Sami Whitcomb – The Evening Game

WNBL: 18 Things to Look Forward to in WNBL18

October 2, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Abby Bishop, Basketball, Belinda Snell, Carley Mijovic, Courtney Williams, Ezi Magbegor, Katie-Rae Ebzery, Kelsey Griffin, Liz Cambage, Rachel Banham, Sami Whitcomb, Sara Blicavs, Suzy Batkovic, Tayla Roberts, Tessa Lavey, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sport, Zitina Aokuso

Sydney become the hunted

The University of Sydney Flames steamrolled to the title last season and bring back most of their winning team, but basketball genius Leilani Mitchell, the league’s best clutch player in WNBL17, is a big loss. Much depends on returning Opal Ebzery, who may slide over to the one guard at times.

Dandenong’s duck boat friends

NBA fans have long been intrigued by the idea of the ‘banana boat’ team, a superteam comprising superpals Lebron James, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade, so named because of a memorably ridiculous Instagram picture of the high-profile trio riding an inflatable banana with Wade’s wife, Gabrielle Union. A photo of Carley Mijovic and Sara and Steph Blicavs riding an inflatable duck with Opals teammates didn’t go quite as viral, but the friends did also form their own superteam of sorts, bringing in AIS buddies Tessa Lavey and Tayla Roberts to form a new-look core at Dandenong.

“I got a couple of messages from Sara and Carley saying ‘get here, let’s go, we’re going to get this championship” Lavey told the Herald-Sun. One of the most intriguing storylines is how this quack squad will fare.

Think of Alex Bunton and Alanna Smith as the Gabrielle Union of this photo.

The grudge match

Circle this date: Saturday October 14, 7:00pm. University of Sydney Flames v Dandenong Rangers. The grand final rivalry continues.

The return of Liz Cambage

One of the most physically dominant bigs in the league’s history, Liz Cambage at her best is good enough to shift the entire balance of power across the whole league. Her return after a five-year absence from the WNBL is one of the year’s biggest stories and enough to tip a now stacked Melbourne into a narrow lead as title favourites.

Adelaide star Laura Hodges said Cambage presents all kind of matchup problems for other teams. “Lizzie is a player like no other, she has great shooting touch, she’s a great scorer, extremely strong and athletic. You can’t stop her, you just have to work around her.”

The unscripted moments

Like this fine spill:

The youth brigade

Most players don’t get much WNBL court time in their first year, but Ezi Magbegor isn’t most players. The shot-blocking dynamo is a rare talent and already looked comfortable at this level during pre-season; also look out for her former AIS teammate, Zitina Aokuso, a hyper-athletic centre, who has joined the Fire. Melbourne pocket rocket Monique Conti is already one of the most fun players in the league to watch, while Kara Tessari (Spirit), Cassidy McLean (Flames) and Sarah Elsworthy (Lightning) all project as future stars.

Suzy Batkovic’s quest for six MVPs

Batkovic has quietly been one of the most dominant players not just in basketball, but in any Australian sport over the last decade. Yet there will be no shortage of players who could compete with her for this year’s award: Sami Whitcomb went painfully close last year, while previous winners Abby Bishop and Liz Cambage will again be candidates. Sara Blicavs and Asia Taylor should again be in the race, while newcomers Banham and Williams could storm into contention.

A fierce competitor, Batkovic would give up another MVP medal for a shot at a championship in a heartbeat, but we say a record sixth individual award would be pretty cool.

Kelsey Griffin: Anything is Possible

The FIBA Asia Cup was Kelsey Griffin’s first International basketball after having naturalised as an Australian citizen. More than this, however, it soon turned into a full-blown coming-out party for this gritty, hyper-competitive, supremely well-rounded player. It introduced the basketball world to a fact WNBL fans are already well aware of: Kelsey Griffin is very, very good at basketball. The team’s disappointment at missing the finals last season provides rich motivation, while the arrival of Rachel Banham adds much needed outside shooting to their hard-working core. As another basketballing KG once famously yelled: Anything is possible!

New stars: Williams, Banham, Wiese

Not all WNBA players who have come into the league have been dominant, but it would be a huge surprise if Courtney Williams, a WNBA rotation player, doesn’t make a major impact for Perth. Rachel Banham and Sydney Wiese were both elite shooters at college level who have the ability to get points in bunches and the gravity to stretch the floor and kick their team’s offence up a notch. Banham has already hit a buzzer-beater circus shot to win a pre-season game for Bendigo. Her scoring rampages for Minnesota attracted attention from one of the biggest names in the sport.

