WBBL Statstars: January 2017

We look at who has been coming up with the goods in the WBBL during January.

Scoring machines
There were three players who passed the 20 points per game average and it is an all-GB podium. Led by Steph Gandy (Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters) who poured in 23.75 points per game, she was followed by Kyla Nelson (Oaklands Wolves) and Gabby Nikitinaite (Sevenoaks Suns) who both racked up an eye-catching 20 points per game.

Sharp-shooters
Rather fittingly, the Molten WBBL Player of the Month sits proudly at the top of this chart, with Dominique Allen (Manchester Mystics) dropping a super 67% from the field. She was closely followed by Ashley Harris (Nottingham Wildcats) with 66% and Kara Bonenberger (Team Northumbria) with a productive 63% from the floor.

Deadly from downtown
It wasn’t a huge month for the three-point shooters in terms of volume, although the accuracy was there for sure. The chart is topped by Deanne Hayward (Leicester Riders) who made an impressive 57.1% from the behind the arc, while Nicolette Fong Lyew Quee (Team Northumbria) made half of the shots she put up from downtown. Helen Naylor (Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters) took the last podium step after sinking 46.2%

On the glass
There were four players who all accumulated double-digits on the glass, with Brittany Winborne (Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters) leading the way with 13 boards per game. She was followed by Dominique Allen (Manchester Mystics) with 11 rebounds per game, while Ashley Harris (Nottingham Wildcats) and Tricia Oakes (Caledonia Pride) garnered 10.8 and 10.7 boards respectively.

Passing the rock
Georgia Jones (Manchester Mystics) continued to dominate as the league’s top playmaker after handing out a mesmerising 8.3 assists per game during the month, with Alex Smith (Leicester Riders) also dishing up a highly impressive 7.7 assists per game. Ellis Clayton (Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters) had a nice six assists per game, while Jamila Thompson (Leicester Riders) is perhaps the surprise entrant as the forward is more known for her athleticism in the paint, but still came up with 5.7 assists per game.

From the line
Georgia Gayle (Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters) was the only player to hit more than 90% of her free-throws during the month after converting 20 of 22 attempts, which returned 91%. In second place, Rheanne Bailey (Manchester Mystics) had 88.2% and Ashley Harris (Nottingham Wildcats) and Anne Pedersen (Sevenoaks Suns) were tied for third with 84.6%.

Steal merchants
There was no separating both Melisa Mendes (Nottingham Wildcats) and Nicolette Fong Lyew Quee (Team Northumbria) who each snapped up 3.5 steals per game. Sarah Wagstaff (Cardiff Met Archers) was next in line with 3.3 steals per game, while Alison Gorrell (Team Northumbria) and Stef Collins (Cardiff Met Archers) also passed the three steals per game landmark.

The swatters
Anne Pedersen (Sevenoaks Suns) and Brittany Winborne (Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters) were the best two shot-blockers in the league as they both swatted 1.7 shots per game. Meanwhile British centre Christina Gaskin (Barking Abbey Crusaders) and Alison Gorrell (Team Northumbria) blocked one shot per game.

*Minimum 3 games to qualify.