![Jade Melbourne has been a shining light for the Capitals. Picture by Keegan Carroll Jade Melbourne has been a shining light for the Capitals. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/976ef4a0-06bb-40aa-90ef-10a2af734398.jpg/r0_336_3291_2194_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Kristen Veal has a point when she says most people would have packed up and gone home by now because, well, one of her star recruits actually did.
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But those who stuck it out - both players and fans - during the Canberra Capitals' second-longest losing streak are starting to reap the rewards.
A Jade Melbourne-inspired Capitals outfit jagged their second win of the season when they pipped Adelaide 97-90 in overtime at the National Convention Centre on Thursday night.
Now they head into a FIBA-enforced break for the next two weeks before closing out their season with three consecutive Saturday nights at home, daring to dream of climbing off the bottom of the WNBL ladder.
"We always spoke about it at the start of the year, and even throughout the middle of the year, our lack of experience and youthfulness. That's only an issue if you're losing," Veal said.
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"What they've done is continue to buy into the process, buy into the learning, buy into the format of what we're trying to do. Through that they've gotten better, gained experience and gained a little bit more maturity.
"That's the stuff I couldn't be more proud of. People would have packed up shop and headed home by now. These guys come out every week like we've got a chance to make the finals."
That they are two wins behind Adelaide and Sydney at the wrong end of the ladder matters not.
The Capitals dominated the opening half against Adelaide before the Lightning battled back into the contest to send the game into overtime in front of 1186 fans.
Melbourne is becoming every bit of the superstar many have tipped her to become, leading the Capitals with 21 points and 11 rebounds to send the crowd into raptures.
![Kristen Veal is rapt with the Capitals' commitment to the cause. Picture by Keegan Carroll Kristen Veal is rapt with the Capitals' commitment to the cause. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/55eeac77-273f-45a0-9051-f553d3ac9203.jpg/r0_295_5762_3547_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Jade, unbelievable. She always has that [energy], but she's been trying to temper that with 'what's the right play call and when do I let others take a little bit more of the lead?'," Veal said.
"It's hard to tell because she is so good every week, but she has been getting better every single game in terms of her leadership, her point guarding, her decision making, and relinquishing and bringing the team on the board. I couldn't be more proud of the kid."
Rae Burrell is set to be fit after suffering cramps against the Lightning, while the Capitals are poised to welcome Alex Bunton, Alison Schwagmeyer-Belger and Shaneice Swain back into the fold for the home stretch, beginning with a return bout against Adelaide on February 18.
Canberra will then close out their campaign against Melbourne and Perth - two sides still in championship contention - confident they can spark upsets to finish on a high.
"We'll use the two-week FIBA window like a season, to build ourselves and prepare ourselves. The last two weeks, we will treat it as a finals series for us, so we'll go and win as many of those as we can," Veal said.
"Everyone is coming off a performance you actually feel like you can consolidate on, being fit and ready, and power through that without having to manage travel, schedule and bodies. We think we can be as strong as we've been all season through those last three games."
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