The tactics

Think of basketball as chess for tall people. The real-time tactical battles between coaches will again be fascinating as they punch and counter-punch to try to exploit any advantage their current line-up has.

Sara Blicavs, one of this league’s versions of the multi-dimensional queen chess piece, told this site in an earlier interview that the WNBL is more tactical than the men’s game. “The men are more athletic, but we get the same number of points. We have to be smarter, quicker and read the game better.”

Hold On, We’re Going Home

In WNBL18, everything old is new again: Nat Hurst is back at Canberra, where she has won a ridiculous seven championships. Cayla George has rejoined Townsville, where she starred in two WNBL titles. Abby Bishop is back at her hometown team, Adelaide, just as Katie-Rae Ebzery rejoins her local team in Sydney. Each has reason to believe they can lead their team to glory.

“Laura Hodges on Liz Cambage: “Lizzie is a player like no other…You can’t stop her, you just have to work around her””

An eight-team race

You could make a good argument for any of the eight competing teams to win the WNBL this season, such is the depth and spread of talent. It could be like the last NBL season, where only a couple of points spread the entire field and a team that was placed last at the halfway point ended up as champions.

With a shortened schedule and in such an even competition, chemistry and fit will be even more important. A buzzer-beater here and a tough road loss there could easily separate a finals campaign from an early exit.

The match-ups

Abby Bishop v Suzy Batkovic, Liz Cambage v double teams, Ezi Magbegor v Zitina Aokuso, Rachel Banham v your best perimeter defender.

The Sami show

Every Australian sports fan should see Sami Whitcomb, the league’s most unguardable player, in person. A spectacular shooter with a whole arsenal of stepbacks and almost imperceptibly quick shot release, Whitcomb will be joined by another scorer in Courtney Williams, a move that doesn’t so much create headaches for opponents as brain-splitting migraines.

Slam dunking?

Jen Hamson and Liz Cambage have both dunked during games. Zitina Aokuso is throwing them down in practice. Just saying.

The ageless Belinda Snell

Now entering her 21st season of elite level basketball, Belinda Snell should be slowing down. Should be, but isn’t. At the Asia Cup, she was still easily one of the Opals best players, regularly outpointing opponents a whole generation younger. Her ability to see the court and read opposition plays before they unfold was a huge factor in the Flames’ championship last season. Seasons change, empires rise and fall, but Snell remains a steady evergreen, racking up steals through sheer canniness and throwing perfect entry passes.

The double-headers

Christmas comes a month early for WNBL fans; on November 25 and 26, all eight teams converge on the State Basketball Centre for two days of double headers. Other rounds include joint fixtures with NBL teams. In a crowded summer sporting market, this kind of innovative scheduling can only help the league get the attention it deserves.

It’s back on TV

Let’s dance!

WNBL18: Perth Lynx preview

September 28, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Amanda Dowe, Andy Stewart, Basketball, Courtney Williams, Kayla Standish, Olivia Thompson, Sami Whitcomb, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sport

Last season, the Lynx were second in field-goal attempts and way out in front in terms of 3-pointers attempted. Speed demon Tessa Lavey and three-point shooter Carley Mijovic were key parts of the team’s pace and space identity, though they look to have remade the squad in a similar mould and will again be built for speed, looking for transition threes and turning defensive rebounds into a footrace to the hoop wherever possible.

Sami Whitcomb's steals and fast break points will again be crucial to Perth. — Sami Whitcomb’s steals and fast break points will again be crucial to Perth.

On defence, they will again gamble for steals (where they ranked 1st in WNBL last year) and look for fast break points. Dowe is key to their half-court defence; she doesn’t need to score much, but the level of rim protection she can provide will be crucial and defending as well as Ruth Hamblin did in the second half of last season will go a long way to another finals run. Burton will probably be low usage on offence, but Perth is probably the ideal fit for her ability to run the floor.

