Women’s sport – Page 2 – The Evening Game

WNBL: 18 Things to Look Forward to in WNBL18

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

Sydney become the hunted

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

Dandenong’s duck boat friends

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

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

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

The grudge match

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

The return of Liz Cambage

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

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

The unscripted moments

Like this fine spill:

The youth brigade

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

Suzy Batkovic’s quest for six MVPs

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

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

Kelsey Griffin: Anything is Possible

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

New stars: Williams, Banham, Wiese

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

The tactics

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

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

Hold On, We’re Going Home

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

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

An eight-team race

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

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

The match-ups

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

The Sami show

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

Slam dunking?

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

The ageless Belinda Snell

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

The double-headers

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

It’s back on TV

Let’s dance!

WNBL18: Perth Lynx preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Shootaround: Stars of the weekend, womens round 13

July 2, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Ashleigh Spencer, Ballarat Rush, Basketball, Bendigo Lady Braves, Canberra Capitals Academy, Chantel Horvat, Chloe Bibby, Eve Braslis, Geelong Supercats, Kathleen Scheer, Keely Froling, Lara McSpadden, Launceston Tornadoes, Monique Conti, Nicole Romeo, SEABL, Tayla Roberts, University of Sydney Sparks, WNBL18, Women's sport

As the SEABL Women’s competition approaches its closing rounds, some of the brightest prospects in Australian basketball recorded breakthrough performances. It was a weekend mainly highlighted by rising stars, though a couple of familiar faces also made their presence felt.

Nicole Romeo, Sandringham Sabres (33 pts, 7a, 6r)

Now an established player in Spain’s Division 1 competition, WNBL veteran Romeo answered an SOS from Sandringham coach Simon Giovannoni after his side ran into injury trouble. She is proving to be one of the league’s best scorers and is on fire from the deep, hitting 3-pointers at a crazy 57.1%.

Keely Froling, Canberra Capitals Academy (27 pts, 19r, 5a)

Averaging a double-double this season, Froling is one of the hardest players in SEABL to keep off the boards and in this game collected more rebounds than Nunawading’s entire starting five. She has also improved her passing this year, dishing out another five assists here. Froling ended the game with a plus/minus tally of +30 in a big win and looks set to play a larger role for the Caps next season.

Chloe Bibby, Bendigo Lady Braves (31 pts, 9r, 2st)

An excellent all-round player who can score inside and outside, Bibby has been getting to the line more than any other player in the competition. In this game, she hit 3/7 three-pointers and went 8/9 from the line on route to her second 30-point performance of the season. Having already seen some WNBL action, Bibby is headed for Michigan State University, a school expected to challenge for the National Championship.

Chantel Horvat, Geelong Supercats (33 pts, 11 r, 2 st)

A puzzling omission from the Gems squad which will compete in the U/19s World Cup, Horvat has continued to put up huge numbers at SEABL level and has the valuable ability to score in any number of ways. She shot 14/20 on 2-pointers and went 0/7 from 3-point range in this one, suggesting she will absolutely torch sides when the long-range shots start dropping.

A runner for Chantel Horvat, one of many shots in her arsenal.

Monique Conti, Melbourne Tigers (21 pts, 8 a, 4 st)

A real energiser bunny of a player, Conti was on the court for every second of this win over Frankston and continues to get to the hoop, dish out assists and generally be a blur of motion. It’s not hard to share the enthusiasm of her Melbourne Boomers coach, who told this site “She’s a terrific talent and a hell of a good kid. She is legit”.

Eve Braslis, Geelong Supercats (25 pts, 4 r, 2 st)

With Geelong stars Alex Bunton and Sara Blicavs sequestered in Phoenix for Opals training camp, Braslis seized the opportunity for more playing time. Averaging 5.3 ppg going into this clash with Launceston, the 17-year-old forward put up an efficient 25 points (11/15 FG), grabbed 3 offensive rebounds and had 3 assists.

