The WBBL returned from the international break in spectacular fashion with the Betty Codona WBBL Trophy quarter-finals and a huge upset in the WBBL Championship, with five teams represented in the latest All-Star 5 led by Shannon Hatch.
Shannon Hatch – Cardiff Met Archers
Archers, currently occupying the final Play-off spot in the WBBL Championship, scored a significant road win over the team one place below them, Durham Palatinates, with a big performance from captain Shannon Hatch leading to her third All-Star 5 appearance of the season. She scored 22 points on 11-14 (78%) interior shooting, with eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, including eight points and five boards in the last 11 minutes as Archers broke a tie with a dominant finish to the game.
Katie Nolan – Newcastle Eagles
Newcastle have four wins in a row in all competitions, up to sixth in the WBBL Championship and through to the Betty Codona WBBL Trophy semi-finals after Katie Nolan led them to a one-point win at Essex Rebels on Saturday, resulting in her second consecutive All-Star five showing and fourth overall, joint-third among all players. She posted a huge double-double of 22 points and 16 rebounds, along with three assists, including a series of huge plays in a tense fourth quarter with an ‘and-one’ play inside the last two minutes, following by an offensive rebound and put-back before securing the defensive rebound that preceded Chloe Gaynor’s last-gasp winner.
Ashley Arlen – Leicester Riders
Joint-leaders in the WBBL Championship, Leicester have seven straight league wins dating back to October after a big home victory over Oaklands Wolves on Sunday leading to a fourth All-Star 5 appearance for captain Ashley Arlen, also in that group of players joint-third in overall appearances. In under 26 minutes she did a bit of everything with 22 points on 7-10 (70%) shooting, with six rebounds, four assists and two steals, including an early triple among eight points and three boards in the first quarter as Riders led from tip-to-buzzer.
Taylor Murray – London Lions
London Lions are through to the semi-finals in defence of the Betty Codona WBBL Trophy after a big road win at Cardiff Met Archers, as American guard Taylor Murray makes her third All-Star 5 appearance of the campaign with an impressive two-way performance. She scored 11 points with just one miss on 5-6 (83%) shooting, with seven assists, seven rebounds and an amazing six steals, setting the tone with seven points, three assists and three steals in an unbelievable 33-2 first quarter.
Abbie Wolf – Caledonia Gladiators
Fourth-placed Caledonia Gladiators caused a huge upset by handing London Lions a first domestic defeat in more than 50 games at the Copper Box Arena on Sunday, re-igniting the WBBL Championship title race, as American forward Abbie Wolf makes her first All-Star 5 appearance. She posted a big double-double of 16 points, on 8-10 (80%) shooting, with 12 rebounds, three assists and two blocks, including eight of Caledonia’s first ten points as they raced into a big advantage, before a go-ahead score and a big block inside the last two minutes after Lions had come all the way back to lead, also securing the final rebound after Chantelle Handy settled the tie from the free-throw line with 20 seconds to play.
Off the bench: Kennedy Nicholas (Nottingham Wildcats), Georgia Gayle (Sheffield Hatters), Jess Wayne (Durham Palatinates), Leslie Vorpahl (London Lions), Karly Murphy (Sheffield Hatters), McKenzie Johnston (Leicester Riders), Antoinette Lewis (Newcastle Eagles).