Two massive games tonight.

100%! Also, how great is it to have 3 games back 2 back on Sunday?!

Love me some WNBL.

It's going to be quite the battle in those 2-5 spots.

TSV 9-3
PER 8-4
SSF 7-4
SYD 7-5
MEL 7-5
BEN 4-7
ADL 3-10
CAN 2-9

Melbourne-Southside should be a good one.
Hope I'm wrong but I'm not expecting a great contest in the other game though.
Fire have had our number at the best of times. Without a real point guard our offence fell to pieces the other day. Big ask to turn that around so quickly.

TSV v PER is a cracker up to half time.

Rocci stunk it up tonight. Seemed to always be turning the ball over or putting up a brick.

Lather, rinse, repeat.
Too experienced, too composed.

Perth Centre is so foul prone , every game same old same old.

If TSV can keep Zitina fit and focused they are going to be very hard to beat , it now looks like Kunek will be back as well.

Agree Cosmo. But if the WNBL had a coach's challenge, I doubt the fifth foul would have remained. Looked like a phantom call for Reid.

This was unfortunate given the officiating had been really great until then with a fair bit of slight contact being ignored (and mostly no whistles for flopping or heads being thrown backwards). I'd also suggest that this improvement has been seen across both the WNBL and the NBL in the last few months.

Perth showed a lot last night against a Townsville team that were sensational for the last three quarters. The contrast with the earlier game was stark.

That last foul Potter got on Reid was soft as. Tiny guards can drive in, put their body under someone much bigger and the refs blow the whistle. Bigs don't get those same calls. It was definitely an unlucky one for her.

Super last quarter by Lightning tonight

Gutsy win by an undermanned Lightning (no Mansfield) vs the Flames.
No passengers in the Adelaide starting 5, and they got great value off the bench from Tonks as well.
Very happy for them.

Good game, enjoyed it. Wasn't the result I expected. Tonks definitely letting everyone know she's not just a bench warmer.

There's never been any doubt that Tonks can shoot the 3 ball, not convinced she can run the point at this level but she did a better job than usual tonight. Repaid Hursts faith in her which is great.

Molloy will be fired if they finish bottom 4.

He's only the interim coach anyway isn’t he? Lol

Great game by Tonks, and all of that in only 19 minutes.

So many missed layups and simple defensive breakdowns from Sydney. Despite filling up the stat sheet every week, George sure does make the game look difficult.

Why was Jenni Screen sitting on the bench for Sydney?

Screen was? I must have missed that.

sydney just could not get it through the hoop in the final quarter

Noticed that too Mo, very strange to see Screen sitting on the Sydney bench, especially with it being a Lightning home game & I think she played her whole career with Lightning?

How does Reid get away with stragging and bumping ( 2 hands) on offensive player

And, surely she carries the ball every second offence

Rules I understand have been relaxed on this rule but you can't put your hand under the ball, it is an unfair advantage to hold the ball up

Thank goodness Rocco histrionics ( head throw back ) are now being ignored by umpires

Hope Melbourne gets going in the second half and powers Caps to the win. Southside put too much energy into whining and selling fouls.

Caps with a clear intention to not run everything through Jade tonight, which will no doubt add greater dimension to this team.

Southside coaching staff looking as clueless as ever.

It's chambers...

Well done, Caps!
Another good underdog victory in this round.

How does Reid get away with stragging and bumping ( 2 hands) on offensive player
And, surely she carries the ball every second offence

Great win by the Capitals over theb FLYERS.

How much longer can the Flyers go with Chambers in charge and a very aging team.

The GOAT is a protected species at times and gets away with murder.

Rocci knows how to dish out the dirt when things do not go her way.

Melbourne really carries the Caps and now Potter and others stepping up.

Great to see a win based off a team effort and not reliant on a 30+ game from Jade!

For the flyers, Dickey is under utilised and their defensive pressure in the final minutes was very disruptive. Would like to see her start and bring that energy to a team that just looks flat when things aren't going their way.

Great win by the Caps, fresh off a 10 day break, they had way too much energy for an aging Flyers team playing their 3rd game in 7 days.

Love seeing the Caps win, especially against Southside (you in particular, Rocci).

3 games for the Flyers in 7 days was pretty rough. And the result showed it... some teams are getting huge breaks, hardly seems fair.
On the other side of that, the Caps played for each other and are clearly having fun.

