Tag: Suzy Batkovic

Suzy Batkovic on WNBL19, the evolution of the game and the 1999 AIS WNBL triumph

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Suzy Batkovic’s career achievements are staggering, reading like some basketball version of that old Christmas carol: seven WNBL all-star five appearances, six MVPs, five championships, four WNBL top shooter awards and three (should have been four) Olympic tournaments.

The sheer weight of numbers easily makes her case as one of the league’s all-time greats, but what the accolades don’t quite convey is the hunger and competitiveness that she brings every game and that have made her one of the great winners not just in the WNBL but in all Australian sport.

The finish line is now in sight with Batkovic announcing this will be her last campaign. But she says the thought of retirement is still “surreal” and won’t be front of mind during the season. “I think it will be more put on the back burner, and I’m just focusing on my job at hand,” she tells The Evening Game.

“I still have plenty to give. I still love the game, and I know that eventually, I’ll miss it. But for me, it’s just business as usual.”

Reflecting on the evolution of the league, Batkovic says the days of easybeat teams have passed and talent is now evenly spread. “You could go back quite a few years ago, and you had your top half, and your bottom half. There’s no game where (you think) ‘At least we’ve got this team, and we should be fine against them’. You’re battling every team. I think that’s great. That’s what we want the league to be like.”

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The virtue of stubbornness: “I didn’t want to be put in a box”

Batkovic has long been dominant around the rim, but her game is based on a lot more than simply muscling into the key. She has a soft touch from mid-range, an excellent passing game from the post and enough nous to inevitably get to her favoured left hand and preferred shooting spots.

Discussing the evolving game and a trend of bigs increasingly becoming three-point shooters, Batkovic says the best fours and fives have always had a broad skill set.

“If you look at Lauren (Jackson), she has always shot threes,” she says. ”Myself, if I’m wide open, I’ll take a three ball. Darcee Garbin – that’s one of her strengths. Ally Mallott is the same.

“I still have plenty to give. I still love the game, and I know that eventually, I’ll miss it. But for me, it’s just business as usual – Suzy Batkovic on her final season”

“Back in the day, I remember people used to say: ‘Oh, posts, you just shoot from in here (the paint) and I remember thinking: ‘No, I’m not doing that. I’ll be working on everything’. I didn’t want to be put in a box.

“I was lucky enough that I had coaches that allowed me to work on that aspect of my game. I was probably a bit stubborn. I didn’t want to just be a post player, I wanted to be capable of doing a bit of everything.”

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“Just a bunch of kids”: the historic 98/99 AIS WNBL champions 

Batkovic’s first WNBL championship came in one of the most remarkable teams in the last quarter-century of Australian sport; the AIS student athlete team of 1998/99. It’s difficult to think of a comparable victory to this team of teenagers, who were assembled as a purely developmental team and ended up powering to an elite professional title.

That squad was a once-in-a-lifetime collection of talent with Penny Taylor and Kirsten Veal in the backcourt, Belinda Snell spacing the floor and an imposing Batkovic-Jackson frontcourt. Batkovic says the team also had an ideal mentor in Phil Brown, now an assistant coach at the University of Canberra Capitals.

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“He was a tremendous coach,” Batkovic recalls. “We were basically just a bunch of kids and, if anything, he probably coached us at our toughest point, when we were all going through different things. Puberty and whatever else, growing up. He was just incredible, the way he handled us and there was a lot of respect there.”

Batkovic says she entered the AIS not knowing all the rules of basketball and having never heard of a five-man-weave. She left a much more polished player and a champion.

In Lauren Jackson’s ‘My Story’, she recalls a turning point in the season where the coach and players met and agreed to shift from a development team evenly sharing minutes into a group firmly set on the unlikeliest of championships. Batkovic also remembers that moment well. “We were just playing and enjoying it, but you didn’t really think, like, “Oh, wow, we could actually win this.” Batkovic says.

“(Brown) kept his composure and kept us composed. We connected really well and I think a lot of credit goes to him, the way he handled everything. He took the pressure off for us so we could just go out there and play.”

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A friendship with the GOAT

Batkovic will exit the game with a lot of friends across the league and beyond. Abby Bishop is a close mate. Lauren Jackson, an old AIS teammate, is another. “We went through a lot together,” Batkovic says of Jackson. “We did NSW Country (junior rep team) together, AIS, representing Australia together and then we played in the WNBA together. We got to know each other so well.”