Tayla Roberts, Launceston Tornadoes (23 pts, 20 r)

In career best form, the Dandenong-bound Roberts again put up a monster stat line. While she wasn’t as efficient in this contest as she has been previously this season, her 17 defensive rebounds kept Launceston in the contest and were almost half the Torns total of 35.

Kathleen Scheer, Hobart Chargers (29 pts, 8a, 7r)

The Washington-born Scheer already has an WNBL stint and a SEABL championship-winning shot on her resume, but she’s making a good case for another call-up to the elite level with her play this season. This week’s stellar line, in an important close win over Geelong, was no anomaly – she’s one of the competition’s top five scorers (20.9) and rebounders (11.5).

Hobart Chargers star Kathleen Scheer goes to work from the elbow.

Lara McSpadden, University of Sydney Sparks (27 pts, 6r, 2b)

Easily her best points tally of the season, Gems and Flames squad member McSpadden had 27 in just 29 minutes as Sydney went down in a close one. Her WNBL coach, Cheryl Chambers, previously told this site “She’s really motivated, I never had to go and find her to do individuals” and it seems that committed approach is paying dividends.

Ashleigh Spencer, Ballarat Rush (29 pts, 11 a)

Still a WNBL free agent after playing for Bendigo Spirit last year, the South Australian born guard chose a good time to put up her best scoring tally of the season. Another Ballarat player familiar to WNBL fans, Joy Burke, also chipped in 23 points and 9 rebounds.

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.

WNBL: Laura Hodges on WNBL18, new Opals era and still loving the game

June 19, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Adelaide Lightning, Basketball, Chris Lucas, Laura Hodges, WNBL, WNBL17, WNBL18, Women's sport

“I still love the game as much as ever” Laura Hodges says. It’s a simple enough statement, but for basketball fans who feared the four-time Olympian may slip into retirement during the off-season, it’s positively stirring.

While some reports suggested the Sturt junior may call time on her career or move to another team, she recently re-signed with her hometown team, the Adelaide Lightning, strengthening an already stacked squad and further cementing her legacy as one of the state’s best ever basketballers.

“Towards the end of the season when I wanted to stay the reason why maybe (Adelaide) were a bit worried was that I was wanting to have a family” Hodges says. “It’s hard to explain, but I always just wanted to play in Adelaide, I’ve always wanted to play for them ever since I was a junior here. That Adelaide will be strong next year is just a bonus”.

Hodges continued to be an efficient inside scorer for a young Adelaide team.

Hodges’ play in season 2016/17 didn’t exactly suggest a player at the end of the line, as she again ranked in the top ten in points per game and rebounds per game, keeping the scoreboard ticking over with a polished array of put-backs, running hooks, transition layups and a reliable baseline jumper and mid-range game.

Advanced statistics paint an even more rosy picture of her season; she had a true shooting percentage of 51.8%, only fractionally behind league MVP Suzy Batkovic, who shot 52.2% by the same metric. She also continued to be a strong defender, quick enough to defend in space as well as in the post.

Yet Hodges brought much more to the team than stat sheet stuffing and her presence in the locker room was vital. Coach Chris Lucas told this site “I’ve been lucky to have some great leaders, but Laura Hodges is one of the best captains I’ve ever had. She’s a great player and an exemplary leader, just a delight to have around”.

A reliable baseline jumper has netted Hodges many points over the years.

Long-time Opals teammate Kristi Harrower had been equally effusive, describing Hodges as the “perfect teammate” in an article looking back on her accomplished career. “She is so unselfish” Harrower wrote of Hodges. “It’s never about her putting up big numbers”.

For her part, Hodges says she simply aspires to be the kind of mentor she had when she joined the Lightning as a young AIS alum in 2002. “I want to help people as much as I can, whether that’s just in a small way or whatever. When I first came to Adelaide, there were people like Rachael Sporn and Michelle Brogan here and they were such a massive help to me, I just lapped it up. Any little tip they had for me, it was so helpful”.

