flames had work to do.

“It was a bit ugly,” she said.

“I don't think we were our best, but credit to the Flyers. I thought they played really well.

“I mean, with the group, we're coming together, and we're still so new, so it's no surprise for us.

“We're still finding our way. But incredibly proud of the fight of the girls and to come away with the win.”

What you need to know

• The Sydney Flames beat the Southside Melbourne Flyers 77-73 at the VIC State Basketball Centre in Round 1 of WNBL27 on Friday, October 16, 2026.
• Sydney won the first quarter 26-25 but trailed 46-37 at half-time after Southside took the second 21-11, then won the third 19-14 and the fourth 21-13 to take the second half 40-27.
• Tess Heal scored a game-high 24 points for Southside on 10-from-13, including 3-from-3 at the line, while Lauren Nicholson top-scored for Sydney with 23 on 8-from-18, including 5-from-5 at the line.
• Southside turned the ball over 18 times to Sydney's six, and the Flames had 10 steals to four.
• Sydney blocked 10 shots to Southside's four and took 76 shots from the field to Southside's 67, despite losing the boards 46-37.

Sydney Flames

• Lauren Nicholson top-scored with 23 points and a game-high three steals on 8-from-18, including 2-from-8 from three and 5-from-5 at the line.
• Jazmin Shelley added 14 points with a game-high nine assists and two blocks on 6-from-13, including 2-from-6 from three.
• Maya Dodson had 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks in a game-high 34 minutes on 6-from-11, going 1-from-6 at the line.
• Yang Shuyu scored 11 points with two steals on 5-from-12, including 1-from-7 from three.
• Isabelle Bourne had 10 points, two steals and two blocks on 5-from-13, including 0-from-5 from three.
• Agnes Emma-Nnopu pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, six of them offensive, with three blocks and six points off the bench on 2-from-8 in 29 minutes.
• Charlise Dunn played eight minutes off the bench for one rebound, missing her only shot, a three.
• Sydney shot 32-from-76 from the field, 6-from-30 from three and 7-from-13 at the line, with 37 rebounds (18 offensive), 14 assists, 10 steals, 10 blocks and six turnovers.

Southside Melbourne Flyers

• Tess Heal top-scored with a game-high 24 points, four rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes on 10-from-13, including 1-from-1 from three and 3-from-3 at the line.
• Lara Edmanson added 13 points and four rebounds, three of them offensive, on 6-from-9 in 24 minutes and finished plus-11.
• Wang Siyu scored 11 points off the bench on 4-from-10, including 2-from-3 from three, with two steals and four turnovers.
• Lucy Cochrane had 11 rebounds, five of them offensive, eight points, three assists and three blocks off the bench on 3-from-7.
• Madison Ryan added seven points and six rebounds off the bench in 17 minutes on 3-from-6 and finished a game-high plus-13.
• Haylee Andrews had four points and two assists on 1-from-7, with a game-high six turnovers, in 29 minutes.
• Hannah Hank scored four points on 2-from-11, including 0-from-4 from three, and finished a game-low minus-16.
• Southside shot 30-from-67 from the field, 4-from-14 from three and 9-from-12 at the line, with 46 rebounds (17 offensive), 13 assists and 18 turnovers.