For more than 20 years, Australia’s Opals have been the second or third best nation in women’s basketball behind the powerhouse of the USA (with the exception of the 2016 Olympics).
A large number of the players, if not all the players that have represented the Opals, have played in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) for various lengths of time and at various stages of their career.
The WNBL would be in the top four or five leagues in the world.
This Saturday night the best of three game WNBL grand final series between the University of Canberra Capitals and the Adelaide Lightning begins. Although your average Australian sports fan (unless they are a basketball fan) and the mainstream media may not even know this series is on.
There is some great coverage of the WNBL by Fox Sports and on SBS (seemingly only during the home-and-away season), podcasts like The WNBL Show hosted by Megan Hustwaite and Michele Timms and Basket Case hosted by Carol Wical and Helen Theoharakis and dedicated journalists like Roy Ward, Boti Nagy and Jon Tuxworth.
From what I have seen on social media the Canberra and Adelaide media have really got behind their respective teams during their finals campaigns and the Canberra media, in particularly have provided great coverage during the season.
However, in terms of mainstream national media – for instance national news and national sports programs, particularly free-to-air – there is next to no coverage. Given the high quality of the competition this is a travesty. Although I was happy to see Kelsey Griffin being interviewed by Paul Kennedy on ABC on Wednesday.
The grand final series will showcase Opals stars Kelsey Griffin, Marianna Tolo and Leilani Mitchell for the Capitals and Nicole Seekamp and Steph Blicavs plus future Opal Lauren Nichoslon. Both sides have quality imports in Kia Nurse for the Capitals and Nia Coffey and Kayla Alexander.
Sydney Wiese of Townsville Fire drives the ball during the Women’s NBL grand final match between Townsville Fire and Melbourne Boomers at Townsville Stadium, Townsville, Queensland, on Sunday, January 21, 2018. (AAP Image/Dave Acree)
Canberra Capitals
The Canberra Capitals are heading into the grand final series with 11 wins in a row.
Kelsey Griffin (aka KG23) was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the Asia Cup in 2017 and has won two WNBL Championships at the Bendigo Spirit winning the grand final MVP on both occasions. It is apt that KG23 rhymes with MVP because with the second most points per game during the season (18.96) and most rebounds per game (11.7) she is a very good chance of winning the WNBL MVP. Griffin had double doubles in both semi-finals – 18 points and 12 rebounds in Game 1 and 12 points and 13 rebounds in Game 2.
Leilani Mitchell won the WNBL grand final MVP two seasons ago for the Sydney Uni Flames. In the first semi-final she scored 24 points shooting 6 from 9 behind the three-point line and in Game 2 she scored 19 points shooting 5 from 7 beyond the arc.
Were you impressed when you saw Mitchell’s stats? Well you haven’t seen anything yet. Canadian Kia Nurse also was on fire in the semi-finals. Nurse in game 1 scored 31 points with 6 from 12 from the three-point line and in Game 2 scored 27 points shooting 7 from 11 from the three-point line.
I haven’t even mentioned Kelly Wilson yet. Wilson has experience in spades currently sitting 5th on all time WNBL games list with 373 games. Wilson has the most assists per Game 1n the league this season with 6.48 per game. In Game 2 of the semi-finals Wilson had 12 assists. Wilson also has won WNBL championships with the Bendigo Spirit and Townsville Fire.
Mariana Tolo provides experience, a presence in the paint and watch for her along with Griffin to crash the boards. Keely Froling, Lauren Scherf and Maddison Rocci will provide support from off the bench. You would only have had to listen to one WNBL Show episode this season to know that Rocci is one of Michele Timms’ favourite players.
Adelaide Lightning
Adelaide’s resolve in the second half of the season has been remarkable. In late November after a loss to the Melbourne Boomers, Adelaide coaches and players were informed that the Lightning were facing extinction and were in need of significant investment to survive past this season.
Nicole Seekamp is second for assists per game during the season (6.13 assists per game). Seekamp scored 18 points in Game 1 of the semi-finals and had 12 assists in Game 2. Lauren Nicholson had 23 points in Game 2. In Game 1 both Seekamp and Nicholson had four steals each.
Steph Blicavs has won two WNBL championships in the past, one with Dandenong and one with the Townsville Fire. She also won gold at the Commonwealth Games and silver at the World Cup with the Opals in 2018. Blicavs is set to play her 300th WNBL game during the grand final series.
Nia Coffey is top five for average points during the season (18.39 points per game) and seventh for average rebounds (8.43 rebounds per game). The Las Vegas Aces WNBA player has been a brilliant recruit for the Lightning. Coffey scored 16 points in Game 1 of the semi-finals and 30 points in Game 2.
The NBL/WNBL 2018-19 Season Launch in Sydney, Monday, October 8, 2018. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)
The Lightning’s other import Kayla Alexander is top five for average rebounds with nine per game. Alexander had 11 rebounds in Game 1 of the semi-finals series and nine rebounds in game two.
Aimie Clydesdale, at the age of 25, has already been playing in the WNBL since 2010. She was a member of a WNBL championship winning team at the Dandenong Rangers. And along with Blicavs crossed from the Rangers at the beginning of the season.
So come on mainstream media get on board.
If you are a sports fan (but not necessarily a basketball fan) in Canberra and Adelaide get along to a game (if there are still tickets available) and if you are in the rest of the country or unable to get to the game watch the grand final series on Fox Sports or Kayo Sports, You won’t be disappointed.
University of Canberra Capitals vs Adelaide Lightning
Game 1: At AIS Arena Saturday February 9 at 5:30pm AEDT (5pm ACDT)
Game 2: At Titanium Security Arena Wednesday February 13 at 6:30pm ACDT (7pm AEDT)
Game 3 (if necessary): At AIS Arena Saturday February 16 at 5pm AEDT (4:30pm ACDT)
Statistics courtesy of wnbl.com.au
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