There’s a global feel to the All-Star 5 after a weekend of WBBL Trophy action that saw the two East Midlands teams progress to the semi-finals, leading to a pair of representatives for each of Leicester Riders and Nottingham Wildcats in a team that features three debuts alongside the new outright leader in overall appearances.
Praise Egharevba – Nottingham Wildcats
18-year-old German youth international forward Praise Egharevba is having a breakout season in her third WBBL campaign with Wildcats, currently leading the league in offensive rebounds, tenth in total rebounds, and ninth in field goal percentage, as she makes a first All-Star 5 appearance after Nottingham beat Cardiff Met Archers. In just 22 minutes she finished with a big double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 9-11 (81%) from the field, including six early points as Wildcats won the first quarter 31-18 and led from tip to buzzer.
Jahnae Gyles – Nottingham Wildcats
Teammate Jahnae Gyles also makes her first All-Star 5 appearance of the season, after the Canadian guard – who won a national championship at Humber College in 2018 – joined in the summer. The league’s sixth leading scorer came from the bench against Archers to put in a startling performance with 34 points in 28 minutes on an irrepressible 9-14 (64%) three-point shooting, including eight points in the first two and half minutes of the third quarter that put the game beyond the visitors.
Frankie Wurtz – Sevenoaks Suns
American guard Frankie Wurtz gains weekly honours for the second time this season after Sevenoaks Suns used a big second half on the road at Essex Rebels to secure their WBBL Trophy semi-final spot. Wurtz played all 40 minutes for the shorthanded Suns, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals, while proving a handful for the hosts as she drew six fouls and shot 7-8 (87%) at the free-throw line.
Oceana Hamilton – Leicester Riders
Hamilton breaks a tie at the top of the All-Star 5 appearances chart to now lead outright, with this being her seventh showing as Riders overpowered Durham Palatinates at home in their quarter-final match-up. Rarely, the league’s second leading rebounder and leader in blocked shots fell short of a double-double this week, but turned in an efficient 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals, shooting 5-8 (62%) from the field and a perfect 4-4 from the line, while being a defensive rock as Riders held their visitors to 21 in the first half.
Alison Lewis – Leicester Riders
American guard Alison Lewis only joined Riders at the end of January following successful professional stops in Norway and Luxembourg and a college career at the University of Delaware, and already makes her first All-Star 5 appearance. She came from the bench to put up a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds in just 17 minutes, also adding three assists; including seven points in the second stanza as Leicester led by double-figures before the break.
Off the bench: Shannon Hatch (Cardiff Met Archers), DeAngelique Waithe (Essex Rebels), Elle Hendershot (Durham Palatinates), Julia Koppl (Sevenoaks Suns), Lauren Saiki (Cardiff Met Archers), Claire Paxton (Essex Rebels), Jessica Wayne (Durham Palatinates).