There’s a pair of London Lions making their season debuts in this week’s All-Star 5, led by the return of star point guard Kennedy Leonard as they remain unbeaten atop the WBBL Championship, joined by a Sevenoaks Suns duo and the new outright leader in overall appearances.
Kennedy Leonard – London Lions
Lions improved to 6-0 in the WBBL Championship with Saturday’s road win at Cardiff Met Archers as British guard Kennedy Leonard – who leads the league in assists – came close to a triple-double to make her first All-Star 5 appearance of the season. She scored 12 points on 5-6 (83%) shooting, handed out a season-high 14 assists, and grabbed another season-high eight rebounds in the game, including a hand in every basket as she hit a three-pointer with two assists in the 7-0 burst to open the second half that gave them a commanding double-figure lead that they held to the end.
Julia Koppl – Sevenoaks Suns
Sevenoaks have returned to form with three straight wins in all competitions after edging Essex Rebels, another form side, on the road on Saturday, leading to a second All-Star 5 showing of the season for Julia Koppl, but her first since week three. She had a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds, including knocking down 3-4 (75%) from the three-point line, along with three assists and three steals. Suns controlled the first three quarters and led from tip-to-buzzer as she scored nine in the opening period, and they needed that cushion to hold off a late fightback as they scored just seven in the fourth, five of which came from Koppl.
Araion Bradshaw – Sevenoaks Suns
Like her teammate, American guard Araion Bradshaw makes a second appearance of the season, but first since week two, as she also posted a big double-double in that win over Rebels. She finished with 19 points and a massive season-high 16 rebounds, along with six assists and two steals as the league’s steals leader. Suns scored 29 first quarter points as Bradshaw had eight of those with six rebounds and two assists in that spell, before adding seven points, four rebounds and three assists as the lead peaked in the third period.
Karly Murphy – Sheffield Hatters
Hatters improved to 5-1 with a derby day win over Manchester Met Mystics at home on Saturday, as the Molten WBBL Player of the Month for November moves clear at the top of the overall appearances chart with her fourth of the campaign so far. In under 24 minutes she put up a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds, five of which came at the offensive end as Hatters had 21 second chance points, while also dishing out four assists, including six points in a 23-4 start to the second stanza that put the game beyond the visitors.
Mikiah Herbert Harrigan – London Lions
Former WNBA player Kiki Herbert Harrigan makes her first All-Star 5 appearance of the season after leading all scorers in London’s road win at Cardiff. She poured in 23 points in just 22 minutes, along with six rebounds and three blocks, including six points in the opening 10-4 run as Lions led from the outset and throughout, before scoring eight points in the fourth to hold off a fightback from the hosts.
Off the bench: Sune Swart (Essex Rebels), Kirsty Brown (Leicester Riders), Hannah Shaw (Sheffield Hatters), Oliana Squires (Leicester Riders), Lauren Saiki (Cardiff Met Archers), Claire Paxton (Essex Rebels), Shannon Hatch (Cardiff Met Archers).