The pair still talk or text every week. “Even though she’s retired, she’s still that person for me,” Batkovic says. “She’s still that close friend. We share a lot of memories together. Our friendship wasn’t just all highs though, we have had the lows together.

“When we were younger, we both had stubborn and strong personalities. It was like: ‘How do you deal with this person?’ But over time, it just sorted itself out, and we got to really know each other, and bonded.

“Now, I’m grateful to have played with the best female basketballer Australia’s ever seen. I’m very grateful for that.”

Header image credit: Bruce

WNBL18: Q & A with Townsville Fire coach Claudia Brassard

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Chasing a return to the grand final series after a semi-final exit last year, Townsville Fire have compiled a 9-5 record and have only lost to Sydney (once), Perth (twice) and Dandenong (twice).  


Townsville Fire captain Suzy Batkovic has put up 20 and 10 a game in another productive campaign.Townsville Fire captain Suzy Batkovic has put up 20 and 10 a game in another productive campaign.

Townsville Fire captain Suzy Batkovic has put up 20 and 10 a game in another productive campaign.

With the evergreen Suzy Batkovic again in MVP contention and the returning Cayla George helping out with both points and rebounds galore, the Fire are in second place as the league approaches its final leg. They have clamped down on sides in defence and have crashed the boards, leading the league in total rebounds. At their best, they have been brutal, walloping Adelaide by 42 and putting together a faultless 3-0 record against pre-season favourites Melbourne, Here, coach Claudia Brassard reflects on a mainly successful campaign to date, touches on the Fire’s deep rotation and sees room for improvement in her veteran squad.

It’s been something of an up and down season for Townsville, but is it fair to say that the Fire’s best has been as good as anyone’s?

Yeah, it’s definitely been a year where it’s hard not to be a bit up and down with the league being how it is. We have to travel the most, more than Perth even, the season goes 13 weeks and we’re on the road 10 of those. So, it’s been that little bit harder this year to be consistent week to week.

That leads into the next question. How have you dealt with the condensed schedule this year? Have you been tempted to use the second unit a bit more?

We prepared for it as best as we could, we’ve got some of the older players now, but we recruited for that and we definitely wanted to go ten deep. Other teams can get a bit weary. If you look at Sydney, they tend to play Katie-Rae (Ebzery) 38 minutes plus and at Dandenong, they are playing Steph (Blicavs) 38 minutes plus. Hopefully we can have a bit more depth and take advantage of that.

One thing Townsville are doing well is defence, conceding less than 70 points per game. But do you think there is even more improvement to come on that end?

Yeah, we would like to think so. But one thing that we’ve talked about is our defensive rebounding and we agreed that we need to do better there.

Perth Lynx are probably the team that have given you the most trouble this year. Do you see them as the main contenders at this point?

Yeah, I think so. They’ve been very tough. Nobody has really worked them out, have they? I think they’ve won nine in a row now and they’ve been very dangerous and obviously they have those very dominant guards.

Townsville were only seventh in fast break points last year, but are up to second this year and are also first in points from turnovers. Was this something that you specifically worked on?

It wasn’t something that we initially looked at, but I think that’s come about from how we put our roster together. We can defend and be really physical and put pressure on teams and we can go ten deep. We wanted to have that depth.

How have the two imports (Laurin Mincy and Sydney Wiese) done in terms of adjusting to the league and how it is officiated?

Their attitude has been great and they’ve fitted in really well, they’re definitely digging into some Australiana now. They’ve been great, in terms of attitude and working hard and buying in, so we’ve been really happy with them actually.

Townsville are only 7th this year in 3 point percentage. Is it a matter of not getting open looks or are the shots just not falling?

We certainly struggled at the beginning of the season with hitting those shots. At first, we just weren’t hitting them but we went back and looked at the videos and we felt that we did get good looks, but they just weren’t going down. Now, they are, thankfully. Hopefully that continues and that percentage can improve.

With some teams having fallen out of the finals race is there a danger of complacency when you come up against them?

Yeah, I think so. Both of those teams, Bendigo and Canberra, they actually have very solid starting fives. They’ve just had some unlucky things go against them and that’s why they’ve ended up on the bottom of the ladder. We spoke about that today, making sure we show up hungry and motivated every game –  otherwise, they will get ya. We’re coming up against Bendigo this weekend and we have to think about Adelaide first, we won’t get to train before we get to Bendigo.

But Bendigo is a bit of a danger game, they will have been sitting at home for five days waiting for us and we have to make sure that we are mentally ready and that we can adapt to their different style.

