Bishop stars for Lightning
ABBY Bishop underlined her superstar status as the Lightning showed it has the ticker to match its talent this season with an 89- 81 win over Perth at home last night.
Adelaide trailed by 10 points at half- time and looked in serious trouble early in the third quarter but rallied on the back of Bishop’s game- high 35 points in an unstoppable performance from the new captain. The win took the Lightning’s record to 2- 1 after two rounds - just one win shy of the three wins they tallied for the entire last season.
With ace US import Natalie Novosel held to just seven points after scoring 21 and 14 in her first two games last week, Adelaide relied on an aggressive game from guard Nicole Seekamp and sharp shooting from Lauren Nicholson, but Bishop was the difference.
Perth tried its best to double- team her at every opportunity but the Opals star was just too good and when she wasn’t scoring she was setting her team- mates up, including a full- court pass to Vanessa Panousis for a crucial basket midway through the fourth.
Colleen Planeta also delivered when needed, hitting back- to- back shots including a big three in the fourth quarter after missing three wide- open looks before that.
With coach Chris Lucas back on the bench after kidney cancer surgery, Bishop said the mood in the camp was positive.
“It was the same scenario ( at half- time) in Canberra last week, so we learned our lesson and improved,” Bishop said.
“I think the team has gelled really well.”