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Opinion
How will the Sydney Uni Flames perform this WNBL season?
There have been a number of roster changes for the Sydney Uni Flames. Sarah Graham has retired, Tahlia Tupaea and Britt Smart have joined the University of Canberra Capitals and Lara McSpadden has headed north to the Townsville Fire.
Last season: sixth
You can read the rest of Scott’s WNBL preview series here.
2020 Roster
Lauren Mansfield has extensive experience in the WNBL with the Adelaide Lightning, South East Queensland Stars, University of Canberra Capitals and Perth Lynx.
Mansfield played college basketball for Midland College and Iowa State University. Mansfield also won a silver medal as part of the Opals team at the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup.
Alison Schwagmeyer is another great recruit for the Flames. From Illinois originally, Schwagmeyer started her professional career in Europe. Schwagmeyer then moved to Perth, where she won the Western Australia State Basketball League MVP three times. She has been an integral part of the Perth Lynx for last few seasons.
Schwagmeyer averaged 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and two assists and was awarded the WNBL Sixth Woman of the Year award in 2019-2020.
Lauren Scherf commenced her WNBL career with the Dandenong Rangers, where she won the WNBL Rookie of the Year. Scherf then joined the University of Canberra Capitals, where she won a championship in 2018/2019. In 2019-2020, Scherf averaged 8.3 points, eight rebounds and 2.4 assists per game for the Flames.
Experienced forward Natalie Burton returns to the WNBL after two seasons in Europe with French team Union Saint-Armand Porte du Hainaut and German team Herner TC. Burton has previously played with the Melbourne Boomers and Perth Lynx. Burton also has plenty of international experience representing the Opals at the 2016 Olympics.
Anneli Maley brings energy and enthusiasm to any team she plays for. In limited minutes for the Southside Flyers she hit the boards. In the 2019 playing with Diamond Valley in the NBL1 competition Maley led the league in rebounds and won the Youth Player of the Year award.
I would expect Maley to shine with extra minutes for the Flames and will quickly become a favourite of Flames fans. Maley is the daughter of former NBL star Paul Maley.
Shanae Greaves began her WNBL career with the Melbourne Boomers. This will be Greaves fifth season with the Flames and she has now played over 150 WNBL games.
Kiera Rowe spent the last three seasons at Dandenong Stadium (two with the Dandenong Rangers and one with the Southside Flyers). Rowe represented Australia at FIBA junior events between 2015 and 2017. Flames coach Katrina Hibbert coached Rowe at the Under 20 Australian Championships in 2018.
Funda Nakkasoglu received a rookie WNBL contract with the Bulleen Boomers in 2012. Makkasoglu began her college career at Utah State before transferring to the Florida Gators. She averaged 17.4 points for Utah State and averaged 15.8 points per game and had a three-point shooting percentage of 39.6 per cent for the Gators. Nakkasoglu has recently been playing with Galatasaray S.K. in Turkey.
North Sydney Bears junior Maddie O’Hehir has been with the Flames since being a development player in 2017/2018. O’Hehir has played for the Hornsby Spiders in the Waratah League and also played with the Sydney Sparks in the SEABL.
Forward Carly Boag was a member of the Flames’ 2016/2017 championship winning team. Carly played College basketball at Minto State University in North Dakota. In 2014/2015 Carly spent a season with Leon Tregor Basket 29 in France. Last season, Boag played for Espoo Basket Team in Finland.
Christina Boag has reunited with her twin sister Carly. Christina was previously a development player with the Flames during the club’s 2016/2017 Championship winning season. Christina also attended Minot State University, averaging 10.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game during her college career. Christina returns to Sydney from the Townsville Fire.
Alison Schwagmeyer of the Flames, Kelsey Griffin of the Capitals, Mia Murray of the Fire, Maddie Garrick of the Boomers, Steph Talbot of the Lightning, Tessa Lavey of the Spirit, Jenna O’Hea of the Flyers, Darcee Garbin of the Lynx at the WNBL launch. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Sherrie Calleia has played for Hills Hornets and received the Coaches Award for the Sydney Uni Sparks for the 2018 SEABL season. Calleia suffered an ACL injury in December 2018.
Maddie Norris had her first season with the Sydney Uni Flames in 2018/2019. Norris has played for the Sutherland Sharks in both juniors and the Waratah League.
Prediction
The Flames have recruited well with the addition of Mansfield, Schwagmeyer, Burton and Maley. The Flames will be right in the hunt for a top-four spot and I think they will be battling it out with the Townsville Fire for fourth spot.
Predicted finish: fifth
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