Southside were true to their name with a flying start and took an eight-point lead at quarter-time, while the Canberra Capitals were left to rue offensive mistakes, missed shots and the failure to convert any turnovers.

It took the WNBL's most valuable player Kia Nurse until the final minute to mark the scoreboard and Kelsey Griffin led the Capitals' scoring with just five points.

Their shooting percentage of 42.9 percent clearly showed in the growing margin, as Southside took advantage of six turnovers and denied the Capitals four straight opportunities.

The Capitals came alive in the final minute and their offensive pressure led to Olivia Epoupa drawing a foul. But her two missed free-throws summarised the story of the opening quarter.

It was a tale of two steps forward and one step back as the Capitals tried to chip away at the margin. With every point scored the Flyers came back with a stronger response and extended their lead to 10.

Flyers' Rebecca Cole barely missed to add another 12 points to the scoreboard, sinking two three-pointers and three two-pointers.

The Capitals showed glimpses of brilliance as Marianna Tolo blocked shots and drew offensive fouls. But her efforts came to no avail as Canberra's shooting percentage plummeted to a dismal 36.1 percent.

Five straight turnovers ignited a third-quarter comeback as the Capitals stunned Southside with a 15-point run to reignite their hopes of clamping down the championship in game two.

The team that went into the main break came back unrecognisable as Nurse hit a two-point lay-up with her first touch of the ball.

Paul Goriss' big three stood tall across the court, but it was French import Olivia Epoupa who sparkled in attack and scored nine points in their match-defining run.

The 25-year-old guard drew two straight fouls and converted all four free-throws to help Canberra take a two-point lead.

A former fan favourite's fumble and Aimie Clydesdale foul secured the Capitals championship title as the homeside ground out a three-point win in the dying minutes.

The final quarter see-sawed as each side had bursts of brilliance and fought tooth-and-nail for each possession.

Southside retook the lead with under three minutes remaining as Sara Blicavs sank a two-pointer, but Tolo denied the visitors a chance to gain momentum and hit back with a jump shot.

Canberra clung to the lead by the skin of their teeth but a shot-clock violation by the Flyers fueled the Capitals' final surge.

Former Capital Leilani Mitchell crumbled under pressure and fumbled the ball over the sideline. Jenna O'Hea was fouled out of the match but not before Clydesdale caused a personal foul with 15 seconds left to decide the match.

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