New recruits Kayla Standish and Olivia Thompson give the team two different options in the frontcourt; Standish is more of an outside shooter, but both players are good finishers. Thompson is one of the quickest fours around and can crash the boards and run the floor. She should also have her best year yet. Standish, meanwhile, has been a solid contributor for Adelaide and Townsville and has an unusual statistic profile as an efficient scorer who doesn’t shoot that much. She put up 24 points in 31 minutes across two pre-season games.

Alice Kunek is an interesting piece; only a couple of seasons ago she was a top five scorer in the league. In a pre-season loss to Towsnville she took the most shots; it will be interesting to see how they divide up scoring attempts and whether teams try to double or trap Whitcomb and Williams and pick their poison with Kunek and Perth’s interior players.

The main challenge may be integrating two high-usage scorers in Whitcomb and Williams, though most coaches would rather have the problem of sharing the scoring load over wondering where their points are going to come from. Not all WNBA players succeed in the WNBL, but Williams looks like a major coup. With an easy shooting action and the ability to create separation a number of ways or get a shot off in limited space, she looms as a major weapon. Along with Whitcomb, she will probably need to play 35 minutes a game as the injury-enforced absence of Antonia Farnworth for most of the regular season eats into the team’s backcourt depth.

The headline, however, remains Whitcomb. If she can come close to recreating her form from last year, where she compiled one of the most remarkable offensive seasons in WNBL history, Perth should have enough scoring to consistently outgun opponents even if their defence is only middling. Throw in Williams, one of the best-credentialed WNBA players to join the league in recent years, and this team becomes positively scary.

WNBL: Sally Phillips on the return to TV and the league’s bright future

May 17, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Abby Bishop, Basketball, Bendigo Spirit, Erin Phillips, Jenna O'Hea, Liz Cambage, Melbourne Boomers, Monique Conti, Opals, Perth Lynx, Rachel Jarry, Sally Phillips, Sami Whitcomb, Suzy Batkovic, Townsville FIre, University of Canberra Capitals, University of Sydney Flames, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sportLeave a comment

“It seems like since the broadcast news, almost every day there’s been a major announcement” Head of the WNBL Sally Phillips says. “It’s been really exciting”.

Phillips, a 193 game veteran of the league who also worked as Commercial Operations Manager at Dandenong Rangers before her present role, isn’t exaggerating – this has been the most action-packed off-season in recent memory, with a multi-year broadcast partnership with Fox Sports giving the league new momentum. Already, international stars like Cayla George, Abby Bishop, Rachel Jarry and Liz Cambage have signed up for the revitalised competition.

The 2017/18 schedule will be shortened, a feature which Phillips says will help entice overseas-based talent to the league. “I think it’s really going to allow our athletes to play in the WNBA as well and if they want to play Euroleague they can choose to do that as well without missing much of the season at all”.

**Rachel Jarry is amongst the Opals stars who are returning for WNBL18.**

Phillips says she has been “absolutely blown away” by the standard of games since moving into the role last year. But she says communicating the strength of the league to the broader public can always be improved. “Basketball as a whole, we haven’t done a great job of telling our story” she says. “We have an elite competition, but still in Australia not many people know about us”.

Phillips agrees that promoting the game needs to go beyond scores and stats and says the league has recognised that human interest stories about the players resonate with fans. “People want to see the personalities of the girls, what they’re like off court. They want to see who they’re supporting”.

“There are a lot of great stories out there, many of the girls are studying or doing great work in the community”. Digging deeper into these kind of stories is something she says Fox Sports are “working tirelessly” on with the league.

One thing the conpetition is already doing well, however, is fan engagement at games. Phillips has seen the value of this first hand; she still fondly remembers meeting Geelong Cats legends illy Brownless and Mark Yeates as a youngster and collecting their autographs each week.

Jenna O'Hea's return from Europe will be huge for a revamped Melbourne. Photo: Pierre-Yves Beaudouin — Jenna O’Hea’s return from Europe will be huge for a revamped Melbourne. Photo: Pierre-Yves Beaudouin

Phillips says the Melbourne Boomers led the way with this kind of fan engagement, which has now been embraced across the league. At any given game you might see kids getting a selfie with five time MVP Suzy Batkovic or swarming Sami Whitcomb for some shooting advice.

This engagement is particularly important with young fans, Phillips says. “The WNBL is such a family-friendly environment, and that’s something I’m very proud of”.