Lightning continue to struggle. I'd like to see more from the imports in offense. Borlase - how high will she go in the WNBA Draft? Top 10? Is she better than Georgia Amore who I saw listed as Pick 8?

different to Amoore, Amoore is a PG, Borlase is a 2/3, her body is ready as is Amoore's, Pouch might need a few years to bulk up. IQ wise, I would say Borlase is at the level for WNBA

Amoore is permanently in the sights of the scouts - especially since she plays alongside Kitley who is also a good chance to be picked in the 1st round - so she's at an advantage there. Scouts understand the level of competition she is up against, and have eyes on her every game.
Aussie players coming through the WNBL are always at a disadvantage in that regard.

Borlase is so ready though. She's certainly not your typical draft-and-stash prospect like Magbegor & Melbourne were, and Puoch will be.

Top end of the draft class is potentially pretty good this year (depending on who actually nominates, of course) so Borlase might not be a first rounder, but wherever she is taken someone is going to be pretty happy with her.

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Solid win by Perth today though, despite Izzy's best efforts.
We're doing well with what we have. Excellent use of Potter today exploiting that size advantage, and credit to her for staying out of foul trouble.

it's a strong draft year

I think borlase and Amoore are more than ready to jump into the WNBA. Puoch may need to grow as a professional. Very inconsistent, frame is very light and seems to have issues with her motor (a draft and stash may well be appropriate though). Time will tell, as despite all of that Puoch is one talented young lady and her future is certainly going to be bright! An Exciting group of aussies for sure.

I don't know how WNBA rules works with internationals: can someone like Jaz Shelley (or even Amoore) go from 5th year college to then be a "draft and stash" if they then play on a WNBL team next season?

On the Perth game v Adelaide I saw, thought the Lightning imports did OK defending Maley (got a little chippy both ways) but Lynx easily had depth around the court but other than Borlase Adelaide really did look a bit lost.

It really does feel like there's only 5 teams in it this season.

I too think Amoore and Borlase are WNBA ready, and that Puoch will need at least 1 more year to get stronger and mature.

WNBA Draft Eligibility
The league requires domestic draft entrants to be at least 22 years old during the year in which the draft takes place and to have no remaining college eligibility or to renounce any future college eligibility. International draftees must be at least 20 years old during the year in which the draft takes place.

To answer the draft-and-stash question, yes, any player can go that route (not just internationals, although there wouldn't be many scenarios in which it made sense for an American to do it)

Basically the player just needs to agree to it. They have to not physically turn up for the WNBA season. As long as they stay away, the team can keep their rights without them counting towards the team's roster & salary limits.
If they show up before they're good enough to make the final team, then the team will be forced to cut them and thus relinquish their rights to the player - who then becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Agree with LC

Amoore can contribute at WNBA level as a decent back-up PG or play off the ball next to a big guard.
Borlase should stay at home and develop her 3 ball and not be in a rush to get into the league. This is why I think Sandy and NY will take her as they have the ability to stash her and just sign free agents to fill their current needs.
Puoch needs 2-3 years developing before she can think of playing at the highest level. Her current basketball IQ is questionable and needs to put on muscle to even think about being to hold her own. A great long term prospect though.

None of them should be in a rush to get over there, they won't play much anyway and Shyla Heal's experience should be a warning as to what can happen. It's not like the NBA where the money is so enticing it doesn't matter, all 3 should do what is best from their further development, that's likely not the WNBA for Borlase of Puoch. I think Amoore's skill set and IQ are sufficiently developed, and her success will be dependent on maintaining them under the greater pressure of the pros, she may as well go and dip her toe in the water.

One note on Puoch, she is unlikely to put on much size, and I doubt it would be good for her given her greatest strength is her speed and agility for her height. Weigt would likely hinder these strengths. I've heard from girls who have played against her that she's really strong anyway and hard to move.

I never mentioned she needed to put on weight, she needs to put on muscle and get stronger which will in turn, make her even more explosive. Pouch has a similar skill set to Satou Sabally, it is going to be a long road to reach a similar output.
I agree girls would find her strong and hard to move but we're talking about the best of the best women from around the world.

If she puts on muscle, she will put on weight. It would be very difficult for her to maintain her agility with more weight, particularly if she is already quite strong, which is apparently the case, as those gains would only be incremental. That's not to say she shouldn't work to improve her strength, every player should, I just don't think it should be a major focus, further developing her skill and IQ are far lower hanging fruit.

The WNBA player that Puoch most reminds me of is Diamond Miller. Similar build and both have good footwork (especially euros and step-throughs), but Diamond as a rookie last year was well ahead of where Puoch is (will ever be?) as a finisher/shotmaker- probably why she was the number 2 pick!

I would like to see Puoch play elsewhere in the WNBL before she heads over if drafted.

For sure, nobody develops under chambers. Puoch should go to elsewhere.
Reid moved and look what happened.