Basketball On The Internet.

THE WNBL season’s opening round threw up no shortage of surprises but two teams stood out for our first Team of the Week award of 2023-24, both providing unexpected results from their first runs to reinforce the strong belief every game has the potential to be an upset this year, with such even outfits.

The round started in Adelaide where the Boomers came from double digits down to toast the Lightning, imports Jordin Canada and Naz Hillmon standouts and Tera Reed showing she too will be better than advertised.

Melbourne backed that up by reversing a 9-point deficit to lead the highly-fancied Southside Flyers by as many as 20 points before winning 77-70, Canada with a near triple-double.

And they did it again with key recruits Sara Blicavs and Keely Froling yet to find their shooting touch but with Penina Davidson showing if there was a Sixth Woman of the Year, she already would have maximum votes.

Of course much of the preseason talk was of ex-Boomers boss Guy Molloy handling the reins at Sydney and recruiting championship-winning Opals such as Cayla George and Tess Madgen, and bringing home Lauren Nicholson from Townsville’s champion.

This was the team to beat, and Perth opened up by doing just that, Anneli Maley snaring 21 rebounds on an outfit which thrived on its self-belief and execution.

Who saw that coming? No-one, which is why the Lynx sneak ahead as our Round 1 WNBL Team of the Week.

BASKETBALL ON THE INTERNET TEAM OF THE WEEK
Round 1  Perth Lynx