The league will continue to work on strengthening ties with junior players nationwide, aiming to leverage Australia’s strong basketball participation rates. “That’s the thing that stands us in great stead” Phillips says. “Depending on the time of year, we might have 1 million or even 2 million playing. We need to find a way to engage those people and convert them into fans of the NBL or WNBL. It’s something we’re mindful of and working hard on. It’s important that clubs and players are out there working in the community”.

Another huge plus for the league is the promise of improved competitive balance in the WNBL next year. Last year’s stragglers, Adelaide and Melbourne, have both recruited aggressively and look set for huge improvement. “It’s going to be a really even competition” Phillips enthuses. “It could be like the AFL where you don’t know who’s going to win every week”.

Erin Phillips' success in the new AFLW competition "has put WNBL on the map" for AFL recruiters says Sally Phillips. Photo: flickerd — Erin Phillips’ success in the new AFLW competition “has put WNBL on the map” for AFL recruiters says Sally Phillips. Photo: flickerd

Speaking of the AFL, the league is also working on the complex issue of facing a new competitor for its elite talent. With Opal Erin Phillips starring in the AFLW’s first season, recruiters are increasingly eyeing elite basketballers for a code switch. Still others, like electric Melbourne youngster Monique Conti, have ambitions of playing both sports at the highest level. “It’s a really hard one” Phillips acknowledges. “The last thing we want to do is to force girls into making a choice”.

The AFL has always got a lot of mileage out of its glamorous Brownlow Awards night and Phillips says the league would love to emulate that event’s broad appeal with its own awards night, though this has proven difficult without sponsorship. “We’ve done the best with what we have” she says. “But our athletes definitely deserve to be recognised in that way”.

Liz Cambage's return will be one of the main storylines of WNBL18. Photo: Bidgee — Liz Cambage’s return will be one of the main storylines of WNBL18. Photo: Bidgee

Another area the league is looking at behind the scenes is expansion. Phillips says they want to ensure any increase in the number of teams is done in a considered way. “It’s definitely on the radar” she says. “We want any teams that enter to be absolutely financially sustainable. We’ve done studies on the best areas and best ways for teams to enter, so (any expansions teams) will have to be strongly aligned with the studies and the criteria we have”.

For now, though, Phillips is understandably thrilled with the obvious progress the league is making around the new broadcast partnership. “There’s a real air of positivity around the WNBL again”.

WNBL: Andy Stewart talks semi-finals, road trips and Sami Whitcomb’s miracle year.

April 6, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Andy Stewart, Antonia Edmonson, Basketball, Brianna Butler, Carley Mijovic, Nat Burton, Perth, Perth Lynx, Ruth Hamblin, Sami Whitcomb, Tahlia Fejo, Tessa Lavey, WNBL, WNBL17

Coming off a run to the grand final which stunned many observers and helped secure Andy Stewart coach of the year last season, the Perth Lynx again hovered around the upper reaches of the ladder for much of 2016/17, before succumbing to Dandenong in a semi-final series.

The Rangers had been a difficult matchup for them all year, with Dandenong winning three of their four regular season fixtures. Stewart agrees Dandenong’s greater depth was crucial in the 2-1 defeat. “I think we were one or two players light” he says. Dropping the last two games of the regular season may have also been costly, with Perth losing the chance to host the semi-finals.

The Lynx again wholeheartedly embraced pace and space in 2016/17 and it made for entertaining basketball, with whippet-like point guard Tessa Lavey pushing the tempo and gun shooters like Sami Whitcomb, Carley Mijovic and Brianna Butler providing plenty of floor spacing.

Whitcomb in particular was prolific from beyond the arc, taking more than half her shots from outside and making 105 three-pointers for the year. Remarkably, she had more three-pointers than two entire WNBL rosters, Bendigo (102) and Adelaide (101).

Yet Whitcomb was more than a long-range gunner, showing phenomenal ability as both a shooter and shot creator, scoring from anywhere and everywhere on her way to the highest points tally ever recorded in the competition. “We saw glimpses of it the year before, but some of her exhibitions were quite outstanding” Stewart says. “It’s a shame she didn’t get (the MVP award), though there were two or three girls that were exceptional, with Suzy Batkovic and Leilani Mitchell”.

