Steph Reid and Brooke Basham did all they could combining for 43 points and eight three-pointers but the Adelaide Lightning ended up outmuscling the Tasmania Jewels with 13 more rebounds and 16 more trips to the foul line in the 100-68 win.
The Jewels were back on the road for the second time this season taking on the Lightning at the SA State Basketball and attempting to win outside of Tasmania for the first time in the WNBL.
Tasmania were still without both Keely Froling and Madina Okot, even though the latter was on the bench with the team having just arrived in the country after playing in the WNBA Finals at the Atlanta Dream, and their presence was felt.
The Lightning ended up being able to build on their lead throughout the game with a nine-point edge by quarter-time which was still eight at half-time, 16 then at three quarter-time and 32 by the final buzzer.
Adelaide finished with 44 rebounds to 31 for the game, along with going 20/24 to 4/8 at the foul line, which were the two biggest factors in the contest.
Steph Reid and Brooke Basham both produced strong offensive performances for the Jewels. The only problem was the rest of the team managed to only score 25 points on 11/47 shooting from the field, and 2/18 from three-point range.
But Reid was outstanding again as point guard finishing with 25 points, four assists and three steals with 4/6 three-point shooting, but credit to Adelaide for limiting her to five points after half-time with only five more shot attempts.
Basham also had a strong homecoming to Adelaide to end up with 18 points, three rebounds and two steals while going 4/5 from the outside.
Ella Tofaeono battled hard again for Tasmania, finishing with nine points and three rebounds on 4/5 shooting, while captain Darcee Garbin had a rough shooting night but still had seven points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Mia Jacobs also ended up with four points and 10 rebounds, Katie Deeble three points and three assists, Gianna Kneepkens two points and three assists, and Mikaela Ruef two rebounds, an assist, a steal and a rebound in her 150th WNBL appearance.
The Jewels arrived in Adelaide attempting to win a first game in the WNBL on the mainland but despite the best efforts of Steph Reid in the first quarter, the Lightning opened up a 27-18 lead by the end of one.
Reid already had 10 points and two steals with 4/5 shooting for the Jewels with Mia Jacobs collecting the team's only two rebounds for the quarter with Adelaide pulling down 11 of them and getting to the foul line 11 times, but Tasmania also forced them into seven turnovers.
The Adelaide lead got out to 12 as well early in the second quarter but the Jewels stayed in touch with 24 points in the term on 8/21 shooting from the field but going 6/12 from the outside.
That saw the Lightning leading still 50-42 by half-time, but the Jewels did well to stay in touch with 20 points, three assists and two steals already from Reid with Brooke Basham enjoying her homecoming with 10 points on 2/3 three-point shooting.
Things got away from the Jewels in the third quarter with the Lightning outscoring them 22-14 with Maddy Westbeld scoring another 10 points to be up to 22 by three quarter-time with the home team leading 72-56.
Reid and Basham again combined for nine of the 14 points for Tasmania in the quarter, but as a team they only shot 5/18 from the field.
It was more of the same in the fourth term with another 28 points to 12 in favour of the Lightning with the Jewels only managing to shoot 6/18 from the floor with Adelaide going on to score the 32-point home win.
The Jewels are back to the Silverdome in Launceston now on Thursday to take on the Southside Melbourne Flyers attempting to stay undefeated so far in Tasmania in the WNBL.
WNBL SEASON 2026/27 | ROUND 4
TASMANIA JEWELS 68 lost to Adelaide Lightning 100
SA State Basketball Centre, Saturday November 7
Steph Reid | 25 points, 4 assists, 3 steals, 4/6 3PT
Brooke Basham | 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 4/5 3PT
Ella Tofaeono | 9 points, 3 rebounds
Darcee Garbin | 7 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
Mia Jacobs | 4 points, 8 rebounds
Katie Deeble | 3 points, 1 assist
Gianna Kneepkens | 2 points, 3 assists
Mikaela Ruef | 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
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