Hodges led Adelaide with 2.5 offensive rebounds per game.

Hodges’ leadership was particularly important given Adelaide’s youth last year. With an inexperienced squad assembled just before the season tipped off, the group displayed plenty of resilience despite their lowly position on the ladder.

Combo guard Sarah Elsworthy and forward Chelsea Brook, both local juniors, showed plenty to suggest bright futures at this level. Both will be back with a vastly more experienced set of teammates for the WNBL18 campaign. Hodges has high hopes for the pair.

“When you see how hard they work, it’s pretty clear they’ll be able to step it up to another level. Their maturity is such a great thing”. While the raft of new players the Lightning have recruited may cut into their playing time, Hodges says both Elsworthy and Brook will continue to play a crucial role. “With the league next year having so many games in such a short time, you need everyone to be contributing, you need to go ten deep”.

Live Jazz: Hodges with Opals legend Jenni Screen at the NBA Finals. (Photo: Instagram Laura_Hodges11)

Before gearing up for that campaign, however, Hodges had a rare break from training with her first proper holiday in years, travelling to the US with her husband. For this basketball lifer, however, there was inevitably basketball involved as she caught up with fellow Olympians Patty Mills and Joe Ingles and cheered from the stands as the latter put up a series of spirited performances in the Jazz’s playoff run.

Hodges also spoke with incoming Opals coach Sandy Brondello, who was preparing for the WNBA season with her Phoenix Mercury. Hodges talks with obvious enthusiasm about the appointment of her 2004 Olympic teammate, which heralds a new era for the Opals. Hodges will be part of a training camp for the Squad which takes place in Brondello’s Arizona base in late June.

“I just loved learning from her” she says of her time as Brondello’s teammate. “She was a really intelligent player and now she’s a very intelligent coach. She wants to implement her style of basketball and she only has a short time before the Asia qualifiers (in July), but I think it’s very exciting for Australian basketball to have a coach with that level of WNBA and European experience”

Fuelled by that excitement, Hodges is ready for the next chapter of a career which not too long ago seemed set to draw to a premature close. But there is no doubt that she is all in. “I’m now 33, almost 34, so I’ve been around a while, but I still love it” she says. “I just want to play as much I can and for as long as I can”.

An 05/06 trading card of Hodges (nee Summerton)

Laura Hodges 2016/17 Adelaide Lightning stats

Points per game: 17.56 (4th in league)

Rebounds per game: 7.13 (10th in league)

Assist to turnover ratio: 1.27

Free throw attempts per game: 4.88 (5th in league)

Field goal percentage: 48% (8th in league – minimum 50 attempts)

WNBL: Amelia Todhunter on 3v3 World Cup, dogged defence and her dog Louie.

May 29, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Amelia Todhunter, Basketball, Bec Cole, Carley Mijovic, Dandenong Rangers, Kayla Pedersen, Larissa Anderson, Nadeen Payne, Sara Blicavs, SEABL, Sport, Tessa Lavey, WNBL, WNBL17, WNBL18, Women's sport

Third in season 2015/16 and second last year, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that the Dandenong Rangers are slowly but surely building to something special. They recently re-signed tireless point guard Amelia Todhunter, whose relentless defensive work gives the side much of its identity. The 29-year-old says the team’s recent second place finish will be front of mind when they return to training. “We’ll embrace it for sure and use it as motivation” she says.

“There’s the three of us coming back (with Sara Blicavs and Steph Blicavs [nee Cumming]), but we’ve recruited really well. Getting Kayla (Pedersen) back is really exciting”. As Todhunter says, the Rangers will have something of a new look squad next season, but it’s not like the group are complete strangers. Blicavs, Carley Mijovic and new signing Tessa Lavey all came up together at the Australian Institute of Sport and are looking forward to reuniting on court.

