It’s our last line-up from the WBBL Regular Season and also the penultimate starting five of the entire 2016-17 campaign!
Alex Smith (Leicester Riders)
It was a scintillating second place finish for Riders and much of their best work this season has come from their talented guard. Smith was in terrific form during the last day win at Cardiff Met Archers, as she collected a stellar double-double of 20 points and a spectacular 14 assists to sign off the Regular Season in style.
Alison Gorrell (Team Northumbria)
She may have started quietly against Caledonia Pride, but Gorrell was like a runaway train as she took over the contest at Sport Central. She denied the visitors a potential dream ticket to the Play-Offs with a tremendous night of work. Her final stat-line saw her score 25 points, grab five boards, snap up four steals, hand out two assists and not commit a single turnover.
Lauren Thomas-Johnson (Manchester Mystics)
Mystics managed to take a top-four finish thanks to completing their scheduled fixtures with a hard-fought win against bottom side Oaklands Wolves. Thomas-Johnson was a colossus for the hosts as she kept up her excellent work on the boards of late. Her final tally of 10 rebounds facilitated a classy double-double for the GB player, who poured in 25 points.
Kara Bonenberger (Team Northumbria)
While Gorrell made some serious noise in the backcourt for Northumbria, it was Bonenberger who did the business inside as she showcased her skill-set with great effect. She cut down Caledonia with some devastating play under the hoop and was relentless on the glass. That contributed to her amassing a wonderful double-double of 18 points and 16 rebounds.
Erika Livermore (Leicester Riders)
The frontcourt star proved tough to handle for the Archers defence, who wilted under her constant pressure in the paint and ruthless efficiency. Livermore cut down her Welsh opponents by racking up a stellar double-double of 22 points and 13 boards, to catapult Riders into second spot and into this weekend’s Play-Offs with real momentum.
Off the Bench – Savannah Wilkinson (Barking Abbey Crusaders), Judit Fritz (Cardiff Met Archers), Sarah Thomson (Caledonia Pride), Abigail Johnson (Barking Abbey Crusaders), Gabby Nikitinaite (Sevenoaks Suns), Ashley Harris (Nottingham Wildcats, Brittany Winborne (Westfield Health Sheffield Hatters).