After a busy weekend and some big results in the scrap for WBBL Championship positioning, the latest All-Star 5 is led by Lauren Saiki as Cardiff Met Archers strengthened their claim on the final Play-off berth, as the team also sees the return of the overall appearances leader.

Lauren Saiki – Cardiff Met Archers

The eighth-placed Archers currently occupy the last Play-off spot and scored an important road win at Nottingham Wildcats on Saturday, leading to a fourth All-Star 5 appearance, and second in the last four weeks, for star guard Lauren Saiki. She poured in 30 points and was close to a huge double-double by dishing out nine assists, with four rebounds and four steals, including nine points and five assists as Archers came from double-digits down in the last 11 minutes, Saiki making a key ‘and-one’ play inside the last five minutes that gave them a two shot lead.

Karly Murphy – B. Braun Sheffield Hatters

American centre Karly Murphy leads all players in overall appearances in the weekly team, with this being her ninth of the season but first for a month as the fourth-placed Hatters made it six straight league wins on the road at Durham. The WBBL’s leading rebounder had another big double-double of 28 points and 16 boards, shooting 9-11 (81%) at the free-throw line and also handing out a pair of assists. That included 11 points, six rebounds and both assists in a 22-8 second stanza that put Hatters in charge before they found themselves trailing late in the game until Murphy made consecutive scores, the second putting them back in front with 30 seconds to play before late heroics from Helen Naylor.

Leslie Vorpahl – London Lions

The league-leading London Lions recorded a pair of big wins over top four rivals over the weekend, resulting in a first All-Star 5 appearance for former EuroLeague and EuroCup guard Leslie Vorpahl. In Sunday’s home win over Sheffield Hatters at the Copper Box Arena she was eyeing up a triple-double with 15 points on 6-8 (75%) shooting, along with eight rebounds and seven assists, setting the tone early with five points, three assists and four boards in the first quarter including the opening score as Lions lead from tip to buzzer.

Brittany Hodges – Sevenoaks Suns

Also making her first All-Star 5 appearance of the season, experienced American forward Brittany Hodges helped Sevenoaks Suns bounce back from consecutive defeats in their pursuit of the top four, with a home win over Oaklands Wolves on Sunday. Coming from the bench she had a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds, along with two assists, in just 21 minutes of play, including six boards in the first period followed by nine points in five second stanza minutes as Suns came from behind early in the game.

Georgia Gayle – B. Braun Sheffield Hatters

Another key contributor to Sheffield’s last-gasp win on the road at Durham, Great Britain international guard Georgia Gayle makes a fourth All-Star 5 appearance of the season. She finished with 15 points on 6-10 (60%) shooting, with five assists, five rebounds and four steals, including the dime for Helen Naylor’s game-winning three-pointer with seven seconds left, having previously made a momentum-changing ‘and-one’ play inside the final three minutes to halt a 6-0 skid that looked to have the visitors on the ropes.

Off the bench: Elle Hendershot (Durham Palatinates), Harriet Ottewill-Soulsby (Durham Palatinates), Mari Stewart (Nottingham Wildcats), Kayla Shaw (Nottingham Wildcats), Kiki Herbert-Harrigan (London Lions), McKenzie Johnston (Leicester Riders), Araion Bradshaw (Sevenoaks Suns).