Todhunter is currently playing for the Dandenong Rangers SEABL team, where she is putting up her best three-point shooting numbers (48%), making her more of an off the ball threat.

The Rangers SEABL side often plays Todhunter alongside fellow point guard and outgoing co-captain Aimie Clydesdale. Come the WNBL season, she expects to often share the court with Opals floor general Tessa Lavey in similar small ball two point guard lineups.

Todhunter often guarded the opposition's best scorer. Here, she sticks to Melbourne star Maddie Garrick and forces a turnover. — Todhunter often guarded the opposition’s best scorer. Here, she sticks to Melbourne star Maddie Garrick and forces a turnover.

“It’ll be really good working with Tessa” she says. “I think we can play that way where whoever gets the ball is the one (for that play) and the other one can run up the court. I think playing together will work well and will improve both our games”.

A smart, unselfish player on the offensive end, Todhunter is best known as a tenacious, pesky lock-down defender. Last year’s campaign, her tenth, was her best season as she racked up steals, snaffled rebounds from the clutches of larger opponents and pursued opponents up and down court and through mazes of screens, pushing herself into the discussion for WNBL defensive player of the year.

Not blessed with any great size or height, Todhunter instead relies on hard work and basketball smarts to negate opposing scorers. Every week, Rangers assistant coach Reece Potter compiles a video of her coming assignment, and then Todhunter starts scheming. “I try to see what (her opponent)’s go-to move is, and I try to take that away” she explains.

Always ready to hit the floor to grab a loose ball, Todhunter is one of the league's ultimate hustle players. — Always ready to hit the floor to grab a loose ball, Todhunter is one of the league’s ultimate hustle players.

In the mould of celebrated on-ball stoppers like Shane Battier and Briann January, Todhunter studies the tapes of her opponents long and hard and draws on every minute of her experience, which has given her an extensive knowledge of players tendencies and habits. “I’ve been in the league for a while now, so I know a lot of players games really well” she says.

Not only does she know some opponents better than they know themselves, she also has a strong grasp of her own game and sticks to a well-defined role. “I’m definitely more of a hard-worker than a finesse player” she says. “I pride myself on hustling and working really hard”.

Asked who her toughest defensive assignment has been, Todhunter says there are a number of very difficult covers. “The league is full of amazing players” she says. “I would say Leilani Mitchell, she is a bit smaller than me, which is hard to find, but she’s really tough and has so much experience”. Sami Whitcomb also rates highly, while she is glad she no longer has to guard new teammate Tessa Lavey in games and is expecting some tough battles against Adelaide-bound Aimie Clydesdale.

Todhunter guards Sydney Flames star Leilani Mitchell in last year's grand final. "She's a bit smaller than me...but she's so tough, and has so much experience" Todhunter says. — Todhunter guards Sydney Flames star Leilani Mitchell in last year’s grand final. “She’s a bit smaller than me…but she’s so tough, and has so much experience” Todhunter says.

Before those matchups, however, Todhunter will be part of Australia’s 3v3 team in the FIBA World Cup, which kicks off in Nantes, France on June 17. She will represent Australia alongside new Rangers recruit Mijovic, Bendigo’s Nadeen Payne and Boomer Bec Cole.

Todhunter says the preparation has involved the squad upping their aerobic fitness to even greater levels. “A lot of the training has just been sprinting for ten minutes straight. It’s very physical and it’s a lot more fast-paced. In three on three, you’ve just got to be going and going and going”.

Australia are relatively inexperienced in the format and will enter the tournament seeded 19th, but Todhunter says they have the nucleus of a successful team. “We’re working hard to be ready. (The format) is new to us, but I think we’ll pretty competitive. The games are going to be really physical, but being smaller, it’ll be nice to have a bit more space. Bec Cole and I will be looking to penetrate a lot and then kick the ball out”.

Louie, Louie: Todhunter's King Cavalier in the Dandenong Rangers calendar photoshoot. — Louie, Louie: Todhunter’s King Cavalier in the Dandenong Rangers calendar photoshoot.

