WNBL: Canberra Capitals star Jade Melbourne injured in loss to Townsville Fire

The Capitals returned to Canberra licking their wounds and still searching for their first win of the 2022-23 WNBL season, after a humbling loss in north Queensland that started and ended with the Fire on top.

In place of Potter, Capitals coach Kristen Veal promoted Brittany Smart to start in Townsville, alongside centre Alex Bunton and guard Melbourne, with imports Rae Burrell and Dekeiya Cohen the forward duo.

The latter was smothered by the Fire defence in the early stages of the game, but she wasn't the only player struggling to get shots up as the Capitals quickly faced a big deficit.

Bunton steadied the ship with some bread and butter layups before the first break, but Townsville still boasted a big 25-point lead.

In the second quarter the Capitals finally started to build some defensive pressure to halt the clinical Fire, and clawed their way back into the game with Burrell growing in confidence as the game went on.

Cohen scored her first points five minutes before half-time, and Shaneice Swain made her presence felt at both ends of the court, with her ability to turn defence into offence a rare highlight.

The Capitals were only 17 points behind the Fire at halftime however a brutal third quarter proved to be the tipping point.

Melbourne went down with an apparent ankle injury and was taken to the locker room for further evaluation, and without the Opals young gun Townsville put their foot on the gas.

A dagger from Fire standout Lauren Nicholson (35 points) on the third quarter buzzer stretched the scoreboard even further and Townsville didn't let up, closing out the game 36-point winners.

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Cohen and Burrell top-scored for the Canberra women with 14 points apiece. Melbourne contributed eight points and four assists, Bunton had eight points and nine rebounds, and Smart and Swain added seven points each.

Turnovers (20) proved most costly for the Capitals, directly delivering a total of 32 points for Townsville on the night.

The Capitals will regroup back in Canberra before travelling to Perth to play the Lynx on Saturday.

WNBL ROUND 1

Sunday: TOWNSVILLE FIRE 104 (L Nicholson 35, T Hawkins 15) bt CANBERRA CAPITALS 68 (R Burrell 14, D Cohen 14).

Friday: BENDIGO SPIRIT 105 (K Griffin 25, A Wehrung 19) bt CANBERRA CAPITALS 85 (D Cohen 17, S Swain 15).

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