OPERATION LIGHTNING BOLT WNBL 2020 SEASON
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)