Zitina Aokuso has got fairly limited game time, but how have you see her growth?

She’s been great. The league’s getting bigger and teams have been trying to get players to combat Suzy (Batkovic). Certainly, that’s a big part of Zitina’s role – defending Suzy at training, bodying up on her and trying to beat up on her, she’s certainly done that. It’s been tough for her getting minutes with our roster, but she’s definitely learned a lot from our bigs. It’s been a pretty big learning curve for her, she only came to basketball late, but she’s taken it in stride.

How has the team found the return to television with Fox?

Look, I think it’s great for the sport. It’s great for the Townsville fans, they really love watching us on TV when we go on the road. So, I think it’s been good and hopefully it continues.


Oregon State alum Sydney Wiese has been a good fit for the Fire.Oregon State alum Sydney Wiese has been a good fit for the Fire.

Oregon State alum Sydney Wiese has been a good fit for the Fire.

WNBL: 18 Things to Look Forward to in WNBL18

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

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:


A merry mix-up.A merry mix-up.

A merry mix-up.

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.


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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.       


Get your tickets for the Sami show.Get your tickets for the Sami show.

Get your tickets for the Sami show.

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!


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WNBL18: JCU Townsville Fire Preview

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At the WNBL18 season launch, reigning MVP Suzy Batkovic avoided a cookie cutter response when asked who the team to beat was. Her response was simple – “us”.

Fire have cause for such bold confidence; in a shortened competition where coherency and continuity will be at a premium, no other squad has played so much winning basketball together.

Batkovic and the returning Cayla George are perennial all-WNBL team candidates, while Murray, Cocks and Wilson are seasoned pros and proven finals performers. Sydney Wiese should be one of the best shooters in the competition.

Proven winners

The last time Batkovic and George played together, they were the both amongst the league’s elite scorers, rebounders and shot blockers. Oh yeah, and the Fire swept to a 2-0 grand final series win.

The Fire should be the best rebounding team in the league and their size, physicality and nous in the paint will likely again be their strong suit. Teams will get few cheap points against lineups featuring Bakovic and George, who both played huge minutes in their championship campaigns.

Darcee Garbin comes off a monster campaign at the University games, where she showed a fair bit of craft around the rim and opponents often looked helpless trying to keep her off the boards. With a few years of senior competition under her belt, she is likely to take a step forward in WNBL 18.


Suzy Batkovic's forceful passing is another strong part of her game. Here, she finds Murray who attacks a closeout to score.Suzy Batkovic's forceful passing is another strong part of her game. Here, she finds Murray who attacks a closeout to score.

Suzy Batkovic’s forceful passing is another strong part of her game. Here, she finds Murray who attacks a closeout to score.

Newcomers

Lauren Mincy, a former WNBA draftee who led Maryland to two final four appearances, joins the team after a couple of years in Israel. It’s hard to find much intel on her time there, but her numbers with Ramat Hasharon in the 2015/16 season were solid and the team like her athleticism and see her as a genuine two-way shooting guard.

Last year the team ranked only sixth in three-point shooting percentage and import guard Natasha Cloud struggled from long range at times. This part of their game is likely to get a major boost via Sydney Wiese, who was an explosive scorer and consistently shot above 40% from three in a hugely successful college career.  Known as ‘The Headband’, Wiese can create her own shot and will likely feast on open shots created by Batkovic and George being double teamed. Wilson, Murray and Cocks are also gifted passes who can get her a lot of looks.

Injection of youth

Zitina Aokuso joins the team from the AIS as a raw but hyper-athletic talent. She will be one of the most explosive jumpers in the competition straight away and it will be interesting to see whether the Fire ease her into the rotation or give her minutes from the start.

Also joining the team from the SEABL is guard Marena Whittle. She shot three-pointers at 21.9% in that competition, but found ways to get inside and score and consistently got buckets over a four-year college career at North Dakota State. She is an athlete who can also chip in with some rebounds and will inherit Tegan Cunningham’s ‘best tattoos in the league’ mantle.

Guards

Townsville tried a number of point guards last year with Kelly Wilson injured, but are likely to have more stability there for this season. One of the league’s great competitors

Mikaela Donnelly will add some depth; she led the QBL in assists and represented Australia at junior level. She has been on the fire’s radar for a while and knows how to run an offence.

