Some may argue that the ‘Power Players’ as titled in our Pre-Season preview are exactly where you’d expect them to be. Defending champions Bulleen sitting atop the ladder, with 2022 champions Wyndham just behind. But there is more to this than meets the eye and we take a deep dive into the detail.
With a 10-team deep competition for the 2024 season, we previewed that we’d see a more competitive season than was witnessed in 2023 with newcomers to Championship Women being more than ready and the lower placed teams recruiting well and positioning themselves with stronger lineups. The reality? That is exactly what has occurred!
Bulleen asserted their dominance in the opening 5 rounds and it has been hard to find a chink in the armour of the Boomers. We questioned whether the loss of Bontempelli would hurt their ambitions of going back-to-back, but Van Es has increased her output, whilst club junior Kelli Romas has been scoring and distributing at will. One noticeable strength of the Boomers has been at the defensive end where they’ve been physically tough. Limiting 5 of their first 6 opponents thus far to under 60 points, their defensive effort has truly impacted their ability to score the ball at will.
Round 7 on the 19th of May is the one to mark in the diary, as we’ll see the offensive juggernaut that is Wyndham (average a score of 93 points per game) go head-to-head with the stifling Bulleen defence (average 50ppg against). Not only is it the Grand Final rematch, but the battle of two opposing styles from coaches Mason Rogers and Gerard Hillier will be enthralling to watch!
However, Wyndham haven’t had things all their own way in 2024. It has been a long time (two years) since Wyndham lost to a team that wasn’t named ‘Bulleen.’ In what was viewed as an upset, the new crew on campus Warrnambool sent the Wyndham ladies packing with a loss in Round 2, the Mermaids winning 75-74 at home.
Amanda Paschal continues to be amongst the league’s best averaging a tick over 28ppg, clearly benefitting from the Wyndham offensive system. Along with Paschal, recent 300 gamer Jamie-Lee Pearce (congratulations again by the way!) and Julie Brosseau form Wyndham’s version of the ‘Big 3’ at the offensive end and will require a magic formula from the opposition to be stopped this year. As always, a contributing factor to their continuous success has been their 3-point threat, attempting 231, 41 more than the second highest in the league.
The newcomers to Championship Women in 2024 are Bellarine and Warrnambool and they’ve boldly entered the topflight and held no prisoners taking it to the established teams. Word on the street is that one international player at Warrnambool literally walked in from the street late in pre-season and said, “I am looking for a game, are there any teams looking for a player?” That player proved she could shoot and dribble a little and suddenly the Mermaids had a star on their hands! Between the young scoring machine Dakota Crichton and the double-double queen from Poland Julia Nielacna, the Mermaids have themselves a very handy combination which has already. The Mermaids are sitting pretty in 4th with a 5-2 record, but of course at this early stage, there are a swag of teams sitting just behind them. One of those two losses was to fellow newcomer – Bellarine.
For the Storm from Bellarine, as predicted the import combination of Rettstatt and Strait is electrifying and form potentially the best 1-2 punch in the league; averaging more than 36ppg and 20rpg between them. Additionally, Chantelle Hall has provided significant support for the Storm, averaging 14.86 points and 7 rebounds per game. Leading the league in both offensive and defensive rebounds, their ability to hold teams to 1 shot per possession whilst giving themselves second chance opportunities may put them in good stead moving forward.
Whilst the Storm also have a 5-2 record and are placed 3rd, if it is any comfort, their two losses were both to Wyndham, one of which was a loss in single digits. Don’t sit on the Storm – the Runners-up of Division 1 in 2023, might just be building for a run in August.
In pursuit of the top four teams mentioned earlier, we find a mid-tier pack consisting of Pakenham (3-4), Sherbrooke (3-4), and Hume City (2-4), all of whom were categorized as "The Chasing Pack" in the season preview. It seems we've accurately pinpointed their status as we approach the one-third mark of the season.
As predicted the Warriors expected a lot from experienced guard Briana Whatman and import Hallie Nickerson and that's exactly what they’ve got! True to expectations, Hallie currently leads the team in both scoring and assists, averaging an impressive 20.14 points and 4.57 assists per game, closely trailed by Briahna with 14.29 points and 4.29 assists. Melissa Prior is contributing significantly to the scoring and Ebony Sans shines in rebounding. What should be noted for Rob Dielemans and his squad is unlike most, they have significant depth with approximately 9 players seeing significant playing time.
