Starting a new series? - Lightning fans should have plenty to looking forward to including the pre-season form of Izzy Borlase and new talent Issie Bourne - Photo Credit to Snap Shot Photography
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4-Minute Read
WNBL ROUND 1
Adelaide Lightning vs Melbourne Boomers
When: 6:30pm (ACDT), Wednesday 1 November
Where: Adelaide 36ers Arena – The Lighthouse
Broadcast: Kayo Freebies, ESPN
STRIKE BACK IN HISTORY
River City Rebound shows rising talent
Listen to our pre-game Cluch Basketball Radio show the SA Shotclock here for our summation of the Lightning’s preseason games with four time Olympian and champion Lightning player Laura Hodges
Key Matchups
Izzy Borlase vs Kristy Wallace
A sparkling debut* season as the Betty Watson Breakout player and sixth woman of the year for the local no doubt is ready to elevate once again for the season ahead. Now donning the famous number 14 – Borlase will be one of the engine rooms for the Lightning. Her career average of 12.89 points, three rebounds and 2 assists is bound to rise with her ability to hesitate then turn the corner on her drives a feature of her game already confusing opposition defenders.
No doubt I’d see her getting one of the lockdown players of the league in Wallace who has triumphed in recent seasons off the back of her WNBA form. The Indiana Fever and former number 16 pick in the second round of the 2018 WNBA draft is a tenacious defender is one of two players returning for the Boomers. She had a career best season with 15 points, five rebounds and assists per game and chalked up 32 steals.
Brianna Turner vs Naz Hillmon
When I first heard it in the winds about “Breezy” returning to the Lightning – I immediately said its the piece they needed in WNBL24. Provides rebounding power, experience and already is familiar from her previous WNBL stint with the Lightning in 2019/2020 season – one of the most memorable in the club’s history. She averaged 16.83 points, 10.78 rebounds and just under two assists per game. Expect more of the same with a harder edge for the 191cm forward.
Hillmon has come in after Lavender was unable to travel to Australia for the season and will need to produce for Lucas. Replacing Olivia Nelson-Ododa adjusting to the officiating will be a key for her in her first game in the WNBL. Hillmon comes with a big reputation having put up 4.1 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Atlanta Dream starting more than half of their games and was the first rookie in Dream history to average five rebounds per game. On that alone her numbers should double and a half across the season – but “Breezy” is a tough matchup first up.
Issie Bourne vs Sara Blicavs
The Canberra Nationals NBL1 East product is ready to produce a big debut season. If preseason was anything to go by Bourne was averaging plus 20 points including some beautiful pick and pop actions and spacing of the floor whilst also crashing some glass – just the things the Lightning need to cover the absence this season of Whittle (Europe) and Brook (Break). She had 28 points, eight rebounds and four assists against the Fire and 31 points against the Flames. Here’s hoping she can transfer that to the main season.
Blicavs looks ready to re-energise after an up and down season at the Flyers. She was minus four in points and one in rebounds compared to her past half a decade. I don’t think these will stay down and she has the capability of making a mess of the Lightning’s rotations on defence with her versatility. Her 41 points against the team she plays for now the Boomers should remind everyone what she is capable of.
THREE QUESTIONS TO STRIKE ON
Who takes Steph’s position in the starting five?
The Lightning showed in the preseason the ability to put the ball in the hands of Mansfield, Borlase and Bourne – the curious thing is whether with the preparation of Willoughby arriving late for the season if Hurst decides to go for at least Mansfield, Borlase, Turner and Bourne guaranteed starters.
That leaves me with the thought Brazel will be in there alongside Mansfield and with her ability to see the floor and assess Mansfield should get first crack but quickly could move to the two if Brazel and Borlase get control after a hot start.
How much change is too much change for the Boomers?
You look at Lucas’s roster and like all WNBL ones its chock full of talent. Gone are Madgen, Tiffany and Leilani Mitchell, WNBA champion Cayla George and retired Mia Murray (Newley) leaving some major holes – coming in are two new imports in LA Sparks Jordin Canada who can flat out play (13.3 points and six assists in WNBA23) as we know from her WNBA career and Hillmon. Add the experience of Blicavs, Aimie Rocci, Keely Froling and talent of Taylah Simmons, Akiene Tera Reid and the multi sport star of Monique Conti – There are only two players left minus development ones in Wallace and Davidson. Compared to the Lightning they’ve got a bit of gelling still to do by the looks of things
But you’d never underestimate the masterful Chris Lucas ever…
What key figure are we looking at tonight for the Lightning to show improvement?
Rebounding and rockets from deep – Lightning lacked consistent rebounding power in WNBL23 and consistent clips from deep when it counted. There were definitely games where Mansfield, Talbot and Borlase lit it up but across the season were ranked sixth with 33.8 percent. They were also fifth in rebounding – with recruiting they may have addressed these areas.
So who wins?
Opening night of the WNBL is always difficult to predict but I just feel the home-side has made some significant in-roads during the pre-season whereas the Boomers we still aren’t sure on. I do feel the game still rests in the hands of how Canada and Blicavs hit the ground running with the visiting team – think the Lightning however sneak a Wednesday night thriller…
COD Prediction: Lightning by 2 points
Catch all the action this week at the arena on Cluch Radio with our SA Shotclock call team whether you’re at the game or watching from home
CROSS OVER DRIBBLE 