WNBL – Page 2 – The Evening Game

WNBL: Ezi Magbegor is your rookie of the year

January 20, 2018November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Basketball, Ezi Magbegor, University of Canberra Capitals, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sport

Before the 2017/18 WNBL season tipped off, Centre of Excellence alum Ezi Magbegor was widely expected to be the league’s leading rookie and her first season at pro level was no disappointment.

An improbably athletic big with an advanced feel for the game and an even-keeled temperament, she recorded averages of 6.6 points and 3.75 rebounds a game in less than 13 minutes of court time each night.

She found out that she had won the Betty Watson Rookie of the Year award when Lucille Bailie, a WNBL hall of famer and the acting University of Canberra Capitals GM, gave her a call. The win was empathic; Magbegor collected 41 of a possible 42 votes to take the award in a landslide, but humbly says there were a number of contenders for the prize.

“There were so many great rookies this year. Maddie (Rocci) was awesome, especially at the back end of the year when Nat (Hurst) didn’t play a couple of games and she really had to step up. So, it was a surprise, but it was definitely an honour as well.”

Ezi Magbegor collected 3.75 rebounds per game, but her rebounds per minute numbers were among the best in the league. (Photo: 5 Foot Photography)

Magbegor also excelled as a rim protector, ranking seventh in the league in blocks. On a blocks per minute basis, however, she was truly elite, recording a rejection every 11.13 minutes, behind only Jen Hamson, who tallied a block every 10.61 minutes.

Beyond the counting stats, Magbegor considers her mobility her best attribute. “Being able to run the floor as a 4/5, I think my speed helps me counter the physicality” she says.

“I’m a bit smaller than the people I come up against, but I think being able to use speed and versatility in those battles in the post, that’s one of my stronger aspects.”

Despite Magbegor’s productivity, it was generally a trying year for the University of Canberra Capitals. Hamstrung by injuries, they endured a 13-match losing streak at one point before rallying to record five wins in their last six games, including a boilover against minor premiers Perth.

Magbegor says the team never hung their heads. “Not winning games could cause a team to get upset, but we really stuck together. I think that’s what was really good about our team.”

“Going to training and going on road trips, it was still fun. Instead of dwelling on the losses, the girls made it a good environment to be in.”

Magbegor says playing alongside Lauren Scherf and WNBA vet Mistie Bass accelerated her development. “They’ve been in different leagues for so long, they have great experience. I took on board whatever they had to say. Mistie was definitely a leader on court and if she saw anything she thought I needed to work on or that I could do better, she would speak up.”

Jordan Hooper also provided something of a template for Magbegor, who would often sub in for the Nebraska native. “That was a motivation for me, I always stepped in thinking I needed to be as focused as she was and play as hard as she was playing.”

Magbegor joins giants of the game such as Lauren Jackson, Laura Hodges and Abby Bishop as winners of the Betty Watson Rookie of the Year. (Photo: 5 Foot Photography)

On joining the Capitals, Magbegor said she was relishing the opportunity to reunite with Paul Goriss, who had previously coached the Centre of Excellence squad when she was there. She says she appreciates his patient, encouraging approach. “I also enjoy his focus on individual performance, he really knows what you have to work on.”

Magbegor has signed with the Diamond Valley Eagles for the upcoming SEABL season. The UC Capitals would love to have her back for another campaign, though the lure of college looms large. Blue-chip programs like UCLA, UConn and Oregon are all reportedly interested in recruiting Magbegor, though she has been able to avoid getting caught up in the hype.

“My main focus was on the WNBL and not to stress over (college recruitment) or what I would do in the second half of the year. It was something I was able to put to the back of my mind.”

If she needs any advice on life as a college baller, she need look no further than brother Ovie, who has taken up a scholarship with the University of West Georgia.

“We talk quite a bit” Magbegor says of her sibling. “He found it a bit hard to adjust at the start because he went over not knowing anyone.”

“But he’s settled in now and I can just tell when I speak to him that he’s more comfortable. Now that the season has started, he’s enjoying the experience.”

#WNBL18: Q & A with University of Sydney Flames coach Cheryl Chambers

December 7, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Ally Wilson, Asia Taylor, Basketball, Carly Boag, Cassidy McLean, Cheryl Chambers, Jennifer Hamson, Katie-Rae Ebzery, Tahlia Tupaea, WNBL, WNBL18

The reigning WNBL coach of the year, Cheryl Chambers, again has her Flames side (currently 4th, 9-6) up to their necks in the finals race. Some familiar names (Belinda Snell, Asia Taylor) and returning Opal Katie-Rae Ebzery have all been productive, though a string of injuries and some close losses have presented obstacles as the side chases back to back titles. Here, Chambers talks to the site about life as defending premiers, the reshuffle caused by Tahlia Tupaea’s absence and more.