The competition is looking for serious contenders for the playoffs – is that Pakenham? The 34-point win over Sherbrooke says ‘yes’ but some other results leave you questioning whether they’re going to take another step forward. This mid-season stretch starting with a matchup at home against Sunbury will answer exactly that!
Sherbrooke was the third best team in every sense of the word in 2023, but we’ve said time and time again, the competition has improved; serious challengers have emerged, and Sherbrooke appear to have been caught off guard at times in the early part of the year. The preseason question, "Are They Ready?" now gains significance as, five rounds into the season the Suns are placed 5th but with a 3-4 record. A rocky three game losing streak looked worrying against mid-table opponents, so they’ve now found themselves amongst the chasing pack, trying to secure a playoff position.
Alicia Carline continues to shine with a dominant 20ppg and 15rpg with Miranda Gartner and Tenaya Sooalo providing valuable offensive contributions for Sherbrooke.
Can the real Hume City Broncos please stand up?
(Carey) ‘Paps’ and the Broncos grabbed themselves two early wins in the opening two rounds, but now find themselves on fur game slide. Did the Round 3 double away losses to Wyndham and Bulleen shake them? With 2-4 record things start looking daunting, but let’s be optimistic here for a second. With losses to Bulleen and Wyndham, plus last year’s 3rd placed Sherbrooke – none of those are to be sneezed at, with the other loss being at the hands of now genuine contender Bellarine; it could be argued the ladder is simply a reflection of a tough schedule to start the 2024 season. Round 6 does not get easier, as the Broncos head to Warrnambool.
We haven’t ruled you out Hume City as a challenger! What better way to stand up, than to make the road trip to the ‘Bool and collect one of the toughest wins on the Victorian basketball schedule!
The Sunbury Jets under coach Monique Stevens have built a team that has an eye for the future, and we love it. No, they’re probably winning the title, but it is no secret that Sunbury are undergoing a rebuild of sorts and things seem to be heading in a positive direction. What an impact Chloe Hildebrand has had upon returning to her original junior club teaming up with sister Abby! Are they amongst the best Australian combos in Big V? Scoring 32 points per game and 15 rebounds per game, certainly sends a message! With import Veronika Mirkovic and the experienced New Zealander Jess Bygate, whilst we’re not expecting Sunbury to feature at the end of the year, we’re certainly expecting them to influence final positions of the playoffs, as demonstrated by their Round 5 victory over Sherbrooke!
McKinnon finds themselves disappointed with their season's start, having secured just one win thus far, which came against Pakenham in Round 3. Their schedule predominantly features matchups against teams ranked outside the top 4 leading up to the mid-season break. If they can align their efforts and execute in crucial moments, a few more victories could well be within their grasp. Emily Maltezos has shouldered much of the scoring responsibility since Round 2, averaging 15.5 points per game. Meanwhile, import A'lexxus Davis has been a consistent contributor, currently boasting double-double figures with 12.17 points and an impressive 11.67 rebounds per game. With their key players performing, McKinnon has the potential to turn their season around and secure more wins in the upcoming matches.
The Camberwell Dragons have faced a tough start to the season, failing to secure a win thus far. However, upon closer examination of their results, they've only suffered significant losses in two games to Bulleen and Bellarine, with the remaining four games being single margin losses. It is easy to overlook this when assessing the bottom team; but they’ve proven to be good enough to win, they just need to finish in the closing stages!
If they persist in their efforts and improve their execution in late-game situations, their first victory may not be too distant. Eleni Valos and Emily Whitehouse have emerged as the primary scoring forces for the Dragons.
As the competition heats up and teams battle for a playoffs berth, the Championship Women’s competition promises thrilling matchups and intense battles. With stalwarts like Bulleen and Wyndham setting the pace, and new kids on the block Bellarine and Warrnambool making bold statements, who is going to take it up to these teams? Expect excitement, surprises, and, undoubtedly, some remarkable basketball still to come.
Don't forget, you can experience all the excitement of our Championship Women’s games live on our website. Simply navigate to the fixtures tab, select the game you wish to watch, and when tip-off time arrives, sit back and enjoy our broadcast.
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