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THE YEAR of WNBL comes to a close in SA with Adelaide Lightning back wearing the state's tri-colours and suddenly, after holding Melbourne to three last quarter points, in first place on the championship ladder. It may be short-lived but it hasn't happened in a while.

It was an extraordinary final period tonight by the Lightning, who trailed 47-50 with a quarter to play at Lightsview.

But not only did Adelaide outscore the Boomers 18-3 to not just win but win comfortably. Melbourne's solitary scorer for the quarter was former Lightning star Cayla George. Melbourne committed five turnovers and an unsportsmanlike foul to boot in the final 10 minutes.

And it shot at a pitiful 1-of-12 for the quarter, was a meagre 30 per cent for the game and 2-of-27 from long range.

George's basket with 3:01 left was its only score from the floor in that fateful final quarter.

Penina Davidson's bucket with 1:54 left in the third for that 50-47 lead was their previous field goal.

The final quarter opened with Sam Simons knocking down a 3-pointer to tie the game immediately, George making only her second free throw at 7:23 to restore Melbourne's lead at 51-50.

But that was that. Kiana Williams' three in transition gave Adelaide the lead for keeps, igniting a 10-0 run for a 60-51 lead before George finally - and, sadly for Melbourne - DEFINITIVELY broke the ice with her basket.

Adelaide won the boards for the first time this season 49-46 and Tokyo Olympic recruit Alanna Smith showed her capabilities when not hamstrung by over-zealous officiating, pairing 10 rebounds (five of them on the offensive glass) with a game-high 21 points.

Steph Talbot again was everywhere with eight points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals but Adelaide received important plays from most of its roster at key times.

Off to a strong start with a 20-8 opening quarter, Adelaide pushed that out further to a 16-point buffer at 24-8 before Melbourne started to rein the Lightning back in.

By halftime Lightning's lead was pruned to 34-29 and a 21-13 third quarter from the Boomers, largely led by Ezi Magbegor, set the visitors up for a remarkable road win.

Instead, Adelaide produced an even more remarkable final quarter that will go down in the record books and sits it in first place on the WNBL ladder. 

ADELAIDE LIGHTNING 65 (Smith 21, Williams 11, Simons 10; Talbot 12 rebs; Talbot 4 assts) d MELBOURNE BOOMERS 53 (Magbegor 15, Allen 14, Mitchell 12; George 10 rebs; George 7 assts) at The Lighthouse, Lightsview Community Centre.