The Canberra Capitals have started their WNBL season with a comeback 58-55 win over the Sydney University Flames at Qudos Bank Arena this afternoon.

Caps captain Kelsey Griffin showed her warrior spirit and together with an auspicious debut for Brittney Sykes, provided the offence to deny Shane Heal a successful return to the WNBL.

Heal’s daughter Shyla was one of the Flames major off-season recruits, but she like most of the other players struggled offensively, with both teams making just 28 per cent of their first-half field goals.

It only got worse in the second half for the Flames, who finished on 26 per cent for the game, while Griffin and Sykes sparked the Caps offence.

After trailing by nine points at half-time, Griffin scored Canberra’s first seven points of the second half, but was forced off the court with just over a minute left, with blood streaming from her face after she was accidentally struck. 

Jade Melbourne hit a three-pointer with just over six minutes left to give the Caps a lead they never relinquished.

LA Sparks guard Sykes, a 2021 WNBA all-defensive first team player, steadied the Caps down the stretch by scoring eight points in the final quarter.

“The second half for us was awesome,” Caps’ guard Kelly Wilson told Kayo Sports.

“The first half, Sydney, credit to them, they did a great job taking us out of our offence,” said Wilson, who tallied a game-high six assists as she extended her WNBL all-time games record to 396, after resuming her career.

Griffin finished the game with 12 points and 11 rebounds while Sykes led the Caps in scoring with 16 points.

The result meant the Caps’ Alicia Froling enjoyed her first win in four professional matches against her sister Keely. 

Import Stephanie Watts headed Sydney’s scoring with 16, but only two of those points came after halftime.

It was the second and last game of the opening round, after Southside Flyers started their title defence with a 94-83 victory over Bendigo Spirit at Dandenong Stadium on Saturday.

The Flyers showed they still had plenty in their offensive arsenal despite Opals’ superstar centre Liz Cambage not returning.

Sara Blicavs (27 points and 11 rebounds), Rebecca Cole (24 points) and Abby Bishop, (20 posts and 11 boards) on her return to the WNBL, made sure their team prospered after they trailed 15-9 early.

“I’m really happy with the way we played,” Flyers’ coach Cheryl Chambers told Fox Sports.

“We knew it was going to be up and down all day because we haven’t played too much, but we need to look after the ball a little bit better and we will be in good shape.”

New recruit Anneli Maley tallied 15 points and 14 boards for Bendigo.

By Adrian Warren in Sydney

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