Han Xu explains what went wrong on her birthday

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Commonwealth Games 3x3 gold medallist Amy Atwell's UC Capitals extinguished Geelong centre Han Xu's Cake Day candles 77-68, leaving Venom coach Cheryl Chambers "disappointed" that the home side couldn't get the job done on the Chinese star's 27th birthday.

"Look, we're disappointed. It was Han's birthday, so we wanted a win," Chambers said.

"I think the first half was not great for us. We started the first quarter having 10 fouls and five turnovers and gave them offensive rebounds. So I think we were on the back foot to start with tonight.

"Disappointed. We had a really good second half, but that doesn't win games."

On the flip side, Capitals coach Paul Goriss was "really happy" with Canberra's first half, leading 49-36 at the main break of the Round 3, WNBL27 clash on Saturday, October 31, 2026.

"I really liked our first half," Goriss said.

"Our effort defensively and what we worked on for the whole of this week really showed in that first half. I was really happy with our effort, our schemes and what we wanted to achieve defensively.

"I think that really helped us at the offensive end of the floor, getting into a bit of a flow and playing at pace.

"I just didn't like the start of the third quarter. Our level of offensive execution was poor, and then that affected our defensive end of the floor.

"Some things we need to clean up, but obviously, coming down here with a big crowd, just happy to get away with the win."

Atwell, 28, and Xu were both outstanding - they both had 25 points. Xu had a 25-point, 12-rebound double-double and Atwell was 7-for-12 from the field, including 2-for-3 from outside the arc.

"I wasn't too happy with my shot distribution last week, Atwell said.

"I took way too many threes, and I think for me, the next evolution of my game is being able to mix that up a bit more.

"It's something I've been working on, reading the play a bit better. So, yeah, I was happy with that tonight."

Chambers is still without injured backcourt tandem Bec Cole and Maddi Rocci, which meant Xu carried a bulk of the responsibility on offence.

"I feel I can see the girls; we are growing a lot," Xu said.

"When I'm open, they can immediately pass to me. We just need to fix some things, like when they pressure us, how to fix the pressure. I think I need to control myself so I don't have a lot of turnovers. I had five turnovers. I feel sad, and I need to be better.

"I think we're good. The girls are young. They are only 20 or 21, and we just need to keep communicating because the day after tomorrow will be the next game.

"We need to communicate fast to fix the problems - what we do well and what we do badly. I think we will be fine."

What you need to know

• The UC Capitals beat the Geelong Venom 77-68 at Microkeeper Arena in Round 3 of WNBL27 on Saturday, October 31, 2026, to move to 2-1. Geelong are 1-2.
• UC won the first two quarters, 26-17 and 23-19, to lead 49-36 at half-time. Geelong won the third 15-11 to get within 60-51, and the fourth finished 17-17. UC never trailed after the opening minute.
• Amy Atwell top-scored for UC with 25 points on 7-from-12, including 9-from-10 at the line, and Han Xu matched her for Geelong with 25 and 12 rebounds on 9-from-13.
• The game turned at the three-point line. UC made 10 of 31 and Geelong four of 20, an 18-point gap in a nine-point game. Geelong cut a 16-point deficit to 66-62 with 3:43 left, then UC hit threes through Isabella Brancatisano, Megan McConnell and Manuela Puoch to make it 75-64.
• Geelong shot better from the field, 23-from-58 to 26-from-70, but turned it over 20 times to UC's 15. Thirteen of those came in the first half, when UC turned it over three times, and UC finished with 22 assists to 10.

Milestones

• Alex Sharp passed 1,000 career WNBL points with a driving layup in the first quarter. She started the game on 998 and finished on 1,008.
• Han Xu's 25 points and 12 rebounds are both her WNBL27 highs, up from 16 and eight against Southside on October 24. It is the only game of 25 points and 10 rebounds in the 14 WNBL27 games played so far.
• Nyadiew Puoch played her 99th WNBL game, one short of 100, and moved to 897 career WNBL points. Her three threes are her WNBL27 high.
• Amy Atwell played her 95th WNBL game and moved to 1,468 career WNBL points.
• Geelong's 10 assists are the fewest by any team in a WNBL27 game, and their 58 shots are the fewest by any team.

UC Capitals

• Amy Atwell top-scored with 25 points on 7-from-12, including 2-from-3 from three and 9-from-10 at the line, in 29 minutes.
• Nyadiew Puoch scored 15 in her 99th WNBL game, with seven rebounds and two steals on 5-from-12, including 3-from-5 from three.
• Megan McConnell had eight points, a game-high nine assists and eight rebounds on 3-from-11, and her three made it 72-64.
• Manuela Puoch had five points, nine rebounds and five assists on 2-from-13, going 1-from-7 from three, and her three made it 75-64.
• Sharne Robati had six points on 2-from-6, including 2-from-2 at the line, in 18 minutes.
• Charlotte Whittaker scored six off the bench on 2-from-3, with 2-from-2 at the line, in 12 minutes.
• Isabella Brancatisano had five points and two steals off the bench on 2-from-3, with no turnovers, and her three made it 69-62.
• UC shot 26-from-70 from the field, 10-from-31 from three and 15-from-20 at the line, with 42 rebounds, 22 assists and 15 turnovers.

Geelong Venom

• Han Xu top-scored with 25 points and a game-high 12 rebounds on 9-from-13, including 2-from-5 from three and 5-from-6 at the line, with two blocks and five turnovers.
• Lilly Rotunno scored 11 with five assists on 3-from-7, including 4-from-4 at the line.
• Alex Sharp had 10 points and eight rebounds, going 2-from-11 from the field and 6-from-9 at the line, with five turnovers, and passed 1,000 career WNBL points.
• Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard had nine points and two steals on 3-from-6 in 25 minutes.
• Dakota Crichton had six points and six rebounds off the bench on 3-from-8, going 0-from-4 from three, with no turnovers in 32 minutes.
• Indiah Bowyer had four points on 2-from-9, going 0-from-3 from three, in 16 minutes.
• Wanglai Zhang had three points and three rebounds off the bench on 1-from-4 in 11 minutes.
• Geelong shot 23-from-58 from the field, 4-from-20 from three and 18-from-25 at the line, with 43 rebounds, 10 assists and 20 turnovers.