How have you found playing as defending premiers? Does it feel like you’re ‘the hunted’ now?

There is a bit of a sense of that, but I think the league is so good this year. To be quite honest, there are so many quality teams that it feels like everyone is hunted.

You’ve had a couple of close losses. Is a bit of an adjustment not having Leilani Mitchell there to get you through those clutch moments?

Absolutely, she was a star and we do miss her. I think the thing that has hurt us the most though is that we wanted Tahlia Tupaea to play point guard, but she injured herself before the season started. We’re still hoping to get her back. But Leilani was a class act, so certainly any team would miss her.

Are you missing a bit of scoring punch with Tahlia Tupaea out?

Well I think Katie is doing a fantastic job as point guard, but the 2 is her preferred spot, that’s what we recruited her for, so it’s taken her out of her preferred position. As a team, we’ve lost a bit of our running game and are having to do things a little bit differently from what is natural to us. Having said that, we’ve been in most games, so it’s just a bit of massaging that’s needed.

Moved to point guard out of necessity, Katie-Rae Ebzery has ranked in the top 10 for both assists and steals.

What does Katie-Rae bring to the team off court?

She’s been a real leader. As a 2-man playing the 1, she’s been doing a great job. She brings a lot of poise and a lot of experience, she keeps us together and she’s been fantastic.

It seems like Asia Taylor has gone up another level after a great season last year…

She’s developed and is certainly a better player than she was last year. We’ve been trying to help her with some of the 3-man skills, but you’re right, she’s got better every year. Jen Hamson as well, I think she has improved this year.

With Jen, she seems to have cut down the fouls lately. Is that something you’ve specifically worked on?

Yeah, we can’t have her sitting on the bench for that long. There had been a couple of games where we’ve been doing recovery the next day and it’s dawned on me she doesn’t need to do it because she’s been sitting on the bench with fouls so long.

We want to keep her out on the floor, so we’ve been working with her and she’s been making adjustments and now some of those 50-50 ones are not being called fouls any more, which is great.

Jen Hamson has led the league in blocks, with 2.47 per game.

I thought Ally Wilson might have snuck into the Commonwealth Games squad. Is she far off that level?

No, she’s not. There’s a few around the league that would be in that next group. The European tours only allow for 18 players, so we’ll see in the next little while who is in the wider squad. But Alex is still working on her game and hopefully she can sneak into it.

How do you go about allocating minutes between the four guards (Hayley Moffatt, Sarah Graham, Susi Walmsley and Cassidy McLean) that you can bring off the bench in different games?

It’s been a bit hit and miss. Cassidy McLean has been doing her year 12, so we’ve hardly seen her, she’s been affected by that. Her development has been a little slowed, but that’s fine, we would certainly encourage any year 12 student to do their best. Her future’s bright and there’s lots of time for her.

With the bench, it just depends on what the team needs. They bring very different things. Sarah Graham is a pure, flat-out scorer and shooter, so we will bring her in when we need that. Hayley is more of a defender and Susi can come on and do a bit of backup 1, it just depends on what the game requires.

Sydney are only 7th in field goal attempts this year. It’s a very patient offence, but are you looking to get more easy transition points?

Absolutely (laughs). But our balance is a little out at the minute, with not having Tahlia. That’s the way it has to be right now, but hopefully we can sneak some wins and allow Tahlia to come back in and play some minutes.

Carly Boag has had some big games lately, do you think she’s in the best form of her career?

Yes, I do. She’s certainly been working hard and training hard, so when those things happen and you’ve built up that skill base, then when opportunity comes you can reap the rewards. That’s what’s happening now, she’s reaping the rewards.

Chambers, pictured here with the Melbourne Tigers, played 261 WNBL games before moving into coaching.

Will you do anything differently ahead of the Double header (with the Sydney Kings) this weekend?

It’ll be different, it’s not really a home game for us, we have to travel to the other side of Sydney and we won’t be able to get on the court the morning of, it’s not our normal routine. But hopefully there will be a big crowd there and they’ll help get us over the line.

How challenging has it been managing fatigue with the shorter season?

