Week 1 Women's SBL Wrap
THE Willetton Tigers came so close to a Women's SBL Championship in 2015 and they have started impressively in their quest to go one step better in 2016 winning twice in the opening round while having the Player of the Week and two players named in the Team of the Week.
The Tigers went neck and neck right throughout the 2015 season for top spot with the Rockingham Flames and ended up just falling short of the minor premiership, and ultimately the Championship after a thrilling Grand Final with the Flames.
But they have started 2016 in style beating the East Perth Eagles 72-57 on Friday night to open the season and backing it up with an 83-54 victory over the Flames in a Grand Final rematch on Saturday.
Other Week 1 matches on Friday night saw the Perth Redbacks beat the Kalamunda Eastern Suns 72-56 and the Stirling Senators win a thriller 67-66 over the Lakeside Lightning.
And also on Saturday night, the Perth Redbacks won for a second time within 24 hours beating the Cockburn Cougars 67-56 while the Joondalup Wolves thumped the South West Slammers 75-36.
The Women's SBL Team of the Week for the opening round included Kate Malpass (Tigers), Ebony Antonio (Tigers), Nikita-Lee Martin (Wolves), Amber Land (Senators) and Lisa Wallbutton (Redbacks).
Malpass was named the Player of the Week after 19 points, six rebounds and two assists on Friday while shooting 7-of-11 from the floor.
She then had 25 points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals against the Flames on Saturday shooting 11-of-22 from the field.
Her teammate Antonio also had 19 points and five boards in the win over the Eagles on Friday, and 26 points and three assists on Saturday including hitting 6-of-10 from three-point territory.
Martin led the charge for the Wolves in a 39-point win on the road to the Slammers with 23 points, 11 rebounds and three assists while hitting 8-of-10 from the field, and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe.
Land delivered 18 points, 17 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots in Stirling's one-point win over Lakeside at Warwick Stadium on Friday.
Wallbutton made her first appearance with the Redbacks on Friday finishing with 11 points and 13 rebounds against the Eastern Suns, and then another 16 points, 13 boards, three assists and two blocked shots on Saturday against the Cougars.
There were plenty of other standout performers across the weekend as well including on Friday night Nicole Jorre St Jorre top-scoring for East Perth against Willetton with 14 points.
As well as Land's efforts on Friday for Stirling, new import Kara van Dyke also had 18 points and nine rebounds, and Taylor Bestry 13 points and six boards.
Alison Schwagmeyer marked her return to the SBL in style with 24 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Lightning.
In Perth's win over Cockburn on Saturday, Wallbutton received plenty of support most notably from Jess Jakens who had 15 points and nine rebounds while shooting 6-of-9 from the field.
Chelsea Evans had 18 points and five rebounds for the Cougars, and Thornton Cherridy 14 points and six boards.
The Flames might have gone down heavily to the Tigers but Jacinta Bourne did all she could after a season in the WNBL with the Perth Lynx, finishing with 17 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists.
Martin wasn’t the only Wolves player to put up impressive numbers in the big win over the Slammers with Amy Kidner also contributing 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals.
WEEK 1 WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE WEEK
Kate Malpass (Willetton Tigers)
Ebony Antonio (Willetton Tigers)
Nikita-Lee Martin (Joondalup Wolves)
Amber Land (Stirling Senators)
Lisa Wallbutton (Perth Redbacks)
WEEK 1 WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kate Malpass (Willetton Tigers)
FRIDAY WOMEN'S SBL MATCHES
East Perth Eagles 57 lost to Willetton Tigers 72
Kalamunda Eastern Suns 56 lost to Perth Redbacks 72
Stirling Senators 67 defeated Lakeside Lightning 66
SATURDAY WOMEN'S SBL MATCHES
Perth Redbacks 67 defeated Cockburn Cougars 56
Willetton Tigers 83 defeated Rockingham Flames 54
South West Slammers 36 lost to Joondalup Wolves 75
Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Vicki Hile
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