All-Star 5 – Week 23

After a weekend of sensational performances in the WBBL Championship, the latest All-Star 5 includes three double-doubles and a triple-double, and is led by Jo Leedham-Warner as London Lions become the last unbeaten team left standing; alongside a pair of debutants from another form team, Caledonia Pride.

Jo Leedham-Warner – London Lions
The London 2012 Olympian extends her lead at the top of the appearances chart with this being a ninth All-Star 5 showing, as her team extended their lead at the top of the WBBL Championship with victory at Nottingham Wildcats on Saturday. It was a customary do-it-all performance from Leedham-Warner, completing a double-double of 20 points on 7-10 (70%) shooting along with 12 rebounds, also adding seven steals and five assists, including five points in an early 16-3 run from which they never trailed, and a dagger three when the hosts tried to get back in late on.

Taylor Edwards – Caledonia Pride
Pride made it an outstanding seven straight wins with a weekend double, up to sixth in the table, as American guard Taylor Edwards completed an impressive triple-double to make a first All-Star 5 appearance, helping to beat Newcastle Eagles in front of a record crowd at Vertu Motors Arena. She finished with 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 steals, including two points, three assists, three rebounds and five steals in a fourth quarter that they won 22-9 to seal victory.

Cat Carr – Sevenoaks Suns
Suns bounced back from losing their unbeaten league record with a double-figure win at Cardiff Met Archers, as Cat Carr goes joint-third in overall weekly appearances with this being a sixth, but first since week six after appearing five weeks in a row early in the season. She poured in 24 points in 28 minutes, shooting 57% from the floor, while handing out six assists and grabbing six rebounds, including scoring 10 points in six second stanza minutes as Suns established a double-figure lead by the half.

Georgia Jones – Manchester Met Mystics
Georgia Jones is another familiar face who returns to the team, making her first All-Star 5 appearance since the opening weekend of the season, after Mystics won on the road at Newcastle following consecutive defeats. Jones played all 40 minutes and posted a huge double-double of 19 points and a sensational 18 assists, also grabbing five boards. They had established a double-digit lead, that they would hold, by the 15 minute mark as Jones pulled the strings with nine points and eight assists by that stage.

Erin McGarrachan – Caledonia Pride
Another member of the in-form Pride who makes her All-Star 5 debut is Scottish forward Erin McGarrachan for her performance in their other win of the weekend at home to Essex Rebels, whom they leapt over to sixth in the table following that big result. In just 26 impactful minutes off the bench, she had a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 10-13 (76%) from the field, making an instant impact as she scored the go-ahead basket soon after checking in during the first quarter, sparking a 14-2 surge in which she added the last six points, with Pride never trailing thereafter.

Off the bench: Vanessa Akra (Manchester Met Mystics), Frankie Wurtz (Sevenoaks Suns), Georgia Gayle (Sheffield Hatters), Miriam Menendez (Oaklands Wolves), Merissa Quick (Oaklands Wolves), Holly Winterburn (London Lions), Ebony Horton (Sheffield Hatters).