Lauren on fire in first match
LAUREN Nicholson’s life in the Townsville colours could hardly have gone any smoother as the Opals star struck up an eye-catching partnership with a fellow marquee recruit.
Nicholson and teenage sensation Shyla Heal were dominant in the Fire’s 73-48 WNBL win over Perth Lynx, as the pair frequently exchanged possession play after play.
Accuracy proved to be Nicholson’s only failing in Wednesday night’s contest in Mackay, shooting eight from 17 attempts.
However with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists, the 27-year-old was the most noticeable presence on the court and showed early signs she would live up to the promise her signature came with.
Along with Heal’s 15 points and equal number of rebounds and assists as Nicholson, the duo have sent a signal to the rest of the WNBL they are a force to be reckoned with.
And their collaboration could prove vital throughout the season, particularly given how important initial victories will be in the condensed competition.
“It’s super important, I think if you can string six or seven games of wins early in the season it will put you in good stead for the finals," Nicholson said.
“I don’t think we expected (to win by such a margin), we didn’t really know what to expect because they’re team much like us.
“It probably is not my best shooting night ever, but it was just nice to run around and make a few shots, it’s given me a bit of confidence going into the next one.
“We knew it would be tough to begin with but if we kept pressuring them up the court and kept playing good defence we knew we would run away with it in the end.”
The win also marked the return of Zitina Aokuso, whose eight points and seven rebounds hardly suggest she was a player short on game time.
While her stint was limited to 16 minutes, just to be able to get on the court again after an extensive ACL injury lay-off impressed spectators and Nicholson.
Even when Heal and Nicholson had stints on the sidelines, their replacement in Stephanie Reid ensured the transition was seamless.
The former Southside Flyer finished with the most assists for the game with three, and helped bring out the best in the likes of Nadeen Payne (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Megan Mckay (nine points, eight rebounds).
It is an added edge Nicholson believes separates the Fire from their rivals.
“I think Shyla brings a little bit more offensively, but then Steph can come in and really get up on defence and give Shy a little bit of a rest,” Nicholson said. a new