Lauren Nicholson has produced a vintage performance to help the Sydney Flames survive an almighty scare and beat a young Southside Melbourne Flyers 77-73.
The Flyers entered the first game of their WNBL campaign fresh off losing a galaxy of stars in the off-season as they prepared for a new era under the guidance of former Brisbane Bullets and South East Melbourne Phoenix coach Sam Mackinnon.
That upheaval meant the Flyers were considered outsiders against a star-studded Sydney team at Victoria's State Basketball Centre on Friday evening, but Southside Melbourne showed serious spirit along with razzle-dazzle ball movement to lead by 13 points early in the third quarter.
But Nicholson sparked the Flames into life as she scored 23 points along with three steals and two assists to help her team snatch the victory.
The guard's performance follows her dazzling 2025-2026 campaign - which was curtailed by a quad injury - while the 33-year-old also had to play with a largely transformed roster after Sydney went on a recruitment blitz.
One of those new signings, Opal Ally Wilson (knee), was unable to play, but another recruit, Jaz Shelley, was busy with 14 points and nine assists while guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu had 13 rebounds.
"We knew that we had to be better in the second half, and it started with the defence from all of us," Nicholson said.
"We were able to get out and run a little bit more ... and just execute it down the stretch."
For the Flyers, Tess Heal - the niece of Australian basketball legend Shane Heal - announced herself to the league by scoring 24 points on her WNBL debut.
Forward Lucy Cochrane (eight points, 11 boards) and China international Wang Siyu (11 points, two steals) were also inspirational, but conceding 18 turnovers, along with a last-second call that went against them, cruelled the Flyers' chances of victory.
"Our girls stayed composed all game ... We could have crumbled in the third, but the girls just ground it out," Mackinnon said
"We set out with a certain group and a style of play. It's been a little bit interrupted with Rainy (Wang) getting in here late."
Sydney guard Yang Shuyu sunk a flurry of baskets early, but the Flyers found their groove to close the Flames' lead to 26-25 at the end of the first quarter.
Southside Melbourne went on a blistering 12-0 run in the second period to stun their opponents and take a nine-point lead into the main break.
The Flames produced a 12-0 spurt of their own to thrust themselves back into the contest as the Flyers' advantage shrank to four points at three-quarter time.
Nicholson then hit top gear as Sydney levelled the scores before Opal Issie Bourne edged them ahead with little more than a minute remaining, and the visitors held on to secure the win.