From Frustration to Fire: How One Night, One Return, and One Ruthless Second Half Reignited a Season
For months, it felt like everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
Injuries. Interrupted rotations. Confidence shaken. Momentum lost before it ever had a chance to build. The season had been a grind — emotionally, physically, mentally — and everyone inside the locker room knew it.
But on this night, against the Sydney Flames, something finally clicked.
And once it did, there was no turning back.
Head coach Chris Lucas didn’t sugarcoat the journey. This season had tested his team from day one. Yet as the final buzzer sounded, what stood out wasn’t relief — it was belief.
“Happy for the team,” Lucas said. “It’s been a grind this year. But we had a really good training week, and that transferred straight into the game.”
That preparation showed — especially after halftime.
Lucas wasn’t thrilled with what his team gave up early. But the second half? That was a different story altogether. Sydney was held to just 29 points after the break — a defensive clampdown that quietly told the real story of the night.
This wasn’t luck. This was control.
The Return Everyone Had Been Waiting For
And then there was Alissa Pili.
For most of the season, her presence had been more hope than reality. Before this game, she had logged just 23 total minutes all year. Injuries and setbacks kept her sidelined, watching instead of contributing.
Until now.
“It felt really good,” Pili said. “Most of all, it just felt good for our team — to win, to have fun, to play together.”
Her return didn’t just add points. It added options.
Lucas made it clear: Pili gave the team something they’d been missing — another genuine scoring avenue. And that ripple effect was immediate.
“When you have another scoring threat, it builds confidence with everyone else on the floor,” he explained. “I always thought it was going to be a great combination… it just hasn’t worked out that way until now.”
But for one night, reality finally matched the vision.
Exploiting Mismatches, Reclaiming Identity
The turning point came in the second quarter.
Pili admitted she started a little passive — understandable after such a long absence. But once the coaching staff and guards identified the mismatches, everything changed.
“When we saw guards switching onto our bigs, we knew we had to exploit that,” Pili said. “The guards did a great job getting us the ball.”
From there, it became simple — and devastating.
She attacked mismatches, went to the basket, and played with the confidence that had been missing for months.
“For the first time in a while,” Pili admitted, “I felt like I was actually playing my game.”
That moment mattered — not just for her, but for everyone watching.
Mackenzie Hollands Sets the Tone
While Pili’s return was the emotional headline, Mackenzie Hollands provided the spark.
“She comes out aggressive every time,” Pili said. “We need that from her.”
And the numbers backed it up.
Hollands delivered early, putting up 10 points in the first quarter, setting a tone that the rest of the team followed. Even when Pili wasn’t scoring, Hollands ensured the team didn’t stall.
Lucas called her the team’s most consistent performer.
“Week in, week out, we know exactly what we’re getting from her,” he said.
That certainty is priceless — especially in a season defined by uncertainty.
33 Assists, One Connected Team
Perhaps the most telling stat of the night wasn’t points or rebounds.
It was 33 assists.
For a team that had struggled with ball movement and offensive flow all season, that number was impossible to ignore.
“We’ve been averaging pretty low,” Lucas admitted. “So to see 33 assists? I’m pretty pleased with that.”
It was the clearest sign yet that this wasn’t just a good night — it was a connected one.
Players trusted each other. They shared the ball. They played smart basketball.
And when they did, the game opened up.
Winning Late, When It Matters Most
With only three rounds left in the season, this win carried extra weight.
Pili didn’t hesitate to say it.
“We’ve had a lot of adversity,” she said. “We don’t use it as an excuse — we use it as a test of our character.”
This win was proof they passed that test.
Lucas echoed the sentiment, pointing to the third quarter as the moment the game truly slipped away from Sydney.
Defensive containment tightened. Offensive rebounds disappeared. The Flames were suffocated.
“That’s what won us the game,” Lucas said plainly.
A Glimpse of What This Team Could Be
Lucas has been waiting all season to see this lineup work.
Pili. Hollands. Role players stepping up. Confidence spreading.
“I knew this combination could be really good for us,” he said. “Tonight was just a taste.”
Now, with only a handful of games left, the message is simple: enjoy it, fight, and finish strong.
After months of frustration, the team finally left the court with something they’d been missing all year — a good feeling.