Stewart says that every facet of Whitcomb’s offensive arsenal, including those crazy step-backs from well outside the three-point line, are all the result of diligent and persistent practice. “I don’t know of a person that works harder” he says. “She puts in an enormous amount of practice. Everything you see on court is the result of hours and hours and hours of time”.

No player came close to Sami Whitcomb's tally of 70 steals. "She is extremely disruptive" Stewart says. — No player came close to Sami Whitcomb’s tally of 70 steals. “She is extremely disruptive” Stewart says.

While some prolific scorers get away with taking a breather on the defensive end, Whitcomb was a blur of action, continually turning up right where opponents didn’t want her, often successfully gambling for steals or using her explosive speed to get into passing lanes. She led the league for steals by some distance (with 70, Leilani Mitchell was second with 49) and picked up the club’s defensive player of the year award.

“She is certainly a unique defender” Stewart says. “She’s not your classic ‘lock a player down’ kind of defender, but she is extremely disruptive. Her steals often ignited us into very positive periods of play”.

“Andy Stewart on Carley Mijovic: “There’s not much in world basketball that is beyond her””

Perth took the most three-point attempts of any team by far, doubling the tally of some rivals and attempting 300 more three-pointers than semi-final opponents Dandenong. Forward Carley Mijovic was a major part of their outside-heavy game, hitting 64 threes at 36%.

It was another season of progress for Mijovic, who again claimed the club’s most improved player award. Stewart says she has the physical tools to be anything. “She’s a 6’6 three-point shooter who can run the floor really well” he says. “If she tackles it with tenacity, there’s not much in world basketball that is beyond her. She has a WNBA body and she’s just got better and better”.

Ruth Hamblin and Carley Mijovic reject shots against the Bendigo Spirit. The pair had 98 blocks between them, the most of any two  teammates in the league. — Ruth Hamblin and Carley Mijovic reject shots against the Bendigo Spirit. The pair had 98 blocks between them, the most of any two teammates in the league.

The club was also well-served by Canadian import Ruth Hamblin, who provided shot-blocking and tough screens and showed a high basketball IQ on defence. Asked whether his approach on imports is to bring in the best available player or to recruit to a specific need, Stewart says his method is a bit of both. “You want a unique player, someone who will change the way opponents see you, but you also want a player that can plug holes which can’t be plugged by an Australian player”

Perth were always looking to run. Here, Antonia Edmonson gets a fast break layup.

Antonia Edmonson chipped in with some massive games, including six of six three-point shooting in a huge win over Adelaide. Stewart says he thought it was her best WNBL campaign and believes the Tall Ferns representative will continue to have some monster outings. “She won’t dominate every single game, but she’ll be a presence”.

One of Edmonson’s back-court partners, Opal Tessa Lavey, saw her three-point shooting decline somewhat on previous years (26% in 2016/17), but she remained the driver of the Lynx’s high-octane offence and her ability to collect steals (36, equal 6th in league) was a big part of Perth collecting the most steals of any WNBL team.

Lavey missed four games with an ankle injury early in the season, an absence Stewart says was one of the two major disruptions Perth faced, along with the injury-enforced replacement of their WNBA import Monica Wright, a popular figure amongst the playing group, with the sweet-shooting Brianna Butler.

Tessa Lavey's quick hands led to 36 steals, good for equal sixth in the league. — Tessa Lavey’s quick hands led to 36 steals, good for equal sixth in the league.

Elsewhere, Opals member Nat Burton finished the year with averages of 3.9 points and 3.4 rebounds and seemed custom-built for Perth’s transition game. Her Olympic experience, however, meant she had a long and emotionally taxing off-season. “I don’t think it did benefit her” Stewart says. “I would suggest she went through a flat period after coming back, but how could you not?”

At the other end of the experience scale was development player Tahlia Fejo, who saw limited minutes, but is seen as a long-term prospect for the club. “She’s a project” Stewart says. “It will be a while before she’s dominant”. Stewart says Fejo initially found the demands of being in a WNBL squad difficult, though notes “she certainly got a lot better at all that” as the season progressed.

Speaking shortly before the team announced the key re-signing of Whitcomb, Stewart was hopeful of bringing most of the squad back but mindful that some players have families thousands of kilometres away and resigned to the fact that some retention decision would be out of the team’s control.

