Basketball On The Internet.

Women’s Topic Friday: ADELAIDE Lightning next week should announce triple-Olympian and 2014 WNBL All Star Five forward Laura Hodges as the club’s key retainee.

The Lightning this week confirmed Angela Marino and Jess Foley would be back for the 2014-15 campaign under new coach Jeremi Moule and alongside new signings Alex Bunton (Canberra Caps) and Emma Langford (Logan Thunder).

Retaining Marino, the daughter of Lightning chairman and majority owner Vince Marino, was a no-brainer.

And 2008 Championship starter and All Star Foley also was a monty to return, now heading into the second year of her medical studies in Adelaide.

Considering she surrendered the captaincy of the Townsville Fire after their 2012-13 Grand Final campaign to return to Adelaide for study, this too was arguably a no-brainer.

Foley was the team’s second leading scorer last season with 12 points per game, along with four rebounds and two assists.

Marino led the Lightning in assists with 3.4 per game, along with 10 points and three rebounds.

“Both players have more than 220 WNBL games each worth of experience,” Moule said.

“I know they can perform at a high level – that’s what I’ll expect of them and what they should expect from themselves.

“Jess is such a versatile player at both ends of the floor.

“She’s got so many ways she can score and she can defend point guards through to small forwards.

“Angela has the ability to really challenge defenders with her dribble penetration and perimeter shooting.

“To be able to do both is a valuable skill set because it allows her to create shots for herself and her teammates.

“I’m really looking forward to working with both players.”

But Hodges is the key catch and will give Moule a positive potential starting quintet to build around.

Last week Opals’ off-guard and dual-Olympian Jenni Screen revealed she was not on Adelaide’s radar and might be forced to look elsewhere, despite the club remaining her first choice.

The club subsequently confirmed its main priority was securing its “bigs” so the 2006 Opals World Champion may yet get a look in with Lightning.

Unless another "hot" club swoops first.

ABBY Bishop’s midweek announcement she would be returning to play for the Capitals for two more years confirms what we said here a few weeks ago – that Canberra again will be in the playoff hunt in the 2014-15 WNBL season.

Her new contract has a clause offering her a pre-determined amount of paid childcare for baby Zala, the nine-month-old in her care.

Anyone at Basketball Australia paying attention?

This is how you do it.

Bishop was forced to quit BA's Opals squad for this year's World Championship assault after the federation suddenly introduced a parental policy leaving the onus for childcare funding, the costs of flights and accommodation for a nanny, and seeking permission for Zala to be in the team environment, to the talented 25-year-old forward.

This is after Bishop took on the role of motherhood two days after Zala was born to her sister.

Instead of applauding such a monumental and selfless act by one of our elite sportswomen, BA shot itself in the face again with its totally unwarranted, unnecessary "policy".

The Capitals instead teamed with the University of Canberra to offer Bishop and Zala childcare to ease the burden on the semi-professional basketballer.

"Abby is a great role model," Caps coach Carrie Graf told the Canberra Times.

"It's a great statement about young women ... many of Australia's great players have had kids and come back.

"Former Opals captain Robyn Maher, a legend, played in the WNBL 11 days after the birth of her second child. I was coaching her in Sydney at the time. Abby's situation is unique, it wasn't planned or prepared for, but she's getting on with business.

"She's put Zala first and she's too good to not have 10 years of basketball left."

(The full story is at: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/basketball/abby-bishops-joint-basketball-and-childcare-contract-a-statement-for-female-athletes-says-carrie-graf-20140604-zrxax.html )

Stephanie Talbot’s two-year recruitment by Canberra also has been formally acknowledged now too and with Lauren Jackson also back in the capital, last season’s top four – Bendigo, Townsville, Dandenong, Melbourne – all will have reason to be looking over their shoulders.

Expect some noise and activity out of Sydney shortly with the Flames - like the Kings - starting the 2014-15 campaigns with new faces in their coaching chairs.

TOMORROW: A random Flashback to 1975 - you know, before the NBL/WNBL.