It’s been a bit foreign and a bit different. The teams that have a bit more depth are in better shape now because they can share the minutes around. There’s not a lot of time to train, so it does make it especially difficult to work with your rookies when you’re on the road and you want to do a bit extra training with them, but there’s just no time. I think it’s something we just have to get used to. It is a learning curve.

WNBL18: Q & A with Townsville Fire coach Claudia Brassard

December 5, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Basketball, Claudia Brassard, Suzy Batkovic, Townsville FIre, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sport, Zitina Aokuso

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.

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.

WNBL18: Round 2 shootaround

October 15, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Abby Bishop, Adelaide Lightning, Basketball, Bendigo Spirit, Dandenong Rangers, Liz Cambage, Maddie Garrick, Melbourne Boomers, Perth Lynx, Townsville FIre, University of Canberra Capitals, University of Sydney Flames, WNBL, WNBL18

Two rounds into the competition, it’s time for the first shootaround of the year. Firstly, some early impressions of each team and then a look at what advanced statistics tell us about the best performances of the competition so far.

Townsville Fire (2-0)

Having powered to a pair of fairly comfortable wins, including a TV game defeat of the highly fancied Boomers, the Fire have every reason for optimism. Dig a little deeper, however, and the Fire’s start begins to look downright ominous for other teams. They’re yet to get import Sydney Wiese on the court and Batkovic is unlikely to have another 1-11 shooting line, as she did against the Boomers. New import Lauren Mincy looks at home and Cayla George has picked up right where she left off, snaffling every rebound in her vicinity and hitting outside shots. Both George (200 games) and Mia Murray (150 games) celebrated milestones this round, highlighting this squad’s valuable continuity and experience.

Mia Murray: Now part of Townsville's 150 games club. — Mia Murray: Now part of Townsville’s 150 games club.

Melbourne Boomers (3-1)

Despite some prolonged cold stretches in their loss against the Fire, the Boomers will be well satisfied with their form overall and they have cruised to blow out wins over the Spirit and Capitals. O’Hea is crashing the boards like no other wing in the competition and Cambage has been rampant despite playing restricted minutes. Louella Tomlinson (injured finger) will bolster their already miserly frontcourt defence when she returns. They have allowed 63 points in three consecutive games and grudged just 61 in the season’s opening clash.

Adelaide Lightning (2-1)

Signs have been healthy for the completely revamped Adelaide side, with Bishop already back in stellar form (her game against the Lynx was a statistical outlier, see below) and new signings Ruth Hamblin, Lauren Nicholson and Nicole Seekamp all making major contributions, while Nat Novosel’s ability to move the ball has revitalised their offence. A finger injury to Laura Hodges will eat into their depth, though being able to bring Colleen Planeta off the bench is a luxury.

Abby Bishop put up 35 points and 10 rebounds against the struggling Lynx.

University of Sydney Flames (2-1)

The defending champions trailed for much of an entertaining, high intensity match with Dandenong, but a couple of big plays down the stretch, particularly from Asia Taylor, Ally Wilson and Belinda Snell saw them snatch a home win. They miss the bench scoring that Tahlia Tupaea provided, however, and without the injured guard their bench have tallied 7,8 and 0 points. Fatigue may be a factor long-term if the starters need to play big minutes every night.

University of Canberra Capitals (2-2)

Capitals have certainly had a tough schedule to date, being one of only two teams to play four games and coming up against the against the two most impressive teams so far in round two. Consecutive losses have returned them to the pack. Points in the paint were crucial in both this round’s games: Fire outpointed them there 40-26, while Boomers dominated the paint 50-24.

Bendigo Spirit (1-2)

The Spirit will be collectively breathing an emphatic sigh of relief after their first win against the Lynx. A 43-point explosion in the third quarter, where Nadeen Payne, Betnijah Laney and a previously struggling Rachel Banham all run amok, hints at a lofty offensive ceiling. The hard-working Payne may be in for a breakthrough campaign, while Ebony Rolph, a real defensive disruptor at SEABL level, has earned more court time this season.

Dandenong Rangers (0-2)

Winless, but far from hopeless, the Rangers were actually troubling the Flames with Pedersen’s mobility and their ability to find mismatches for much of their round 2 loss. They have gone a combined 7/29 (24%) on three-pointers in their two games, a figure which is likely to climb significantly in coming weeks as this new look team finds its rhythm.