Development players

Miela Goodchild, a shooting guard or small forward, was a star of the U17s Oceania championship, ranking as the most efficient player in the tournament as Australia coasted to a series of lopsided wins. Haylee Andrews also returns after a good QBL season where she was a double-digit scorer and has been likened to a young Tess Madgen by coach Claudia Brassard.


Cayla George brings size, rebounding, scoring and winning pedigree in her return to Townsville.Cayla George brings size, rebounding, scoring and winning pedigree in her return to Townsville.

Cayla George brings size, rebounding, scoring and winning pedigree in her return to Townsville.

Off-season form:

Suzy Batkovic: 29.5 ppg, 45.2 FG% [Waratah league]

Micaela Cocks: 11.3 ppg for NZ [Asia Cup]

Mikaela Donnelly: 10.7 ppg, 39.8 FG% [QBL]

Darcee Garbin: 23.47 ppg (3rd in league), 10.24 rebounds (7th in league) [QBL] 16.8 ppg and 11.8 rpg at University games. 30 points in gold medal game.

Cayla George: 97.5 Offensive rating, 98.7 defensive rating [WNBA]

Laurin Mincy: 4.8 ppg, 3.0 apg [Israel D1]

Mia Murray: 15.29 ppg [QBL]

Marena Whittle: 16.5 ppg, 41.9 FG%, 8.1 rpg [SEABL]

Sydney Wiese: 94.4 Off. Rating, 94.2 def. rating, 40% 3-pt FG% [WNBA]

Kelly Wilson: 13.1 ppg, 7.1 assists per game (1st in league) [SEABL]

(Note: Statistics accurate as of 10/9/17)

 

Predictions:

MVP – Suzy Batkovic

Defensive Player of the Year – Suzy Batkovic

Rookie – Zitina Aokuso

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

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

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 BeaudouinJenna 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: flickerdErin 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: BidgeeLiz 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: Coach Claudia Brassard talks Townsville Fire’s title defence.

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When Suzy Batkovic bid an emotional farewell to Townsville’s 2016/17 campaign, it marked the end of an era of lofty success and the first time in four years the Fire hadn’t progressed to the grand final. It was a season which swung from brilliant to frustrating several times, perhaps peaking and plateauing in the same game, a thrilling overtime win against Sydney which also saw Kelly Wilson sidelined with a costly ankle injury.

Again, the central figure in the Fire’s campaign was the three-time Olympian Batkovic, who terrorised opponents inside the key, powering and finessing her way to a record fifth league MVP win. Batkovic finished second in points per game (20.92), second in rebounds per game (10.85) and sixth in total blocks (30).

Claudia Brassard, who moved into the head coach role this season after previously playing for the club and serving as assistant coach during the back to back championships, says that the intangibles Batkovic brought to the table were just as important. “Her captaincy and leadership skills are something she works on constantly”.

Indeed, Batkovic’s forthright leadership style was something that gave the team a real identity. “If you want someone to have your back, you could not have someone better than Suzy. If she thinks something isn’t right, or one of her teammates is missing out on something, she’ll go straight to the source”.

Brassard suggests Batkovic, a great teacher and mentor, was particularly beneficial for young power forward Darcee Garbin, who was a shining light against Sydney as the team went down to the white-hot Flames side in the semi-finals. “(Darcee) is a really good, promising player” Brassard says. “She would normally come off the bench and get us a couple of boards right away. But her greatest asset is her personality. She has a great work ethic and she wants to learn”.


Darcee Garbin had a strong year and learned plenty from Suzy Batkovic.Darcee Garbin had a strong year and learned plenty from Suzy Batkovic.

Darcee Garbin had a strong year and learned plenty from Suzy Batkovic.

Players from last year’s championship side like Micaela Cocks, Batkovic and Garbin were joined by livewire point guard Kelly Wilson, though the Fire’s prized acquisition was dogged by injury at the start of the season and later missed games with an ankle fracture. “I think she’d say it was the most frustrating season she’s had” Brassard says. “I think we’ll see a much better Kelly Wilson next year”.

Instead of playing in the SEABL competition during the off-season like she normally does, Wilson plans to sit it out, but Brassard suggests that the high-energy guard, who was regularly doing extra work in the gym and video room, will be doing anything but enjoying some rest and relaxation. “She won’t be sitting on her bum, she’ll be keeping very active in some way”.


