Catch a very special sneak peak of the SA Shotclock soon to be released including the reviews of the Adelaide Lightning and Adelaide 36ers, previews of upcoming games, some Prentice predictions come to past and a one on one with the next Star of the 36ers in the energetic Trentyn Flowers
Catch a very special sneak peak of the SA Shotclock soon to be released including the reviews of the Adelaide Lightning and Adelaide 36ers, previews of upcoming games, some Prentice predictions come to past and a one on one with the next Star of the 36ers in the energetic Trentyn Flowers
WNBL24 is upon us starting with the deadly celebration of Indigenous Round to open Wednesday WNBL – where fans can get their first look at the Adelaide Lightning combo bringing you the blockbuster strikes this summer in the Borlase and Bourne identities…
Here’s the preview of the enormous opening match of Round 1 of WNBL24
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
We are a couple of rounds into a brand new summer of basketball for NBL24 and WNBL24
We want to continue our work telling the stories of SA Basketball this summer and beyond with world championships, local legends, NBL and WNBL previews, reviews and NBL1 off season news and predictions – Can you PLEASE HELP US with a shotclock sub of $14 or $24 a year to help us do this?
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
EP 5 – River City Rebound Review WNBL24
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
Its been no secret that Dejan “DJV” Vasiljevic has been in the Sixers sights for sometime – now it seems Adelaide has landed its feature act to accompany the Flowers and Kell show. The Phoenix has it’s own big act back in town in Alan “Sauce” Williams and the greatest showman in Bryce Cotton is only days away – so with a former Beatle just gracing the arena in the last day – its bound to be for both teams this weekend a case of Live and Let Fly.
Here’s the preview of the double header for Round 4 of the NBL…
New tune to jive to - Its been no secret that Dejan "DJV" Vasiljevic has been in the Sixers sights for sometime - now it seems Adelaide has landed its feature act to accompany the Flowers and Kell show - Photo Credit to Adelaide 36ers/NBL
We are a couple of rounds into a brand new summer of basketball with NBL24 and WNBL24 just around the corner
We want to continue our work telling the stories of SA Basketball this summer and beyond with world championships, local legends, NBL and WNBL previews, reviews and NBL1 off season news and predictions – Can you PLEASE HELP US with a shotclock sub of $14 or $24 a year to help us do this?
We saw that breakout from Trentyn Flowers last week – lets go back to when Giddey put his claim on the Sixers guard position after starting behind Donald Sloan back in NBL21.
A famous second home game for the Adelaide 36ers where the next star and NBA bound rookie Josh Giddey emerged with 13 points after three quarter time and an engrossing duel between former teammates DJ and Mitch Creek.
Josh Giddey showed his first glimpse of what superstar he could be in a classic double overtime thriller vs SEM Phoenix
For something different listen to our pre-game Cluch Basketball Radio show the SA Shotclock here for our preview of the Adelaide 36ers against the South East Melbourne Phoenix and the Perth Wildcats
EP5 – Flower, Rockets and Masters of their Universe – NBL24 RD 4 Preview
THREE QUESTIONS TO SWOOP ON
How does Dejan Vasiljevic fit in this 36ers team?
The Sixers have gone for the scoring punch so you can’t see him starting on the pine what so ever – the most likely move is shifting Kell to the three where he can be that multi-faceted player (DJ Newbill was a good mention by Pick and Roll’s Jordan McCallum in his piece this week) with Dejan at the two shooting guard position.
The lineup of McCarron, Vasiljevic, Kell, Wiley and Humphries appears the most likely one we’ll see with that combo – that gives you the backup of Cadee, Marshall, Dech, Starling/Tohi-Smith Milner and Galloway. That on paper looks much better but the on court is where we want to see it lift.
This weekend features another three coaches with question marks in CJ, Mike and John – but who will be the biggest casualty of the weekend if their team drops these fixtures?
I’ll start with least regardless of result I don’t think its Mike Kelly – win or loss he’s got time to figure this out. The Perth game Saturday becomes a n intriguing one for the losing coach. The spectre of Trevor Gleeson looms for both coaches that can’t be denied but even with a Sixers loss there is an expectation from Wildcats faithful and if they fail again- Rillie will sadly have plenty of pressure on him from the weekend onwards.
If Adelaide do get both wins this week – how does that change their next few weeks?
Crazy thing is they play Perth again with New Zealand in between which looked pretty much like 0-7 a week ago. But if they were to launch on the road from a 3-4 record – then the belief could rise to make it 4-5 or even 5-5 then its home against Tassie and then Phoenix again.
After a tough start Adelaide could find itself back ay close to 500 by end of November if they play their parts and pieces right…
So who wins?
The impact of DJV will tell us much about the team and if they have the right makeup in the back court now – the question mark is still over the front court and whether another piece is needed. In terms of getting these two right now is the best time to force two wins and launch into the next quarter of the season in a much better position then maybe most were anticipating.
COD Prediction: 36ers by 7 points (Phoenix) and 5 points (Wildcats)
Catch all the action this weekend 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 