Perth Lynx (0-3)

While Courtney Williams (23.33 ppg) has been every bit the dynamic scorer the Lynx had hoped for, an inability to get stops has hampered last year’s semi-finalists. Teams have particularly hurt them from the three-point line, with the Flames shooting 9/22 (40%), Lightning going 10/22 (45%) and the Spirit putting up a ridiculous 12/21 (57%) from long-range. Blocks aren’t always a great measure of how well players are protecting the rim, though no team wants to record a lone block in a game as the Lynx did against the Lightning. Look for the long and defence-minded Nat Burton to play more minutes as they try to shore up their defence in time for a suddenly vital return matchup with the Spirit.

Best individual performances by Performance Indicator Rating:

Using the Performance Indicator Rating (PIR) metric, the best individual games to date have come from two of the competition’s marquee names. Abby Bishop’s hyper-efficient 35 point, 10 rebound performance against Perth just shades Cambage’s dominant showing against Canberra, where she monstered her way to 27 points and 9 rebounds in less than 25 minutes. Both games scored above 40 by this metric. For context, a score of around 10 is average, while 20 is a very good individual game. In European competition, where PIR has been used to determine individual awards, an average of around 25 is often the MVP level.

Abby Bishop v Perth Lynx 45

Liz Cambage v UC Capitals 42

Leading players by raw plus/minus:

So far, this metric (also known as ‘on/off’) shows the dominance of the Boomers and the Fire, with other Melbournians Bec Cole, Kalani Purcell and Jenna O’Hea also racking up healthy differentials. Lauren Nicholson (+9.7) and Ally Wilson (+6) lead their respective teams.

+/- differential per game

Cayla George +16

Maddie Garrick +15.5

Liz Cambage +15

Liz Cambage: already making an impact on WNBL18.

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.

WNBL18: Carly Wilson on new coaching role, UC Capitals season and the value of veterans

September 21, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Abi Wehrung, Basketball, Carly Wilson, Kate Gaze, Keely Froling, Marianna Tolo, Mistie Bas, Nat Hurst, Paul Goriss, University of Canberra Capitals, WNBL, WNBL17, WNBL18, Women's sport

Of all sport’s clichés, perhaps the most insidious is that nice guys finish last. Over her decorated WNBL career, Carly Wilson was like a one-woman counterargument to that idea, being one of the league’s most successful competitors as well as a universally popular figure and admired teammate.

Speaking to this site shortly after the last of her 363 games, UC Capitals head coach Paul Goriss said the club was keen to keep such an affable and experienced figure around, an ambition now realised with Wilson coming on board as an assistant coach.

“It feels like a natural progression” Wilson says of the appointment. “I’d taken on some player coaching roles in my last few seasons and I’ve always been lucky enough to have a really good relationship with the head coach as a player where I would be able to speak to them about anything I could see that I thought could help us, or they would come to me and get my opinions on things. So, I always thought (coaching) was something I would go into at some stage.”

UC Capitals coaching staff: Carly Wilson, Paul Goriss, Peta Sinclair. Photo: Vanessa Lam

Wilson is already relishing the move. “Every time I get to training and I’ve rushed from work and it’s been a ‘not great’ day because things have been super stressful, I think ‘Yes, I’m glad I’m on this side of the fence and not doing that same warm-up I’ve done a million times before!’. It feels right”

While Wilson played with the team last season, the squad is quite different, with only Kate Gaze, Abby Wehrung and Keely Froling returning from last year’s fifth-placed group. The youthful trio all saw Wilson as something of a mentor or quasi coach already, something she says may make the transition from playing group to coaching staff smoother.

Work commitments will likely prevent Wilson from doing too many individuals or video work, but she will be hands on at training and helping out with game plans. Wilson and fellow assistant, Peta Sinclair, a WNBL champion and experienced coach, are still working out the details of how they will divide up tasks. “I think that will happen organically during pre-season” Wilson says. “We’ll see which areas we feel comfortable in, and where we have ideas that we think will work.”

A physically taxing season ahead

One area Wilson feels her recent experience as a player can help with is in monitoring fatigue, training load and minor injuries. “When someone turns into a head coach, it’s difficult for them to keep track of those things, they just need players on court for longer and want to be coaching for as long as they can.

“I’ve still got that player mentality. If ‘Gorrie’ says at the start of training ‘We’re going for an hour and a half today’, then I’m in his ear when 90 minutes is up saying: ‘Right, how long more are we going for?’

Having a feel for the nagging pains and niggling injuries will be doubly important in the newly condensed WNBL18 schedule. “It will be a really big learning curve…it’s an environment we haven’t had to deal with before.” Wilson says. “This year there’s lots of double headers, lots of games in a short time, a lot of travel. We need to make sure we have those fit, happy, healthy bodies.”

