Two unbeaten teams each have two representatives in the latest WBBL All-Star 5 after London Lions moved to 9-0 and Sheffield Hatters to 8-0 in league play over the weekend – but somebody’s 0 has to go, as these four stars will clash when Hatters host Lions this coming Saturday.
Stephanie Umeh – London Lions
Lions remained unbeaten in the WBBL Championship, now joint-top at 9-0, after a dominant win over Oaklands Wolves at the Copper Box Arena on Friday, leading to a first All-Star 5 appearance of the season for the most effective sixth woman in the WBBL, Stephanie Umeh. She came from the bench to post a big double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 8-11 (72%) from the field and a perfect 7-7 at the line.
Rebecca Cardenas – Sheffield Hatters
Texas-native guard Rebecca Cardenas also features in the weekly team for the first time in this campaign after Hatters scored a big 88-68 home win over Newcastle Eagles on Sunday. She scored 17 points on 8-10 (80%) inside shooting, while nabbing six steals and handing out five assists, including a buzzer-beater among seven first quarter points as Hatters led throughout and by double-figures early on; while she also had three early steals that all led to scores as Hatters had 30 points from turnovers.
Helen Naylor – Sheffield Hatters
Naylor makes her third All-Star 5 appearance of the season, and second in a row, after leading the scoring for Hatters in that game with an efficient 25 points on 11-14 (78%) shooting including a perfect 3-3 from long range. That included five points in the fast 8-2 start and, perhaps more importantly, a big three-pointer among seven fourth quarter points after Newcastle threatened a comeback having got back to within single-figures late in the game.
Kennedy Leonard – London Lions
London’s star point guard, Kennedy Leonard, also posted a double-double in the win over Oaklands, finishing with 16 points and 10 assists and, like her teammate, shooting a perfect 7-7 from the charity stripe. It was a fourth double-double of the season for the league’s leader in assists, as she makes her fourth All-Star 5 appearance so far, joint-second most of any player.
Erika Williams – Manchester Met Mystics
Mystics moved into a share of fourth spot in the WBBL Championship as American forward Erika Williams scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds in their home win over Leicester Riders, levelling their league record with that opponent. Mystics had a fast start as Williams scored a pair of three-pointers to start and end a 9-0 first quarter run, hitting another pair back-to-back in an 8-0 second stanza burst as they led 22-11 and she had 17 points on a perfect 5-5 from beyond the arc before the break.
Off the bench: Chloe Gaynor (Newcastle Eagles), Dominique Allen (Manchester Met Mystics), Makana Stone (Leicester Riders), Brooklyn Mcalear (Leicester Riders), Maddy McVicar (Newcastle Eagles), Katie Bennett (Durham Palatinates), Merissa Quick (Oaklands Wolves).