ROUND 11 TEAM OF THE WEEK
Kelsey Griffin has continued her 2018/19 tear, earning her eighth Team of the Week honour for the season. A couple of familiar faces earn another nod including Becca Tobin, Asia Taylor and Steph Talbot while Colleen Planeta rounds out the team with her first nomination of the season.
Kelsey Griffin (University of Canberra Capitals)
A staple of the Team of the Week this season, it will come as no surprise that Kelsey Griffin makes this week’s team, her eighth nod of the season so far.
Griffin led the Capitals to two important wins over the Rangers and the Fire, helping them jump to second place on the WNBL standings while pacing her side in each contest with 24 and 21 points respectively.
In combination with her relentless scoring, Griffin led the way defensively too as she swatted away four shots against the Rangers before registering two steals against the Fire.
Griffin continues to lead the league in both scoring and rebounding as she averages 20.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.
Kelsey Griffin Round 11 stats: 22.5 points on 67% shooting, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.5 steals and 2 blocks per game.
Colleen Planeta (Adelaide Lightning)
The Lightning put the Flames to the sword on Friday night and Colleen Planeta was a beast off the bench, dropping 21 points in just 19 minutes.
A highly efficient outing for Planeta, she finished with a +/- of +22 and shot 9-11 from the field as she helped Adelaide secure their place in the top four.
Planeta finished with eight rebounds, three assists and a steal too, all while not conceding a turnover.
Colleen Planeta Round 11 stats: 21 points on 9-11 shooting, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal.
Steph Talbot (Deakin Melbourne Boomers)
Steph Talbot enjoyed another dominant performance against the Jayco Rangers as the Boomers secured the Michelle Timms Cup on Sunday afternoon.
Talbot stuffed the stat-sheet throughout the afternoon, filling the scoring column with 22 points on 9-11 shooting including four three-pointers while also registering three steals and two blocks.
Enjoying a strong season for the top-of-the-table Boomers, this Round 11 nod marks Talbot’s second Team of the Week inclusion of the season.
Steph Talbot Round 11 stats: 22 points on 9-11 shooting and 4-6 from three, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.
Asia Taylor (Perth Lynx)
With Perth coming into their Round 11 match-up against the Flames on the back of a three-game losing streak, Taylor and the Lynx desperately needed to get back on track with a win.
The Lynx were pushed all the way by Sydney Uni but a 49-point second half eventually saw Perth run out four-point victors and Taylor was the catalyst.
She had nine points and three assists in the final period, finishing with 29 points, 13 boards and six assists against her old club.
The performance lifted Taylor’s scoring average to 20.1 points per game on the season, good enough for second in the league as she claimed her third Team of the Week honour.
Asia Taylor Round 11 stats: 29 points on 10-20 shooting, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.
Becca Tobin (Bendigo Bank Spirit)
Tobin led the Spirit to end their six-game losing streak with a hard fought 75-67 win over Townsville.
Trailing at half-time, Simon Pritchard’s team rediscovered their defensive identity with Tobin anchoring them in the paint, pulling down 12 defensive boards to finish with a monster double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds.
Bendigo held their opponents to 67 points for the game and just 35% shooting inside the arc.
After a rough month that saw the Spirit fall out of the top-four, this win has kept their season alive as Tobin claimed her fourth Team of the Week nod on the season.
Becca Tobin Round 11 stats: 16 points on 7-13 shooting, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block.
Honourable Mentions: Nadeen Payne (Bendigo), Lindsay Allen (Melbourne), Belinda Snell (Sydney Uni), Laurin Mincy (Townsville), Nia Coffey (Adelaide), Kia Nurse (UC Capitals).