Making the challenge even greater is what shapes as a hard-fought, supremely even competition. “I think it’s going to be really tight across the board, as you say each team could make a case for winning the whole thing.” Wilson needs to look no further than last year’s team to know the margin for error can be razor-thin in the WNBL, even for a richly talented squad.

“When I think of the team we had last year, we had such a great team and we really should have won more games. You just drop a couple and all of a sudden, you don’t make finals.”

The retiring Wilson chaired off court by Mikaela Ruef and Marianna Tolo. Photo: 5 Foot Photography

Veteran leadership

A number of experienced players from last year, including floor general Lauren Mansfield and imports Mikaela Ruef and Jazmon Gwathmey have moved elsewhere. Most significantly, the team’s co-captain, offensive focus and general good egg, Marianna Tolo, has returned to European competition.

In light of this turnover, Wilson says the locker room presence of Mistie Bass and seven-time WNBL champion Nat Hurst becomes even more important. “You’ve always got to have those steadying veterans, that people can look to on court to calm everyone down, call the plays, make good decisions. We’re lucky that we’ve got two really good ones.” Wilson also sees Rachel Jarry as a leader amongst the playing group, a role the dual Olympian has been eager to embrace.

The veteran know-how should help bring the squad together quickly. “It’ll be really important to make sure everyone’s bonded and on the same page” Wilson reflects. “In other seasons, having a slow start might not affect you that drastically, you have to time to pull it back together. But now, if we’re talking the first three weeks, that’s already six games and a huge chunk of the season done. You don’t have that luxury of easing your way into it.”

It should make for a challenging, fascinating season and the league’s return to television only adds to the excitement. “It’s even bigger than people probably realise” Wilson says of the broadcast deal. “It couldn’t be more important and I’m thrilled about it.”

WNBL18: JCU Townsville Fire Preview

September 20, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Basketball, Cayla George, Claudia Brassard, Darcee Garbin, Kelly Wilson, Laurin Mincy, Mia Murray, Micaela Cocks, Suzy Batkovic, Sydney Wiese, Townsville FIre, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sport

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.

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.

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

WNBL18: An off-season primer

July 26, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Adelaide Lightning, Basketball, Bendigo Spirit, Dandenong Rangers, Melbourne Boomers, Perth Lynx, Townsville FIre, University of Canberra Capitals, University of Sydney Flames, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sport

It’s been an eventful WNBL off-season, with last season’s stragglers, Melbourne and Adelaide, bringing in major talent, while last year’s semi-finalists also look to be strong.

Stay tuned for comprehensive previews of each team in what promises to be one of the most competitive and closely-run WNBL seasons to date.

ADELAIDE

Incoming: Abby Bishop, Aimie Clydesdale, Ruth Hamblin, Lauren Nicholson, Natalie Novosel, Vanessa Panousis, Nicole Seekamp,

Outgoing: Anne Hatchard (AFLW), Sam Logic, Anneli Maley (Oregon)

Retained: Chelsea Brook, Sarah Elsworthy, Jessica Good, Laura Hodges, Shannon McKay, Colleen Planeta

Free Agents: Jordan Hunter, Mollie McKendrick, Ieva Nagy

Coach: Murray Wong / Chris Lucas

Notes: A major overhaul from last year’s last-placed team, Adelaide have made major strides forward over the off-season.

BENDIGO

Incoming: Rachel Banham, Betnijah Laney

Outgoing: Blake Dietrick, Kerryn Harrington (AFLW), Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (France)

Retained: Kelsey Griffin, Ashleigh Karaitiana, Heather Oliver, Nadeen Payne, Gabrielle Richards, Ebony Rolph, Ashleigh Spencer, Kara Tessari,

Free Agents: Jane Chalmers, Andrea Wilson

Coach: Simon Pritchard

Notes: Bendigo should benefit from continuity as they have retained much of their 2016/17 core, including the whole second unit. They have also addressed their previous lack of outside shooting with Banham and Laney.

Capitals guard Abbey Wehrung will be back after her best WNBL season yet.

