OPERATION LIGHTNING BOLT WNBL 2020 SEASON

November 15, 2020 | Adelaide Lightning news

Our mission we accept and in a year that has thrown up more basketballs in the air than the Harlem Globetrotters. Our draw for the WNBL 2020 Season provides a tough challenge for our team. Here is the comprehensive analysis and preview of the season draw, the games to watch for and all the SA game broadcast details.

The Adelaide Lightning have been dealt their hand for the WNBL 2020 season and the mission is simple, six weeks of intense day to day basketball in a tournament like fashion with a young squad. Assistant coach Nat Hurst shares the sentiment of many, but believes the girls will be ready to go come the 11 November opener.

“It is what it is and while it’s obviously not ideal and the toughest schedule of any team this season; we have it now. Our season will be mostly completed in the first 11-12 days so we just need to get through those games and tackle it head on.”

Coach Chris Lucas with a tough finish to the season is looking forward to the challenge ahead.

“My approach is that it is a challenge and going to be a challenge for everyone, but we want to embrace it, play basketball and do the best we can and be ready to play every day.”

Lucas also is very excited about the squad he has put together while he notes they are young; he can’t wait to see what they can produce.

“We are happy with the girls we are taking, whilst they are young and we are having to rush things we’ll be ready to play. The competitive practice game against the COE recently provided the opportunity for the girls to get some basketball in to them prior to them leaving early next week. We took plenty out of it and thank the COE for coming over to Adelaide to be a part of it, any scrimmages you can get right now are more than valuable,” Lucas described about the match practice the girls have been getting.

One of the big reasons to be excited about the coming season is the form of Steph Talbot who was selected for the Tokyo Olympics squad for 2020 and Lucas knows after no hit out games since last WNBL season, she is making up for lost time quickly over the competitive matches during pre-season.

“Steph is a pretty important piece of our group, she’s going to receive a lot of attention but I believe she is right up to it and we are excited about what’s going to happen for her throughout the season.”

Here are the key games of the fixture ahead we are getting the popcorn out for…

GAME ONE  

WHEN: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 11 – 5:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: University of Canberra Capitals

WHERE: McDonald’s Mackay Multi Sports Stadium

WHY: Our recent history against the Caps and our first game of the hub will be the WNBL debut for many of our girls. Our grand final series in 2018-19 was epic and we can’t wait to see our Carlie Smith and Marena Whittle take on their 3X3 teammate in Keely Froling.

 

GAME THREE  

WHEN: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 17 – 5:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Southside Flyers

WHERE: Townsville Stadium 

WHY: The Flyers are one of teams to watch understandably with a stacked team of Liz Cambage and a stack of former Lightning players in Mitchell, Clydesdale, and Steph Blicavs. We reckon though that Steph Talbot will step her game up a few games into the season and prove a problem for the Flyers defence.

GAME FIVE

WHEN: SUNDAY NOVEMBER 22 – 2:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo, Fox Sports and ABC TV (ABC Iview)

WHO: Melbourne Boomers

WHERE: Townsville Stadium 

WHY: The eyes of the basketball country will be on our game as we take the stage in our nationally televised home match against the Boomers. The matchup of Louella Tomlinson versus Cayla George will be a treat to watch while the young duo of Chelsea Brook and Ezi Magbegor will provide a match worth every basketball fan’s Sunday afternoon to switch onto the ABC.

GAME SIX  

WHEN: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 24 – 5:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Bendigo Spirit

WHERE: Townsville Stadium  

WHY: There is plenty of history on and off court between the both of us and just to top it off, it will be Abbey Wehrung’s first game against her former side. There are bound to be some highly competitive “spirits” wanting to strike down our Lightning in a must watch match.

GAME SEVEN  

WHEN: THURSDAY NOVEMBER 26 – 8:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Townsville Fire

WHERE: Cairns Pop-Up Arena

WHY: Only in 2020 do we get a scenario with Adelaide hosting Townsville in Queensland in Cairns. To add there is a certain Lauren Nicholson that will play her first game against her former side while we know Chris Lucas has a competitive history with the Fire. Watch out for plenty of former university games medallists from the 2010s matching up on each other as well.

GAME ELEVEN AND TWELVE 

WHEN: TUESDAY DECEMBER 8 – 5:30PM SA TIME AND WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 9 – 7:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Melbourne Boomers/Bendigo Spirit

WHERE: Cairns Pop Up Arena

WHY: A crazy double header in the middle of 6 games in 9 days in the last stanza of the season will play a massive part in our season hopes. They do not come much tougher than our two Melbourne rivals in the Boomers and the Spirit back-to-back over consecutive days. If you’re tuning in to watch the development players, then these games may be ones to watch for their extended minutes in a busy schedule.

FULL ADELAIDE LIGHTNING WNBL 2020 FIXTURE

GAME ONE  

WHEN: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 11 – 5:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: University of Canberra Capitals

WHERE: McDonald’s Mackay Multi Sports Stadium

 

GAME TWO 

WHEN: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 11 – 5:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Perth Lynx

WHERE: McDonald’s Mackay Multi Sports Stadium

 

GAME THREE  

WHEN: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 17 – 5:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Southside Flyers

WHERE: Townsville Stadium 

 

GAME FOUR 

WHEN: THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19 – 8:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Sydney University Flames

WHERE: Townsville Stadium 

 

GAME FIVE  

WHEN: SUNDAY NOVEMBER 22 – 2:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo, Fox Sports and ABC TV (ABC Iview)

WHO: Melbourne Boomers

WHERE: Townsville Stadium 

 

GAME SIX  

WHEN: TUESDAY NOVEMBER 24 – 5:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Bendigo Spirit

WHERE: Townsville Stadium 

 

GAME SEVEN  

WHEN: THURSDAY NOVEMBER 26 – 8:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Townsville Fire

WHERE: Cairns Pop-Up Arena

 

GAME EIGHT  

WHEN: SUNDAY NOVEMBER 28 – 12:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo and Fox Sports

WHO: Southside Flyers

WHERE: Cairns Pop-Up Arena

 

GAME NINE 

WHEN: FRIDAY DECEMBER 4 – 5:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: University of Canberra Capitals

WHERE: Townsville Stadium 

 

GAME TEN  

WHEN: SUNDAY DECEMBER 6 – 7:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Perth Lynx

WHERE: Townsville Stadium 

 

GAME ELEVEN AND TWELVE 

WHEN: TUESDAY DECEMBER 8 – 5:30PM SA TIME AND WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 9 – 7:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Melbourne Boomers/Bendigo Spirit

WHERE: Cairns Pop Up Arena

 

GAME THIRTEEN    

WHEN: FRIDAY DECEMEBER 11 – 7:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo

WHO: Townsville Fire

WHERE: Cairns Pop-Up Stadium  

 

GAME FOURTEEN  

WHEN: SUNDAY DECEMBER 13 – 12:30PM SA TIME

WATCH: Kayo and ABC (TBC)

WHO: Sydney University Flames

WHERE: Townsville Stadium

(Note as per WNBL Fixture 8/11/2020, fixtures and starting times subject to change)