Lapse costs Slammers

A first quarter lapse cost the Printsync South West Slammers women a chance at their third win, when they were defeated by eight points against the Rockingham Flames at the Mike Barnett Sports Complex on Thursday night.

The Slammers were competitive for three quarters, but a first term blowout, when the South West side conceded 27 points and scored just 18, cost them the game, as they went on to lose 72-64.

Double-doubles from captain Courtney Bayliss and import Brittany Hodges were not enough.

Bayliss grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and scored 13 points, while Hodges led the game with 20 points and 11 rebounds in a solid effort from the team’s two best players. But Bayliss hit just three shots from 15 attempts beyond the arc, as she struggled with her outside shooting.

The game was on equal terms in the second and final quarters, while the Slammers won the third term by a point, but they had already conceded too much on the scoreboard and could not catch up.

Rockingham’s Jacinta Bourne also managed a double-double, leading her team in scoring with 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

As has been the case for most of this season, the Slammers shot poorly, going at just 32 per cent from the field and 22 per cent from beyond the arc.

But in a positive, the Slammers led the rebound count (48-44) and used the ball a lot better than their opposition, handing off 15 assists to just seven from the Flames.

Tori Dugan played well for the Slammers, scoring 10 points and grabbing five rebounds, but finished the night on the bench after hurting her knee.

The Slammers host the Mandurah Magic this Saturday night.