A second-half explosion has helped Geelong Venom pull off one of the biggest upsets of the WNBL season, trouncing Perth Lynx 88-69.
The seventh-placed Venom trailed by 12 points in the second term and were outscored in each of the first two quarters, before dismantling the second-ranked Lynx 26-14 and 24-11 in the final two periods on Tuesday night.
Import Mackenzie Holmes posted 22 points and 12 rebounds, while pocket rocket Lilly Rotunno played the game of her life, racking up career-highs of 21 points and 10 assists at Geelong Arena.
Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard made a superb return from concussion, adding 15 off the bench - including four of five three-pointers - and Jaz Shelley had 14 points and a whopping six steals.
"I was really concerned at half-time," Venom coach Chris Lucas said.
"The second half, defensively, to hold that team to 25 points was a super effort.
"I'm just really pleased for the team."
Perth captain Amy Atwell scored 19 of her 22 points in the opening half, while no other player posted more than 10 for the Lynx, who became fatigued following a two-day break after hosting the Southside Flyers on Sunday.
Atwell shook off her recent shooting ills by nailing her first two threes en route to a 10-point haul in the first quarter, a fast-paced affair which finished with Perth in front 25-23 on Yemiyah Morris's last-second tip-in.
The Lynx employed a zone defence and scored the first 10 points of the second term to pull clear 35-23.
Geelong finally snapped their drought through skipper Alex Sharp, but it was still Perth 44-38 at halftime.
Rotunno inspired the Venom after the break with her playmaking and shooting.
Clinch Hoyard's triple gave Geelong the lead midway through the third, at the end of which they led 64-58.
The Lynx shot 3-of-14 for the term and were out-rebounded 15-8.
It grew even worse for Perth in the fourth, which the Venom started with a 13-2 spree and finished with an 11-2 flourish.
"We knew we'd run into trouble in the second half with our legs," Lynx coach Ryan Petrik said.
"Being up six at halftime probably wasn't quite enough.
"Clearly in the end it was nowhere near enough - we just got spanked in the second half."
