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PERTH today reinforced the widely-held preseason belief that anyone could beat anyone on any given day/night this season in the WNBL when it smashed the league-leading Boomers' undefeated winning streak by 17 in Melbourne, controversy and an overtime thriller also big in a pulsating round.

Hampered by their worst shooting night of the season, the Boomers could not contain the Lynx's multi-pronged offensive assault, star import Aari McDonald leading the way.

Bendigo had Adelaide on the ropes, let them off, almost lost, then almost won before requiring overtime to ultimately get the W in what turned into a tough round for the Lightning.

They also lost in Townsville, with a dubious decision reasonably important in the wash up.

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A CRUCIAL three-point play to Townsville's Steph Reid was instrumental in the home team holding off rejuvenated Adelaide in a much tighter affair than last week's blow-out.

Leading 63-61, the Fire were gifted the charity play when Reid was fouled on a move to the hoop. A dribble and steps later, she laid it in and, stunningly, was given the basket and bonus foul shot instead of lining up for what should have been two free throws.

In the context of a particularly poorly umpired match, the decision itself was no great surprise but extremely harsh on Adelaide.

Reid completed the play and at 61-66 down it now was too big an ask of the Lightning.

With Zitina Aokuso dominating the paint (23 points at 67 per cent) and Mikaela Ruef (19 rebounds) battling Brianna Turner (17 rebounds) for boards control, the tightness of the game kept it engaging.

Adelaide burst out to a 7-0 start, then led 14-4 before the Fire started reeling the deficit in. From mid second-quarter onward, there was never much in it, Lightning ahead 51-50 with a quarter left.

When Townsville started the period with a 9-0 run, it looked over, but Turner scoring a rare 3-pointer was part of an Adelaide rally which almost sparked an unexpected W on the road.

TOWNSVILLE FIRE 67 (Aokuso 23, Ruef, Whitcomb 13; Ruef 19 rebs; Kunek 5 assts) d ADELAIDE LIGHTNING 61 (Borlase 18, Mansfield 15, Willoughby 11; Turner 17 rebs; Turner 4 assts) at Townsville Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 2,141

BUOYED by the absence of Lauren Jackson from Southside's lineup, Canberra had the door ajar to its first win and a major upset at State Basketball Centre.

Instead, the Flyers flew out with a 24-10 opening period, Canberra managing just four points in the 8:46 left of the first after it led 6-4.

Mercedes Russell owned the court with 21 points at 63 per cent, with 11 rebounds, four assists and a block but Canberra, showing its usual pluck, had the deficit back to three in the third period, Nicole Munger (15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists) and Alex Sharp (11 points, 10 rebounds) big factors.

When Southside again flexed its muscle though, the lead blew back out as far as 21 at 81-60 as the Caps went back to the drawing-board.

SOUTHSIDE FLYERS 81 (Russell 21, Cole 17, Dickey 10; Russell 11 rebs; Mitchell, Cole 6 assts) d UNI of CANBERRA CAPITALS 64 (Munger 15, Fowler 13, Okoye 12, Sharp 11; Sharp 10 rebs; Melbourne 7 assts) at State Basketball Centre. Crowd: 1,754

FORMER Lightning star Ally Wilson had the chance to sink her old club in regulation, failed, then instead gave Bendigo its go-ahead basket in overtime that set up a 70-65 Spirit win in Adelaide.

Trailing 64-65, Wilson hit a 3-point basket for a 67-65 lead and Adelaide would not score again as Bendigo completed back-to-back wins.

Earlier, Wilson was on the free throw line at the game's death, made her first to tie the match at 60-60, but flubbed the second, sending the game into its five-minute extension.

Lightning started well with Izzy Bourne on fire for seven first-quarter points, then six out of the paltry eight Adelaide added in the second period.

Fortunately for the home team, Bendigo only added nine to lead 28-23 at halftime before Kelsey Griffin hit back-to-back buckets and Abbey Wehrung sank a three for a 35-23 buffer.

That lead blew out to 16 (46-30) midway through the third and on to 48-32 after a Lightning bench tech, and Adelaide looked cooked.

But threes by Tonks and Izzy Borlase kept the challenge alive and Adelaide continued to graft its way back in the last, tying the game at 58-58 on free throws from Jocelyn Willoughby with barely a minute to play.

Mehryn Kraker made one free throw to push the Spirit up again. Borlase then had a shot for the win blocked by Griffin. But she chased up her rebound and popped it in, Adelaide ahead 60-59.

Bendigo had time to fashion one last play which managed to get Wilson to the line. But her miss ensured overtime where finally Adelaide succumbed and Bendigo secured the prized W.

BENDIGO SPIRIT 70 (Kraker, A.Wilson 16, Wehrung 10; Griffin 11 rebs; A.Wilson 4 assts) d ADELAIDE LIGHTNING 65 (Bourne, Borlase 17, Mansfield 13; Turner 15 rebs; Mansfield, Borlase 5 assts) in overtime {60-60} at Adelaide 36ers Arena. Crowd: 742.

PERTH turned in its best 40-minute effort of the season to close the Boomers winning streak at five, import Aari McDonald at the forefront of the road success but Anneli Maley and Miela Goodchild - in the first half - setting up the season-defining win.

After a 19-19 first period which gave no hint of what was to come, the Lynx bolted with a 23-9 second quarter in which players such as Mackenzie Clinch-Hoycard with a pair of 3-pointers and Goodchild (13 points at the break) against her former club were outstanding.

Melbourne shot at a miserable 22 per cent, key players such as inside trio Naz Hillmon (2-of-7), Keely Froling (5-of-13) and Penina Davidson (1-of-8) missing what should have been certain buckets, Jordan Canada (8-of-22) and Sara Blicavs (5-of-17) not much better from range.

An ugly 28-42 behind at halftime, Melbourne looked its true self in the third as Canada (21 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals and a block) led a revival that also featured Froling, Tera Reed finally also sticking a three, followed by Blicavs.

Canada tied it twice at 51-51 and 53-53 but an Amy Atwell three meant Perth headed into the last under siege but still in control.

Manhandled, Reed scored to make it 55-56, Davidson copping a technical foul calling for what she felt should have been a foul and bonus free throw.

It was significant, first Maley's 3-point bomb blowing the Lynx lead to 63-57. Her next three made it 68-59. Her third took the lead to 71-59 and this was over.

Maley finished with 17 points and 17 boards in support of McDonald's constant threat, the NBA star's stats reading 21 points, nine assists and five rebounds, Emily Potter also important with 16 points and eight boards.     

PERTH LYNX 80 (McDonald 21, Maley 17, Potter 16, Goodchild 15; Maley 17 rebs; McDonald 9 assts) d MELBOURNE BOOMERS 63 (Canada 21, Blicavs 12, Froling 11; Hillmon 15 rebs; Canada 5 assts) at Melbourne Sports Centre. Crowd: 2,060