Finally, here at The Evening Game, we take a strong interest in the WNBL’s top doggos and had to ask Todhunter about her King Charles Cavalier, Louie, whose listed interests include exploring, cuddles and “the ladies”.

Her beloved pet is already something of a celebrity; he has his own Instagram account and even appeared with Amelia in the Rangers 2017 calendar. Todhunter says she has plans for an international-themed Louie post to tie in with her 3v3 campaign.

“I’m going to get him a little Australian jersey!” she laughs. “I just have to find something small enough. It’s funny (the attention Louie gets), because I find him pretty adorable”.

Amelia Todhunter 2016/17 Stats:

Points per game: 4.89

Assists per game: 1.96 (5th on Rangers)

Steals: 46 (3rd in league)

SEABL: Five Things We Learned from Sydney v Frankston

May 21, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Basketball, Carley Mijovic, Chelsea D'Angelo, Frankston Lady Blues, Kimberley Hodge, Lara McSpadden, Maddie O'Hehir, SEABL, Shanae Graeves, Tahlia Tupaea, University of Sydney Sparks, WNBL18, Women's sport

The University of Sydney Sparks pulled away from the visiting Frankston Lady Blues (3-5) early in the fourth quarter of this one, outscoring their opponents 26-13 in the last stanza to finish with a 22-point win. Here are our takeaways from an impressive outing which saw the young Sydney team improve to a 6-3 record:

Young Sparks Run Free

The Sparks are kind of the Milwaukee Bucks of the SEABL, with seemingly endless reserves of long, athletic players that can bother opponents with steals, blocks and deflections. They’re a raw group, but they’re exciting and play up-tempo, high energy basketball.It was a good night all round for the youth bridade; guard Maddie O’Hehir had one of her best games, collecting 10 points. Lara McSpadden, a member of the Gems squad, was particularly influential in the second half as Sydney took control, showing some nice post moves to go with her three blocks and Kimberley Hodge was again strong, registering a +19 plus/minus, the (equal) best in the game.

Slow down Mijovic, Slow down Frankston

Athletic, tall (6’6) and a polished outside shooter, Mijovic is a rare talent. As her former WNBL coach Andy Stewart told this site “There’s not much in world basketball that is beyond her”. In this game, however, she had an unhappy shooting night, and unlike Tupaea, who was allowed to drift around the three-point line unbothered, Mijovic was always closely guarded.

Sydney switched heavily on the Frankston star, who at different times was met with size and strength (Shanae Graeves), length (Kimberley Hodge) and a smaller, but mobile perimeter defender (Tupaea). The Sparks ultimately held Mijovic to 5/20 shooting and her relatively quiet night went a long way to the Sparks winning the game.

Sparks bruiser Shanae Graeves collects one of her four rebounds for the game.

Sherrie on top

While young guard Sherrie Calleia hasn’t played major minutes for Sydney yet, she certainly put together a decent case for more playing time with a here, there and everywhere cameo, collecting 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals in an action-packed 8 minutes of court time.

Chelsea D’Angelo is on the rise

Already a development player with the Melbourne Boomers, the 17-year-old D’Angelo is a pacy guard who can get to top speed quickly and really attacks the hoop with vigour. She showed some nice skills at the rim, using an up and under on a couple of occasions to finish over Sydney’s talls. Her 17 points led Frankston in scoring.

Tahlia Tupaea: Swiss Army Knife

Recently drafted by WNBA team Minnesota Lynx, Tupaea has all the tools to make her a real multi-dimensional threat at this level. Her high-level vision led to some cheap points for Sydney as she constantly looked for transition points. She contributed in any number of ways, picking off passes, getting a couple of sneaky weakside blocks and successfully competing with Frankston’s giant frontline for loose rebounds. Her 21 points paced the game, but this was another performance that went way beyond scoring.