A Deadly Combo: With next season now firmly in the focus, is it fittingly time to have both Larrakia Women on the floor together at the same time in Abby Cubillo and Jasmin Fejo - Photo credit to WNBL
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WNBL ROUND 14
Adelaide Lightning vs Perth Lynx
When: 7:00pm (ACDT), Thursday 16 February
Where: Adelaide 36ers Arena (Formerly Adelaide/TS Arena – The Lighthouse)
Broadcast: Nine Now
STRIKE BACK IN HISTORY
Lightning light up fire in indigenous festivities
(WNBL22 Round 13)
The WNBL’s inaugural Indigenous Round commenced in 2022 – read about the Lightning’s win over the Townsville Fire at the House of Lightning.
MATCH REPORT – Lightning light up Fire in Indigenous festivities
LTTM: Perth Lynx 82 (Bibby 25, Atwell 14, Scherf, Whitcomb 11, Sharp 10, Ryan 9) defeated Adelaide Lightning 72 (Monroe 23, Talbot, Whittle 12, Mansfield 11) at Bendat Basketball Centre
Key Matchups
Lauren Mansfield vs Sami Whitcomb
Mansfield is due for a big one tonight after averaging 7.75 per game the last four matches. Compounding that is the average of 2.5 turnovers per match – the Lightning need their point guard firing against a Lynx team with their claws out right at the pointy end of the season. She played well last time they met in the West with a 11 point, 5 assist and 2 steals statline.
“Returning storm” at the Lightning will be superstar Whitcomb. She’s only averaged nine points in her last two matches whilst also putting up an average of four shots beyond the arc. Compared to the previous four matches which was 23.75 points with seven but at 55.25 percent! She’ll need to be contained if the Lightning are going to pull off the upset.
Marena Whittle vs Chloe Bibby
Whittle has been solid in the last few games for the Lightning playing her role extremely well. She’s strung together double figures in four of her last five matches plus added three double doubles with 10 rebounds each. Her strength under the basket and physicality is a must to contain Bibby who was the hardest cat to contain from the Lynx in the West last time.
Bibby had a giant one last time they met with 25 points at 50 percent and 9 rebounds. It was a difficult matchup to contend with given her size and ability to switch between multiple positions in the floor. In the Lynx’s lineup – she takes the most of the 16.2 percent of their shots from the mid-range. Shut her down and if the rest of the Lightning team can contain the perimeter – it leaves very little scores from the mid-range option if Bibby has less touches of the ball.
Abby Cubillo vs Tayah Burrows
The second half of the season has been time to shine for Cubillo – and on Indigenous round as well she’s showing the kind of play that reflects the spirit of the round. Hard, tough, smart and packing a punch – Cubillo’s deadly play in all senses is being rewarded with larger minutes. Since the Flames game early January she’s averaged 20 minutes per game for an average of 5.6 points. Another point of interest is in combination with Whittle and Talbot – they hold opposition to 93.7 points per 100 possessions meaning they can prevent more points going up on the scoreboard than other combinations.
Its what Cubillo does off the ball that makes her a valuable recruit to the Lightning lineup in WNBL23.
The Lynx are getting plenty out of their bench too with Burrows grabbing opportunities while starting guards have been injured. Coach Ryan Petrik has thrown her in for double figure minutes the last month and its yielding dividends. She had a huge game against the Boomers with 15 points including a perfect nine of nine from the charity stripe. One to watch especially with expected 36 plus temperatures tonight and heavy rotations needed by both sides.
THREE QUESTIONS TO STRIKE ON
How much do we want to see the “deadly” combo tonight?
We’ve known for ages that both Cubillo and Jasmin Fejo can play at the level with opportunity given – now is the time with two home games left for the Lightning to see more than five minutes of the combo. Add Borlase to that and you have a powerful three I think that can work in tandem. Cubillo will set the table at the point and Fejo should be given licence to attack the rim and set those little stagger picks which then frees up her and Borlase to really put some points on the board.
How desperate are the Lynx to get this double?
Although Petrik is looking at one game at a time as he’s said on broadcast – there does need to be an eye on what needs to be done. Sitting in fifth with five games remaining the Lynx at 9-7 can get to 14 wins max. However they have lost the split to the Townsville Fire in their last two losses but can also claim their split over the Bendigo Spirit. If they got beaten by the Flyers and Spirit who are above them – 12 potential wins might be enough to tie on these splits but one slip against the Lightning or Caps could seal their fate early.
So yes – they should be desperate with very room for error in the final weeks of the regular season.
What’s the missing pieces for Lightning they should begin to have a look at around the league?
Hopefully the Lightning are having a look at two key pieces for next season – a starting centre to support an import centre like Munroe (if it is her again in WNBL24) and a South Australian local big to support Batish and Brook. Alanna Smith is the one not signed but whether she comes back to the Lightning if she returned to the WNBL is anyone’s guess. Another option to look at for a starting centre is any of the talented next generation ones sitting much pine time.
In terms of local – Hannah Hank or Lizzie Williamson (if she were to finish up early to pickup a contract like Sam Simons did) would definitely be on the radar having been involved in academy and other SA basketball national teams for multiple years.
So who wins?
The Lightning can match it with the Lynx however the opposing team have to much at stake if it comes down to a close finish. Its been all about the starts for the Lightning this season and if they can strike early then panic may settle into Perth.
I think at least for this one and rested an recovered with only one game this weekend – the Cats of the Lynx should pounce on this one for the win comfortably.
COD Prediction: Lynx by 11 points
CROSS OVER DRIBBLE 