Similarly, he is resigned to the greater travel demands Perth sides will always face, but is determined to see their isolated location as a positive rather than complaining about it. “It’s something you become really used to when you live in Perth…I think it’s become quite useful really, you bond on those long trips and you learn to make the most of it”.

WNBL Semi-finals preview: Rangers v Lynx

February 24, 2017Posted in SportTagged Amelia Todhunter, Basketball, Carley Mijovic, Dandenong Rangers, Perth Lynx, Ruth Hamblin, Sami Whitcomb, Sara Blicavs, semi-finals, Sport, Steph Cumming, WNBL

Dandenong go into this series with home court advantage (where they hold a 8-4 record) and the confidence of a 3-1 series result against Perth this year. The Lynx, however, are the leading offensive unit in the WNBL and in Sami Whitcomb boasts the overwhelming MVP and a player explosive enough to throw the most meticulous game plans into disarray.

Perth are particularly strong from three point range, though their strength in this area is somewhat eroded against Dandenong who have a pair of elite perimeter defenders in Blicavs and Cumming. Whitcomb averages 18.75 against Dandenong this year, down on her historically good season average of 23.6. Expect Dandenong to start the dogged, steal-happy Amelia Todhunter on Whitcomb, where she has had some success. Rangers are also like to employ reigning defensive player of the year Steph Cumming on Whitcomb at times as well. The Perth star’s remarkable ability to create her own shot means she is unlikely to be neutralised, but if Dandenong can stop her from going crazy (as when she scored 12 last quarter points in Perth’s win over the Rangers) it will go a long way towards victory.

Perth’s advantage in outside shooting becomes clear when you consider Whitcomb and Mijovic alone have made only one less made 3 pointer than the entire Dandenong team. In fact, Perth have almost 100 more 3 pointers than Dandenong over the course of the season (252-154). The disparity is particularly surprising as it’s not like Dandenong don’t have capable long-range shooter themselves, with Cumming (42% this year), Blicavs (40%) and Novosel (48% on a small sample size) all well above average. Novosel particularly likes to work from mid-range.

6’4 forward Malott is also hitting three-pointers at a good clip (39%) and could be the key to Dandenong going small, as they did with some success against Sydney before the fatigue of an unfriendly schedule and early flights caught up with them. If Dandenong do give Malott minutes at centre, Perth would likely counter with their own stretch four, Carley Mijovic. Mijovic is obviously a tough cover in her own right, but given that Hamblin was pivotal in Perth’s lone win over Dandenong this season, claiming 4 blocks, Rangers may prefer her role being minimised. Perth have also been a better rebounding team than Dandenong, but even winning the battle of the boards in their most recent meeting didn’t prevent the Lynx slumping to a 22 point loss.

Perhaps the biggest advantage for Dandenong lies in their enviably deep bench. In their four meetings this year, the Dandenong second unit has outscored Perth’s reserves by a total of 44 points. Former Opal Jacinta Kennedy is an absolute luxury to bring off the bench, while imports Novosel and Malott have had nice seasons and Rosie Fadljevic can contribute energetic defence at multiple positions.

Ultimately the Rangers seem equipped to neutralise Perth strengths and though the freewheeling scoring of Whitcomb and Mijovic should net Perth one win, Rangers in three seems the most likely result.

Prediction: Dandenong 2-1

13 Things We Loved in the WNBL This Year

February 21, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Asia Taylor, Basketball, Carley Mijovic, Marianna Tolo, Sami Whitcomb, Sara Blicavs, Suzi Batkovic, Things we loved, University of Sydney Flames, WNBL, Women's sport

BATGIRL RETURNS

Two constants in the WNBL in recent years have been the ongoing success of the Townsville Fire and the machine-like production of Suzy Batkovic. One of only two players to score 20 points a game (21.3) and one of only a pair of players who averaged more than 10 rebounds (10.6), she was again utterly dominant in the paint, continuing to use her imposing size and unorthodox leftie game to devastating effect.

THE RIM PROTECTION OF MARIANNA TOLO

Of the league’s three elite shot blockers (With Jennifer Hamson and Ruth Hamblin), Tolo is the most mobile and an instinctive defender. Her return to the Capitals, along with her undiminished ability to swat shots and change countless others was a key reason last year’s last-placed Canberra squad improved by eleven wins and hovered on the edge of the finals this year.

One of 58 blocks Marianna Tolo collected.

