Basketball On The Internet.

FINALLY, as of the completion of Round 12, every WNBL team has now had at least one appearance as our coveted "Team of the Week" with the last team of our eight competitors in the league and a preseason championship favourite breaking through to make it a rare sweep for the entire competition. Everyone has been a winner.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that it has taken Southside Flyers - a team loaded with talent, depth and unmatched experience - this long to flex its muscles sufficiently to earn the top honour.

But Round 12 was when the Flyers made their move, sneaking up into second spot behind Townsville after stopping fellow Victorian WNBL clubs Bendigo and Melbourne.

Opening the round with a decisive 30-11 first quarter, the Flyers drove a stake through Bendigo's growing Final Four hopes, winning 84-57 despite star forward Lauren Jackson aggravating a knee injury.

Bec Cole's 17 points at 60 per cent, 3-of-4 threes, seven assists and five rebounds stood out for Southside and in Jackson's sidelining, Carley Ernst came off the bench to add 15 points at 58 per cent.

Leilani Mitchell nailed 3-of-4 threes as well, Southside firing its long-range missiles with regular accuracy, going 12-of-23 while keeping Bendigo to 5-of-24.

Mitchell, recently inserted as a starter, was even more dynamic in Southside's 84-82 win over Melbourne, nailing a back-breaking 19 points with three 3-pointers, and seven rebounds, four assists and a steal.

Returning to the lineup for her 200th WNBL game, Jackson opened in complete control of the keyway before a knee knock sent her to the bench. But she was there again when it mattered in a tense finish, scoring 20 points to lead the Flyers.

The Flyers are flying and to acknowledge that, they comfortably claim their first 2023-24 Team of the Week accolade.

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEEK
Round 12 Southside Flyers
Round 11 Bendigo Spirit
Round 10 Melbourne Boomers
Round  9 Sydney Flames
Round  8 Uni of Canberra capitals
Round  7 Townsville Fire
Round  6 Melbourne Boomers
Round  5 Perth Lynx
Round  4 Townsville Fire
Round  3 Adelaide Lightning
Round  2 Melbourne Boomers
Round  1 Perth Lynx