Basketball On The Internet.

THE WNBL burst back into live action this week, despite the absence of several name players from teams, Perth into the winners' column and Melbourne staking its claim for top spot, staving off a desperate Southside before holding out the Lynx, Tess Madgen back.

Adelaide still holds onto first place despite not playing for weeks but the Boomers made their move with their narrow but twin wins.

Melbourne led the Lynx 80-71 going into the final half-minute where 3-pointers from Sami Whitcomb and Lauren Scherf shaved the final score back to an 80-77 Boomers' road win.

Darcee Garbin and Scherf led the "home" team - Perth now temporarily calling Ballarat home - with 18 points each but Melbourne's ability to keep Marina Mabrey and Sami Whitcomb to 10 points apiece at a combined 7-of-24 shooting was a big factor.

Cayla George enjoyed a 19-point, 11-rebound double which included 5-of-10 triples, Tiffany Mitchell leading all scorers with 22 and Tess Madgen returning with a 13-point contribution.

MELBOURNE BOOMERS 80 (Mitchell 22, George 19, Magbegor 14, Madgen 13; George 11 rebs; Magbegor, Allen 4 assts) d PERTH LYNX 77 (Scherf, Garbin 18, Mabrey, Whitcomb 10; Whitcomb 9 rebs; Young 4 assts) at The Other Home, Ballarat Sports Centre

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MISSING Olympic duo Jenna O'Hea and Sara Blicavs, Southside started as rank underdog against Melbourne - albeit with the Boomers missing Madgen - then almost pulled off the win of the season!

The Flyers led for long stretches of the game before it started to see-saw, Aimie Rocci producing her best game of the season, including one of the end-to-end plays of the year.

First she block/stole/ripped the ball from Boomers import Lindsay Allen, took it coast to coast, weaved through traffic, then used a screen to get to the hoop with a high bucket avoiding outstretched defensive arms.

Sadly the play was completely missed by the TV commentary team, with Lori Chizik lost in some drama about a team looking flat or something.

Not her best moment but certainly Rocci's. Ultimately Melbourne's talent depth took its toll, but only just in a three-point win, import Tiffany Mitchell a key while Olympians Ezi Magbegor and Cayla George shone when it mattered.

MELBOURNE BOOMERS 75 (Mitchell 17, Magbegor 16, George, Allen 13; George 11 rebs; Mitchell 8 assts) d SOUTHSIDE FLYERS 72 (Cole, Bishop 17, A. Rocci 14; Bishop 10 rebs; Bishop 5 assts) at National Sports Centre.

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SHOOTING at 32.9 per cent from the floor never was going to help the Caps at home against Perth, particularly with the Lynx firing at better than 47.

Perth also dominated the boards 55-37 to take some of the gloss off Kelly Wilson's magnificent achievement in reaching 400 WNBL games. Well, nothing off the achievement itself, just plenty off the game in which it occurred.

Marina Mabrey led the scoring with 27 points and Lauren Scherf servied up another double with 11 points, 12 boards.

In a first for Sami Whitcomb, she did not score a single basket, her five points total coming off 5-of-5 from the free throw line.

PERTH LYNX 88 (Mabrey 27, Garbin 15, Young 14, Scherf, Sharp 11; Scherf 12 rebs; Mabrey 4 assts) d UNI of CANBERRA CAPITALS 69 (Griffin 15, Sykes 12, Melbourne 8; Sykes 8 rebs; Sykes 5 assts) at National Convention Centre.