CANBERRA

Incoming: Mistie Bass, Natalie Hurst, Jordan Hooper, Rachel Jarry, Ezi Magbegor, Chevannah Paalvast, Maddi Rocci, Lauren Scherf,

Outgoing: Jazmon Gwathmey (Turkey), Lauren Mansfield (Europe), Marianna Tolo (Turkey), Carly Wilson (Retired)

Retained: Keely Froling, Kate Gaze, Abby Wehrung,

Free Agents: Janelle Adams, Maddison Allen, Callie Bourne, Issie Bourne, Alice Coddington, Mikaela Ruef

Coach: Paul Gorriss

Notes: Replacing Tolo and Wilson will be no easy task, but the Caps have brought in WNBA vet Mistie Bass and have retained some intriguing young player. They also get some genuine star power in Hooper and Jarry as well as Scherf, who looks to be on the brink of a breakthrough season. The Capitals still have one free import spot.

DANDENONG

Incoming: Tessa Lavey, Carley Mijovic, Laia Palau, Rebecca Pizzey, Kayla Pedersen, Tayla Roberts, Kiera Rowe

Outgoing: Chloe Bibby (Mississippi State), Aimie Clydesdale (Adelaide), Jacinta Kennedy (Retired), Ally Mallott (Latvia), Natalie Novosel (Adelaide), Lauren Scherf (Canberra)

Retained: Rachel Antoniadou, Sara Blicavs, Steph Blicavs (nee Cumming), Amelia Todhunter

Free Agents: Rosie Fadljevic, Madeline Puli, Saraid Taylor, Briahna Whatman

Coach: Larissa Anderson

Notes: Dandenong have a new-look team from last year’s runners-up, but again look to be finals bound. Laia Palau, a three-time Olympian for Spain, joins a star-studded backcourt.

MELBOURNE

Incoming: Liz Cambage, Chelsea D’Angelo, Courtney Duever, Cassidy Gould, Ash Grant, Peri Kalka, Emma Nankervis, Jenna O’Hea, Louella Tomlinson, Kalani Purcell

Outgoing: Alice Kunek (Perth), Olivia Thompson (Perth)

Retained: Kasey Burton, Bec Cole, Monique Conti, Maddie Garrick, Bec Ott, Brittany Smart

Free Agents: Chante Black, Kelly Bowen, Jess Bygate, Tegan Cunningham, Kalisha Keane, Elyse Penaluna

Coach: Guy Molloy

Notes: Boomers have addressed their lack of frontcourt players in the most emphatic way possible, recruiting Liz Cambage. Jenna O’Hea gives them a top-tier wing, while their overall depth looks to be a level up from last year.

PERTH

Incoming: Alex Ciabattoni, Amanda Dowe, Alice Kunek, Ali Schwagmeyer, Kayla Standish, Olivia Thompson, Courtney Williams

Outgoing: Breanna Butler (Deportivo Zamarat), Ash Grant (Melbourne), Ruth Hamblin (Adelaide), Tessa Lavey (Dandenong), Carley Mijovic (Dandenong)

Retained: Nat Burton, Toni Farnworth (nee Edmonson), Tahlia Fejo, Sami Whitcomb

Free Agents: Kisha Lee, Tenaya Phillips

Coach: Andy Stewart

Notes: Perth still have at least four roster spots for 2017/18, but have retained their key player, Sami Whitcomb, who is currently playing in the WNBA. Coach Andy Stewart has said the team is looking for athletic players who will fit into their uptempo style.

SYDNEY

Incoming: Katie-Rae Ebzery, Kimberley Hodge, Emily Matthews, Maddie O’Hehir

Outgoing: Leilani Mitchell (Turkey), Lauren Nicholson (Adelaide)

Retained: Carly Boag, Shanae Graeves, Sara Graham, Jen Hamson, Cassidy McLean, Lara McSpadden, Belinda Snell, Asia Taylor, Tahlia Tupaea, Susi Walmsley, Ally Wilson

Free Agents: Chris Boag, Hayley Moffatt

Coach: Cheryl Chambers

Notes: Most of the championship-winning squad from 2016/17 returns, but replacing basketball genius Leilani Mitchell is easier said than done. Asia Taylor was expected to move overseas, but will now return in a huge get for Sydney. Opals regular Ebzery will likely again be a top ten scorer and focal point of the attack.

TOWNSVILLE

Incoming: Zitina Aokuso, Cayla George (nee Francis), Miela Goodchild, Marena Whittle, Sydney Wiese

Outgoing: Natasha Cloud, Kayla Standish (Perth)

Retained: Haylee Andrews, Suzy Batkovic, Michaela Cocks, Darcee Garbin, Mia Murray, Kelly Wilson

Free Agents: Amy Kame, Chevannah Paalvast, Ainsley Walsh, Jacqui Zelenka

Coach: Claudia Brassard

Notes: With the return of George, Townsville have returned to their twin towers frontline who were the two leading scorers in their champion teams of 2014/15 and 2015/16. Sydney Wiese adds shooting, while the team has added some exciting youth in Aokuso, Whittle and Goodchild. The team are currently pursuing a second import.

