An injury to the Canberra Capitals' American import Jazmon Gwathmey was the only blight in the side's 64-55 win over the Melbourne Boomers Friday night.
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The Capitals keep winning games but they also keep losing players, and Gwathmey's heavy fall at the end of the second quarter provided another fright at the Halloween-themed game at Tuggeranong Stadium.
Point guard Lauren Mansfield was at her crafty best, feeding passes behind backs of defenders, her own back, and through traffic to create seven assists.
Capitals coach Paul Goriss spoke mid-week about the importance of their defensive structure against a mature team like Melbourne, and their pressure at this end of the court was telling in the first half, forcing travels, general mistakes and rushed shots.
Recruit Kate Gaze has struggled with injuries and shooting form since arriving in Canberra but she was pivotal early, providing relief at point guard and converting her shots.
Mikaela Ruef once again was dominant, collecting 10 rebounds in the first half, but it was her dramatic rejection under the defensive ring the crowd enjoyed most.
Ruef had more rebounds for the game — 22 — than any other player had points.
The score differential was tight in the opening term but the Capitals' bench provided more impact in the second, and they went in to the half-time break leading 32-21.
Boomers' Chante Black only scored four points but her height and presence even challenged the Capitals' league points leader Marianna Tolo at stages.
Alice Kunek's shooting was influential also for Melbourne as the score was tied 40-40 at the last break.
But Carly Wilson, Gaze and Mansfield shot away and the Capitals closed out the game, but it was Ruef's rebounds that impressed Goriss most.
"She plays her bum off every possession and she wants to do all the team things like rebounding and it is the energy and the effort that she brings," he said.
"They (Melbourne) were leading the league with defensive rebounds so we knew we had to do a job on the glass."
Gwathmey didn't return after her fall but Goriss was hopeful she would be ready to play next weekend.
WNBL ROUND 4
CANBERRA CAPITALS 64 (L Mansfield 13, M Ruef 12, M Tolo 12 points; M Ruef 22 rebounds; L Mansfield 7 assists) bt MELBOURNE BOOMERS 55 (O Thompson 9 points; 9 rebounds).