THE RISE (AND RISE) OF CARLEY MIJOVIC

Increased minutes don’t always lead to increased production, but Perth’s Carley Mijovic relished the chance to become the Lynx’s second scoring option behind Whitcomb and her stats climbed in almost every category. Agile, tall enough to play the five and a good enough shooter to be a floor-stretching matchup nightmare, Mijovic was Perth’s most improved player in the 2015/16 and if anything only hastened her improvement this season. She recorded 3 times as many blocks as last year, along with more than doubling her rebounds (7.5) and assists (1.29) per game and rocketed up the points per game chart, from 28th to 13th in the league.

THE FANTASTIC STEPH CUMMING

God damn, what a basketball player. While some pros carve out perfectly respectable careers by being excellent at one thing, Cumming’s particular niche is being good at everything: outside shooting, persistent perimeter defence, dishing out assists, scoring efficiently with her back to the basket, getting to the foul line. She passed 250 WNBL games this year and has never been better, nor played with such controlled fire. “No-one ever wants to lose” she told a reporter recently, eyes grim with intensity. “You’re a liar if you say you like losing”.

SAMI WHITCOMB, TORMENTOR OF DEFENCES

Initially arriving in the WNBL via the Western Australian Basketball League with little fanfare, the California-born Sami Whitcomb is now the league’s MVP frontrunner. Her late-blooming game includes superior ball-handling, herky-jerky drives to the basket and pure shooting from well beyond the three-point arc. It’s a multi-faceted puzzle nobody around the league has managed to solve on a consistent basis and her continued dominance has led to a well-deserved call-up to the WNBA. As Perth coach Andy Stewart recently told local press, it’s not a question of whether she is up to the sports premier competition, “My question would be – can she dominate it?”

Sami Whitcomb shoots over a double team.

THE MASCOTS

Look at them go!

CARLY WILSON GOES OUT A WINNER

A great outside shooter and scorer who also collected blocked shots at a rate normally reserved for towering centres, Wilson was an Opals mainstay in the early 2000s. She retired from the league this week with 363 WNBL career games, 1016 3-pointers, 3 WNBL championships, 2 all-star five selections, countless pairs of her trademark pink socks and a level of respect amongst fellow players and fans that would be impossible to quantify. The good news for the league is that she wants to stay involved in some capacity; a commentary gig in a new TV deal would be a win for all involved.

LEILANI MITCHELL, FLOOR GENERAL SUPREME

Leilani Mitchell is one of the smallest players in the WNBL, and also one of the best. Overcoming some uncharacteristic struggles with finishing earlier in the season, she was dynamic in the Flames’ 8-game winning streak, particularly down the stretch of close games where her calmness running the point, uncanny ability to get to the rim and redoubtable pull-up jumper were invaluable and loom as major assets come Finals time.

MADDIE GARRICK, FUTURE OPALS STAR

Melbourne’s unwanted penchant for losing close games condemned them to an early exit from the playoff race, but the continued growth of Maddie Garrick was a bright spot. With a tight handle and an arsenal of feints, fakes, jab steps and hesitations polished enough to get separation from even the most dogged of defenders, she seems headed for Opals selection.

DOING IT FOR THE KIDS

Broadcasters continued to shun the league, but that didn’t stop the younger generation turning out in force.

KICKING IT OLD SCHOOL

NBA fans have bemoaned the decreased importance of post-up players as D’Antoni ball has taken over the league, all but wiping out the old style of bigs with low-post repetoires. Pace and space basketball is spectacular and efficient, but there is still a place for the old skills and in the WNBL, the back to the basket game is alive and well with players like Suzy Batkovic and Bendigo’s Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe being post-up juggernauts.

SARA BLICAVS, BIG TIME SMALL FORWARD

Whether flying around screens, acting as an ambassador for charities or churning out comedy gold on Twitter, Sara Blicavs was a star in season 2016/17. A genuine two-way force and one of only two players to average at least 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal (the other was Asia Taylor), her athletic ability and well-rounded game were a major reason why Dandenong secured a home semi-final in a congested ladder.