SEABL: Kristen Veal on coaching Australia’s elite youth at the Centre of Excellence

June 26, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Abby Cubillo, AIS, Basketball, Centre of Excellence, Emma Clarke, Ezi Magbegor, Issie Bourne, Jasmine Simmons, Jazmin Shelley, Kiera Rowe, Kristen Veal, Maddie Rocci, Rebecca Pizzey, Samantha Simons, SEABL, Taylor Mole, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sport, Zitina Aokuso

There is no more intriguing outfit in the SEABL competition than Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence team. Based in the Australian Institute of Sport, it brings together the twelve scholarship holders each year and pits the top echelon of youth talent against seasoned semi-professional teams, offering a preview of the next generation of elite basketballers.

This season has seen Kristen Veal take the reins of the women’s team of the program where she had previously been an assistant coach. A former Opal, three-time WNBL champion and the youngest ever WNBA player. Veal was also an AIS scholarship holder herself and part of perhaps the most fabled collection of junior talent in Australian women’s basketball history, the 1998-99 AIS WNBL team. With a once in a generation squad including Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor, Suzy Batkovic and Belinda Snell, they rolled through the season and comfortably won the grand final.

Kristen Veal in action at the AIS training hall during her 300 game WNBL career (Photo: JJ Harrison)

While she doesn’t believe playing in the program is a prerequisite for coaching it, Veal agrees there is something to be said for this experience. “Knowing what it was like to be here, and living it first hand as an athlete is probably an advantage” she says. “It means you have some insight and some empathy with what they’re going through at different times of the year”.

The Centre of Excellence team aren’t eligible to play in the finals and its youth developmental charter means it has a different focus to most teams. This year’s team currently boasts has a 7-4 record, behind only the star-studded Kilsyth and Geelong sides in the East division. Veal says winning games is still a vital part of what the program hopes to achieve.

““If they commit and get opportunities, I can’t see why they won’t succeed””

“We have a huge focus on development but if (the players) don’t have the winning mentality and the ability to problem-solve to get wins, you’re just developing for the sake of it really. (Winning games) is not the be all and end all but they definitely need to know what it’s like to win, and how to win”.

The bigger picture of the team means that giving everyone significant court time is front of mind for Veal. Yet sometimes a game situation demands certain players stay on the court longer. “That’s always the balance we’re trying to strike” Veal says. “We could give everyone 15 minutes, but that doesn’t always teach them to win basketball games. We’ve definitely had a few games where we’ve had to make decisions and put in the kids who are playing well and have a little bit more experience”.

Abby Cubillo attacks a closeout to score. Veal describes the guard as a "natural facilitator" — Abby Cubillo attacks a closeout to score. Veal describes the guard as a “natural facilitator”

A brilliant passer as a player, Veal now has hugely promising point guards on her roster in Abby Cubillo and Maddi Rocci, who have both played significant minutes. “They’re two very different players, but I think both are turning into really good leaders and students of the game, learning how to read the game, call the game and talk the rest of the team through it” Veal says.

“Abby is more a natural facilitator, a really good passer. Maddi is a good aggressor and through that becomes a good passer because she is always looking to attack. Now she’s figured out how to use that to her advantage, attacking and then finding the open man”.

Future Capitals guard Maddi Rocci gets to the hoop, draws contact and finishes.

At the other end of the position chart is perhaps the team’s most lauded prospect, Ezi Magbegor, a 6’4 (193cm) centre who was MVP at last year’s Under 17s World Championship, where Australia handed USA their first ever loss at that level before demolishing Italy to win the gold. After the tournament, Veal described Magbegor as probably the best player of her age in the world.

She has lived up to that heady billing this SEABL season, terrorising opponents inside the paint. “She’s got some amazing strengths in her shot-blocking ability, strength, athleticism and speed” Veal says. “She’s got a great temperament, does a lot of things really, really well, though she’s still working on adding more to her game. It’s hard to say where she’ll take her game exactly, but she’ll be successful. There’s no two ways about it”.

6'4 Ezi Magbegor is a prolific shot blocker. Here, she rejects Italian player Decortes in the U/17s World Championship final. — 6’4 Ezi Magbegor is a prolific shot blocker. Here, she rejects Italian player Decortes in the U/17s World Championship final.