Kelly Wilson: unlikely to be found "sitting on her bum"Kelly Wilson: unlikely to be found "sitting on her bum"

Kelly Wilson: unlikely to be found “sitting on her bum”

While WNBA player Natasha Cloud and Kiwi international Micaela Cocks looked set to give the Fire flexibility and valuable injury cover at the one when Wilson was injured, Brassard says the point guard logjam was both a blessing and a curse. “Honestly it’s something we struggled with throughout the season, that question of ‘who is the point guard?’ We would have liked some more stability there, but that’s the hand we were dealt”.

Elsewhere, the team’s strength was inside the paint, where they collected a league-leading 36.8 rebounds a game, again led by Suzy Batkovic, the competition’s most prolific defensive rebounder. The Fire also ranked high on assists, with Cloud, Wilson, Batkovic and Murray all recording plenty of dimes. As Brassard explains, the team’s ball movement  flowed from the defensive attention Batkovic drew in the low post.


A bread and butter play for Townsville Fire: Batkovic draws a double team and passes to Murray for an open three.A bread and butter play for Townsville Fire: Batkovic draws a double team and passes to Murray for an open three.

A bread and butter play for Townsville Fire: Batkovic draws a double team and passes to Murray for an open three.

“Suzy was always seeing double and triple teams and I think we did a reasonable job of finding the outside shooters from that”. Yet the team’s unselfishness had a downside at times. “Sometimes that (approach) was to our detriment, there were times when we could have been a bit more selfish”.

In particular, coaching staff encouraged sweet-shooting forward Kayla Standish to look for her own shot. “We’ve been working with her on not fading away, on going inside” Brassard says. Standish still led the squad in true shooting percentage and added range to her game, connecting on 19 threes after only making six the previous season.


Kayla Standish was an efficient scorer for the Fire.Kayla Standish was an efficient scorer for the Fire.

Kayla Standish was an efficient scorer for the Fire.

Another willing passer, Mia Murray, had a nice season as a canny second-option scorer and good decision maker, while star junior guard Haylee Andrews joined the team as a development player. Brassard had previously coached Andrews in youth teams and has high hopes for the youngster. “I see her as a Tess Madgen type, with those really strong legs, she can get into the key and finish over bigger players”.

Currently in the midst of recruiting and retaining players, the Fire are aware that like every WNBL team, they have to compete with the lure of bigger money on offer in Europe. They’re confident, however, that the environment they have created and the support from the community will be powerful incentives to entice players to sign up for another tilt at the title. “I’m proud of the culture we’ve built here” Brassard says.

WNBL Semi-finals preview: Flames v Fire

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Not for the first, second or third time in her career, the influence of Suzy Batkovic looms large over this semi-final series. The Townsville centre remains the WNBL’s leading inside presence and her ability to pick up cheap points, though Sydney have a capable big defender in Jen Hamson, one of the few players to have a height advantage over Batkovic. Still, the Flames will look to help on Batkovic as much as possible, with bench bigs Carly Boag and Shanae Graeves likely to be used in short spells to play physical defence and crash the offensive boards.

Teams have found it difficult not to give away fouls on Batkovic and Sydney will particularly want to keep the explosive Asia Taylor in the game as long as possible. Double teams on Batkovic will open up outside shots for Mia Murray (36% for the season) and Micaela Cocks (37%), who looms as something of an X-factor in the series, having exploded in last year’s finals series where she upped her productivity and was MVP. Expect Sydney to go under screens against point guard Natasha Cloud, and live with her shooting the three where she is only hitting on 21% from distance this season.

A huge reason why Sydney should be favoured in this matchup is their versatility; they can push Belinda Snell to small forward and may look to run Townsville around with three guard lineups including Tahlia Tupaea, whose form since returning from injury demands playing time. Leilani Mitchell is the clear #1 point guard in the league and has rounded into form at the right time of year, giving Sydney the edge in the backcourt.

Another intriguing player in the Sydney rotation is Sarah Graham. She hasn’t been required in some recent matches, but her long-range shooting (an eye-popping, league-leading 56% for the season) provides immensely valuable floor spacing and could net points in bunches if the Flames offence goes into a lull.

The defending champion Fire will not give up their title lightly and are a well-balanced squad, ranking third in both offence and defence. Overall, however, Sydney look to have too much depth and versatility over the course of the series. Further good news for Sydney is their irresistible form (8 wins in a rows) and they fact they were able to give their stars some rest as they coasted to a win over Adelaide in the last round.

Prediction: Sydney 2-1.

WNBL MVP race: can Suzy Batkovic win her fifth?

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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).