A cash prize pool of $15,000 goes on the line this weekend as six teams stacked with New South Wales’ top women’s basketball talent face off in the Shelley Gorman Invitational at Sydney Uni Sports and Aquatic Centre. In a major boost to the tournament, WNBL stars Leilani Mitchell, Shyla Heal, Lauren Nicholson, and Alison Schwagmeyer headline four of the teams. Meanwhile, the New South Wales Under 20 representative sides will gain invaluable preparation as they face a number of players they will look to emulate in the coming years.
The teams will be split into two pools of three, with pool games on Friday night and Saturday. Semi-finals will take place on Saturday night, with teams to be seeded 1st through 4th based on points differential in the pool games. The Grand Final will be held on Sunday, and all games will be streamed live on Basketball NSW’s YouTube page with commentary from Sydney Uni Flames commentary duo Rachel Herrick and Jacinta Govind.
All games will be played with 8-minute quarters and will feature the Elam Ending made famous by The Basketball Tournament in the United States. Designed to preserve a more natural end of game finish, the Elam Ending calls for the game clock to be shut off at the first dead ball under four minutes in the fourth quarter. A target score is then established by adding eight points to the leading team’s score. For example, if the score is 80-72, the two teams will play until someone reaches 88. With no game clock in play, trailing teams focus on getting stops and baskets, rather than intentionally fouling.
However, a tournament can’t exist without teams, and this weekend we have six outstanding rosters competing as they look to do justice to an event that bears the name of one of the greats of Australian basketball in Shelley Gorman.
Team Previews
Pool A
Fever
Squad: Maddison Delaney, Sarah Wacher, Madeleine O’Hehir, Lara McSpadden, Shakera Reilly, Meg Jeffs, Renae Garlepp, Shyla Heal, Faith Jurlina, Tristan Black
Head Coach: Chloe Mullaney
Assistant Coach: Lauryn Curtin
Shyla Heal muscled her way into Opals contention with a spectacular WNBL season that culminated in a grand final appearance, and the Townsville Fire star will be looking to go one better this weekend with the Fever. Heal is the clear standout on this roster, but it is hardly a one-player show with Madeleine O’Hehir, Lara McSpadden, Shakera Reilly, and 2008 Grand Final MVP Renae Garlepp adding to the WNBL experience on the Fever roster. Illawarra Youth League star Maddison Delaney will no doubt be keen to test herself against some top-level opposition, whilst Norths veteran Tristan Black can be relied upon to do the everything asked of her and more, making this side a dangerous proposition for opponents.
Mystics
Squad: Abigail Curtin, Alison Schwagmeyer, Kate Seebohm, Shanae Greaves, Sherrie Calleia, Darneka Rowe, Lauryn Walker, Rhiannon Davies, Elle Carroll, Olivia White
Head Coach: Kristy Bultitude
Assistant Coach: Lara Scholz
It’s a homecoming of sorts for the six players on this roster to have either suited up for the Flames or Sydney Uni Sparks as a team stacked with experience looks to dominate on a court they know very well. Current Flame Alison Schwagmeyer leads this lineup alongside WNBL teammates Shanae Greaves and Sherrie Calleia, who made her debut in the Queensland bubble in 2020. Meanwhile, perennial Waratah League Defensive Player of the Year Kate Seebohm will make life difficult for opposing point guards, whilst Rhiannon Davies and Olivia White could help the Mystics to victory purely through their work on the glass alone.
NSW U20 Blue
Squad: Isabelle Morgan, Amelia Raidaveta, Georgia Genner, Kim Hodge, Kitty Henderson, Sara Matthews, Kate Kingham, Holly Wills, Jess Relf
Head Coach: Rachel Higgisson
Assistant Coach: Lauren King
The more experienced of the two Under 20 teams, NSW U20 Blue feature four players from the 2020 NSW Under 20s team that finished fourth at Australian Junior Championships, whilst former Sydney Uni Flame and current Manly-Warringah star Kim Hodge steps in to bolster the roster. With Isabelle Morgan, Kitty Henderson, and Sara Matthews occupying three of the guard spots on the roster, this young side features an outstanding backcourt with a trio of bona-fide stars of the Waratah 1 competition. That is not to take away from the remainder of the roster, with a number of players who have already demonstrated that they can take on their more decorated opponents on the day.
Pool B
Aces
Squad: Cassidy McLean, Mikaela Dombkins, Matilda-Jane MacDonald, Jasmine Forcadilla, Lauren Nicholson, Courtney West, Rachel Maenpaa, Kira Mocatta, Geena Valos, Lauren Calver
Head Coach: Shelley Bates
Assistant Coach: Joanne Nicholson
Saint Mary’s fans will be happy to see Jasmine Forcadilla and Lauren Nicholson in the same lineup, with the potential for the Gaels legends to team up in the Aces’ backcourt. Newcastle and Bendigo Spirit point guard Cassidy McLean adds to the elite guard talent on the roster, whilst there is a significant Sutherland flavour to this squad. Sharks’ Waratah 1 duo Courtney West and Lauren Calver form part of the frontcourt rotation, whilst Nicholson is already one of the Sharks’ finest products after only five seasons of her professional career. Rachel Maenpaa and former Sydney Uni Flames star Mikaela Dombkins add vital experience to this team, which blends a nice mix of upcoming stars and elite experience.
Storm
Squad: Annobel Starr, Tasmyn Haynes, Alex Delaney, Emily Simons, Sarah Schicher, Leilani Mitchell, Jonalyn Wittwer, Maja Jurlina, Madeleine Norris, Elise St John
Head Coach: Gail Henderson
Assistant Coach: Michelle Austin
Tara VanDerveer once said “Well, three is worth more than two, so let’s figure out how to shoot 3s,” and this team has certainly figured out how to shoot 3s. Leilani Mitchell is one of the greatest shooters the women’s game has seen, whilst Madeleine Norris, Alex Delaney, Emily Simons, and Jonalyn Wittwer can all knock down shots from outside with aplomb. It may yet come to pass that Norris plays in the paint more alongside Sarah Schicher, and with a number of versatile players on the roster, head coach Gail Henderson will be spoiled for choice in deciding how to run her offence.
NSW U20 White
Squad: Ella Dent, Audra Pasakarnis, Sarah Cooper, Inez Tanoi, Bronte Corke, Shalome Dunlop, Shannon Burton, Zoey Miller, Abbey Cracknell, Emily Garland
Head Coach: Renae Garlepp
Assistant Coach: Kate Seebohm
This may be a team brimming with future stars of New South Wales basketball, but make no mistake, several of these NSW U20 White players are already starting to make their mark, including at Waratah 1 level. Bronte Corke and Emily Garland are already integral members of the Hornsby and Sutherland rotations respectively, whilst Abbey Cracknell was part of the Central Coast side that reached the Waratah 1 Grand Final in 2020. There is also plenty of state representative experience at Under 18 level in this team, whilst being coached by 2020 Waratah Youth League Coach of the Year Renae Garlepp can only benefit this team as they look to spring a surprise or two against the more experienced lineups.
Draw
Friday 15 January
4:00pm – Aces v NSW U20 White
6:00pm – Fever v NSW U20 Blue
8:15pm – Aces v Storm
Saturday 16 January
9:00am – Storm v NSW U20 White
9:00am – NSW U20 Blue v Mystics
12:45pm – Mystics v Fever
4:15pm – Semi-Final 1
6:15pm – Semi-Final 2
Sunday 17 January
12:00pm – Grand Final
Credit- Lachy France