Another big on the team, Zitina Aokuso, recently signed a deal with the Townsville Fire. An explosive athlete with crazy upside, she has already achieved some viral fame when footage of her throwing down dunks was widely shared.

Veal has high hopes for Aokuso, who has had a meteoric rise after starting basketball late, but notes that the transition to a college program is significant and the jump to WNBL level represents an even steeper learning curve. “She’ll do well in that first year, but for all these kids we’re looking for them to hit their straps in the next 2-3 years. If they commit and get opportunities, I can’t see why they won’t succeed”.

Aokuso isn’t the only COE player who will join a WNBL roster next season; Maddi Rocci has signed with Canberra and forwards Kiera Rowe and Rebecca Pizzey are both off to Dandenong. Rangers guard Amelia Todhunter told this site she was looking forward to playing alongside the pair. “They’re great fresh young talent and they will have been working hard” she said. “They’ve still got some developing to do, but they’re very talented girls”.

Kiera Rowe, a Dandenong Rangers recruit, sinks a three.

For now, though, the team recently had a rare weekend off with a scheduled bye. Six players opted to return home, but they were due back Monday morning and would be straight back to work. With eight players in the team selected for the U/19s World Championship in Udine, Italy and another two headed to the U/17s Oceania tournament in Guam, both in July, Veal says it’s vital that they don’t let their conditioning slip.

“We need to keep building their load and their tolerance, so when they go into Worlds they have enough load in their bodies, one to protect them from injuries and two to be able to perform at that peak level”.

Veal says the physical demands of SEABL level basketball have proven a useful benchmark for her team’s progress. “It’s good for us because it means we can measure their desire” she says. “If they come up against physicality and they shy away from it or they give up, it shows we need to do a little more work on their resilience and their handling of adversity”.

Of course, it’s not just on court where the young charges need to show considerable resilience. All have left behind family and friends to take up scholarships, and Veal says that challenge can’t be understated. “It’s pretty big, maybe even moreso these days because of all they do have at home. They’re pretty lucky kids and most of them have really good support networks and friendship groups”.

The coaches have found that it takes the young players around half a year to really acclimatise to their new environment. “You do see when they come in for the first six months that there’s a fair amount of transitioning going on…they need to learn that self-management and self-talk to get through the tough times when there’s nobody there to cuddle them every time something doesn’t go their way”.

Overall though, Veal’s young charges are relishing the challenge and she has been impressed with both their growing off-court maturity and their results. While most basketballers who make the jump from junior competition to professional level find themselves ground down by the greater physical and emotional demands, Veal says that if anything, her side wants more competition against women. “They’re right on the edge of the women’s pro world and the college world…They’re at that level now where they’re itching for more of a challenge”.

Jazmin Shelley assists on a Jasmine Simmons basket

Meet the next gen: CoE team members

POINT GUARDS

Abby Cubillo: Only the second ever scholarship holder from Northern Territory, Cubillo is 2nd on the team in assists (2.8 pg)

Maddi Rocci: Shooting 3-pointers at 38.7%, leading the team. Also pulling down 5.5 rebounds a game.

WINGS

Emma Clarke: From WA, Clarke has been a prolific scorer at junior level. Had 12pts & 6rb in 20 min v Frankston.

Taylor Mole: Tasmanian Mole has shot three-pointers at 35.7%, third on the team. She had 11 points in just 20 minutes v Nunawading.

Kiera Rowe: A do-it-all forward, Rowe had an accumulated on/off total of +118 at the world championships

Jazmin Shelley: A player with excellent vision, Shelley leads the team in assists (3.3 pg) and is 6th in SEABL in steals.

Samantha Simons: Versatile enough to run the point or play off the ball, Simons has a FG% of 42.5, 2nd on the team.

Jasmine Simmons: The captain of Australia’s world champion u/17s team, Simmons is an elite prospect but has missed much of the season through injury. She has committed to Oregon State University.

BIGS

Zitina Aokuso: A 6’2 (191 cm) center, Aukuso is putting up 8.3 ppg and shooting free throws at 89.5%, leading the team.

Issie Bourne: A local junior, Bourne can play anywhere from 3-5 and was a development player for the Capitals last year.

Eziyoda (Ezi) Magbegor: 4th in SEABL in blocks, 7th in steals, Magbegor also has a field goal percentage of 59.6%, 2nd amongst players with at least 50 field goal attempts.

Rebecca Pizzey: Has 4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Projects as an athletic 4/5 who can protect the rim.