With the clock under 8 minutes in the fourth quarter of a game that featured two teams desperate for a win, Nyadiew Puoch took a dribble handoff from Zitina Aokuso on the left wing, just outside the three-point line.
As she went and turned the corner for drive toward the middle, Erin Bollman, the Adelaide import who was recently added to the team and has built a reputation of being one of the premier defenders at the NBL1 level went under the Aokuso screen, and went step for step with Nards on the way to the basket.
At the last moment, Nards, as the Canberra faithful have so often seen over the past season and a half, went into her bag for her trademark right to left euro step. For a split second, she had an open look. But Bollman, true to her rep, recovered and blocked Nards layup attempt.
Determined, Nards wouldn’t back down, quickly grabbing the rebound and powering up for a layup to put the Caps up 6, 67-61 forcing a Lightning timeout.
Over a minute later, the Caps forced a steal and in semi transition, Jade found Nards in stride, once again on the left wing. A terror in the open court, Nards took one dribble and with two huge steps, she was at the rim for another layup.
After another stop, the Caps went to their horns set once again, and but this time it was Sara Blicavs who got the ball at the left elbow extended, and turned towards Nards who was once again curling towards the left wing. But this time instead of curling, Nards popped and confidently launched a three ball.
Bucket. 72-61 Caps. Timeout Adelaide.
In a two-minute span, Nards was dominant offensively – flashing the kind of talent and game-breaking impact she has. Her personal 7-0 run (she would finish with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block) was part of a 12-1 Caps run that gave the team the needed cushion to keep the pesky Lightning at bay.
“I just stay ready. Goz, the team have a lot of confidence in me and I just need be ready, get the ball, shoot it, if not drive, play off two feet and do all the simple things,” said Nards post-game.
Nards’ contribution wasn’t limited to the offensive end, though. With 3 minutes left, Adelaide had cut down the lead to 3 and guard Dallas Loughridge had found an open lane. From the other side of the key way, Nards quickly came across the lane and sent Loughridge’s attempt back, preserving the precarious 3-point lead.
Back the other way, the Caps would find Nicole Munger for a layup to restore a 5-point lead, and after another stop, Jade Melbourne found her way inside the lane to flip over an off-balance shotclock beating layup that all but ended the Lightning’s charge.
But once again, the final push started with Nards standing tall, refusing to lose. No way was Dallas Loughridge’s layup going to make it to the rim. No way was her team going to lose tonight.
“Super proud and happy for the team especially with the quick turnaround (after Geelong on Sunday), our effort and being able to fight through some of that (the short turnaround),” said Coach Paul Goriss.
“Everything’s a must-win for us now especially with that pack of teams that’s so close together in the ladder, and we knew that we have a stretch of games her at home and we want to take care of business in front of our fans and protect our homecourt.”
Nards also stressed the importance of these two close wins, not only for the Caps finals hopes, but also for the team’s confidence, getting rewarded for all the hard work they’ve been putting in at practice.
And with another home game looming one Friday – a historic one at that with co-captains Sara Blicavs (300 WNBL games) and Jade Melbourne (100 WNBL games) celebrating important milestones, Nards is raring to keep it rolling.
“Winning games is amazing. It’s good to see performances like that and it makes us feel really confident. We know how we can play. We know that we can still get better, but we’re always together whether we’re up or down and we’ll just keep moving forward.”
Watch the UC Capitals celebrate “400 Night” at 7pm on Friday night at the AIS Arena against the Southside Melbourne Flyers. Tickets here.
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