Cygnett WNBL Gems

They are the young guns who excited fans and grew during the regular season of the Cygnett WNBL and now these rising stars are turning focus to national duties.

With the FIBA Under-19 World Cup in July in Czechia, a squad has been selected for camp next month and it features WNBL players Opal Bird (Bendigo Spirit), Monique Bobongie (UC Capitals), Bonnie Deas (Sydney Flames), Manuela Puoch (Southside Flyers), Saffron Shiels (Townsville Fire) and Kiara Waite (Perth Lynx).

Fresh off her debut season with the Flyers, Puoch says making the squad continues a big 12 months where she has represented her state and school at Foot Locker National Championships.

“I really am excited and haven’t really processed that out of all of the girls in Australia I’m one the 24,” she said.

“It’s a bit surreal but I am excited and the hard work starts now.”

Puoch is looking forward to camp, and training and playing, alongside the best young female talent in the country.

“A lot of us have played together for our state or against each other at nationals or WNBL. I’m really happy to see other girls from the WNBL make the squad and I look forward to being on the same team.”

Bird and Deas will face off in a WNBL Semi-Final series between their respective teams starting Sunday in Bendigo while Waite and Shiels will be part of the other best-of-three semi-final series between the Lynx and Fire tipping off on Saturday night in Perth.

Renae Garlepp, former WNBL player, Rachael Sporn Medallist and current assistant coach of Sydney Flames, has been appointed Head Coach of the Gems and will guide the program through to the World Cup.