Basketball New Zealand

Tall Fern Angela Marino (Getty Images)

Tall Fern point guard Angela Marino was on fire for Adelaide Lightning as they maintained their unbeaten start to the Australian WNBL.

The 2007/08 champions needed all Marino’s 32 points to turn back Perth Lynx 93-87 on the road to extend their winning streak to three games so far this season.

Once again, the key to her production was a 15/19 return from the free throw line, but it helped that she was also on song from the field (7/11 FG, 3/5 3pt), along with six rebounds, five assists and a steal in 36 minutes.

Team-mate Lisa Wallbutton also had her best game of the season with eight points (4/6 FG), 10 rebounds and a steal in 22 minutes.

Kiwi guard Lisa Pardon and her Bulleen Boomers continued to pace the league in the early stages, recording wins over Sydney University Flames and Australian Institute of Sport to improve to 4-0.

Pardon had only two points and a rebound in eight minutes of the 80-71 result over Sydney, but enjoyed extra court time in the runaway 101-55 victory over AIS, accumulating 12 points (5/9 FG, 2/4 3pt), two assists, a rebound and a steal in 17 minutes.

The only other unbeaten team – former Tall Fern captain Aneka Davis and her Townsivlle Fire (2-0) – had a bye this week.

Fern forward Natalie Purcell was hot from the arc (7/10 3pt) as Logan Power split their road doubleheader against Bendigo Spirit and Dandenong Rangers.

Purcell had nine points (3/5 3pt), three assists and a rebound in 24 minutes of a 71-72 loss to Bendigo, but recorded 20 points (5/9 FG, 4/5 3pt, 6/6 FT), four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 37 minutes of a 75-61 against the Rangers.

Fellow Kiwi Suzie Bates had five points and three rebounds before fouling out against Bendigo, then six points and seven rebounds v Rangers as Logan moved to 2-2 for the season.

For winless Dandenong (0-3), Tall Fern forward Toni Edmondson compiled seven points (3/7 FG, 1/2 3pt) two rebounds in 14 minutes.

In the Australian men’s national league, Tall Blacks Pero Cameron and Mika Vukona combined for just three points and five rebounds as Gold Coast Blaze fell to 2-4 with a 91-101 loss to Townsville Crocs.

In Europe, Tall Black coach Nenad Vucinic and his Estonian champions Kalev/Cramo continue to struggle under a pile of injuries, falling 61-100 to Ukrainian side Azovmash in their opening game of the new KTB League.

Former Tall Black Brendon Polyblank enjoyed success in the Swiss LNA as his unbeaten Fribourg club recorded their third win of the season, 98-67 over Lausanne.

Tall Fern Jillian Harmon continued her transition from the US college ranks into professional basketball, helping Italian club Pool Comense to an 84-72 victory over Napoli in the A1 league. Harmon, in her first season out of Stanford University, had 11 points (5/12 FG, 1/4 FT), seven rebounds and two steals in 27 minutes as Comense improved to 1-1 .

And, in South Korea, Kiwi forward Craig Bradshaw also got his KBL season off to a winning start with 17 points (6/12 FG, 1/2 3pt, 2/2 FT), seven rebounds, an assist and a block in 24 minutes of LG Sakers’ 81-79 victory over Mobis Pheobus.