After one game to start the year we have four fixtures taking place in week 15, as we look ahead to those playing their first WNBL matches of the year.
It’s a battle at the top of the Division One standings as second placed Ipswich look to close the gap on Anglia Ruskin. The visitors came out on top when the sides met back in October, with their only loss of the season coming a week later against Solent Kestrels. It will be their first game since mid-December and can’t afford to be rusty against an Ipswich side who started their year with a convincing win over Southwark Pride last week.
Harriet Welham’s 34 points helped her side dominate the contest and the visitors will have to keep her quiet this week if they want to keep their lead at the top.
Loughborough Riders (2-7) host Bristol Flyers (4-5) with four points currently separating them in the table. They faced off in their last game of the year in the National Cup on December 14, with Flyers winning the quarter final clash. Flyers’ Flo Ward recorded 23 points and seven steals and will want a repeat of that showing in the first game of the year.
Third placed Kestrels (7-2) will want to close the gap on whoever loses out in the top of the table clash when they start their year against Southwark Pride (2-6) as part of our NBL Live Double-Header (3pm). Second-bottom Pride started their year with a heavy defeat to Ipswich, with Simona Henshaw’s 18 points not enough to keep the score line close. It will be another tough contest for the visitors with Kestrels eager to go level with Ipswich.
Finally Cavaliers (5-5) face bottom side London Lions II (1-8) in their first games of the year. The hosts ended their year with a huge win over Southwark Pride, while Lions grabbed their first win of the season in overtime against Bristol Academy Flyers. They will hope to start 2020 in the same vein while Cavaliers try to bridge the gap between mid-table and third placed Kestrels.
3:00pm - Loughborough Riders v Bristol Academy Flyers STATS
3:00pm - Team Solent Kestrels v Southwark Pride STATS
3:00pm – Ipswich Basketball v Anglia Ruskin University STATS
4:00pm – Thames Valley Cavaliers v BA London Lions II STATS
Main image credit - Nick Winter
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