THE ATHLETICISM OF ASIA TAYLOR

Experienced WNBL journalists were projecting Sydney to miss the finals; the eye-catching play of the Louisville alum was one major reason they exceeded expectations. She was a difficult cover for any type of defender: too physically strong for fleet-footed wings and possessing a first step too quick for lumbering bigs. Explosive enough to swipe rebounds and run the floor, her top 10 scoring and rebounding numbers saw her named in the team of the week 8 times, equaling Suzy Batkovic and behind only Sami Whitcomb (13).

WNBL MVP race: can Suzy Batkovic win her fifth?

January 30, 2017Posted in SportTagged Basketball, Laura Hodges, Marianna Tolo, Sami Whitcomb, Sport, Steph Cumming, Suzy Batkovic, WNBL

It’s been another tightly contested WNBL season with some of the competition’s legends joined by exciting new names. As the league rounds into its second half, we take a closer look at some of its standout players.

Sami Whitcomb (Perth Lynx)

The WNBL’s leading scorer with an even 24 a game, the Perth shooting guard has been both a revelation as both an inside and outside threat. Possessing an explosive first step and a range of jab steps and crossovers to get separation, Whitcomb has been deadly from three-point range (41%). She is also a strong enough facilitator to frustrate double teams, with 4.1 assists per game and a disruptive defender, with 37 steals, good for first in the league. In a tightly-contested competition, her plus/minus stats of +69 for the season are impressive, and include a crazy +44 in just 25 minutes against Adelaide. Whitcomb’s 33 points first half masterclass against a quality team in Bendigo must have sent shivers through the league and is the kind of scheme-wrecking dominance which makes her the MVP frontrunner.

Susy Batkovic (Townsville Fire)

Batkovic already has four WNBL MVPs to her name and a record-breaking fifth wouldn’t surprise, given a monster season which has seen her rank second in both points (21.4) and rebounds (10.4) per game. Her size, touch around the rim and sheer canniness as a low-post player remain undiminished and she gets to the foul line more than any other player in the competition. Controversially left out of the Opals Olympic team, Batkovic has proceeded to bend opposing defences to her will, recording a whopping 9 double doubles and has also made some huge clutch plays, not least an off-balance reverse layup to force overtime against Sydney Uni Flames in a match the Fire eventually won.

Marianna Tolo (University of Canberra Capitals)

A hydralike rim protector (her 33 blocks ranks 3rd in the competition) and supremely reliable inside scorer, Tolo is having another strong year with her combination of length, instincts and mobility making her one of the competition’s elite bigs. Her 38 point, 12 rebound performance against the tall timber of Sydney’s frontcourt was one of the most dominant single games of the season.

Laura Hodges (Adelaide Lightning)

Usually players on winless teams don’t figure in MVP discussion, but Hodges’ work on the battling Adelaide lightning makes her an exception to the rule. The four-time Olympian has used her quickness and finishing nous to again put up strong numbers as a scorer (18.50, 4th in the WNBL) and rebounder (7.90, 8th in the league) despite a glaring lack of support.

Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (Bendigo Spirit)

The athletic Canadian has made an immediate impact in her first season, with her polished offensive game netting 16.27 points a game (7th in league). She has been a particular menace on the offensive glass (53, 2nd in league), a major reason why Bendigo have won the battle of second chance points in 12 of 15 games. Raincock-Ekunwe has also been a model of efficiency as an inside scorer, with her 58% shooting percentage tied with Marianna Tolo for the best in the competition.

Asia Taylor (Sydney Uni Flames)

Another first year WNBL import who has made a smooth transition to the league. In the games Taylor missed through a concussion, the Flames went 1-2, as opposed to the 9-3 record they have with her on the floor. Taylor is crashing the boards (8.67 per game) and dishing out assists at a rate rarely seen by a frontcourt player. Having failed to score double figures only once, she figures to be one of the most influential players in the race for the finals.

Steph Cumming (Dandenong Rangers)

The reigning defensive player of the year has quietly become one of the most productive on the offensive end, with her 17.53 per game ranking 6th overall. Against Perth, her 31 point, 12 rebound and 4 assist tally included five three-pointers. Cumming’s outside shooting (46%) rates among the league’s best and her strong two-way game has been a major factor in Dandenong heading into the new year first on the ladder.

Honourable mentions: Kelsey Griffin (Bendigo Spirit), Mikaela Ruef (University of Canberra Capitals), Leilani Mitchell (Sydney Uni Flames), Jen Hamson (Sydney Uni Flames).