2021–22 WNBL season

Sports season
2021–22 WNBL season
LeagueWomen's National Basketball League
SportBasketball
Duration2 December 2021 – 9 April 2022
Number of teams8
TV partner(s)ABC
Fox Sports
Kayo
Regular season
Top seedMelbourne Boomers
Season MVPAnneli Maley (BEN)
Top scorerAnneli Maley (BEN)
Finals
ChampionsMelbourne Boomers
  Runners-upPerth Lynx
Finals MVPLindsay Allen (MEL)
WNBL seasons
← 2020
2022–23 →

The 2021–22 WNBL season was the 42nd season of the competition since its establishment in 1981.[1] The Southside Flyers were the defending champions, however they failed to qualify for finals.[2] The Melbourne Boomers won their second championship, defeating Perth in the Grand Final series, 2–1.[3]

After the 2020 season was condensed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was confirmed in July 2021 that the upcoming season is set to be closer to the traditional season fixture played over several months across the summer.[4] In October 2021, a new broadcast deal was signed with the ABC, Fox Sports and Kayo,[5] with an 84-game season fixture announced shortly after.[6]

Spalding will again provide equipment including the official game ball, alongside iAthletic supplying team apparel for the fifth consecutive season.

Player movement

Standings

# WNBL Championship ladder
Team W L PCT GP
1 Melbourne Boomers 12 5 70.5 17
2 Perth Lynx 11 5 68.7 16
3 Canberra Capitals 11 6 64.7 17
4 Adelaide Lightning 10 7 58.8 17
5 Bendigo Spirit 7 9 43.7 16
6 Townsville Fire 7 10 41.1 17
7 Southside Flyers 5 12 29.4 17
8 Sydney Uni Flames 4 13 23.5 17

Finals

Semi Finals Grand Final
      
1  Melbourne Boomers 2
4  Adelaide Lightning 0
1  Melbourne Boomers 2
2  Perth Lynx 1
3  Canberra Capitals 0
2  Perth Lynx 1

Statistics

Individual statistic leaders

Category Player Statistic
Points per game Anneli Maley (BEN) 19.8 PPG
Rebounds per game Anneli Maley (BEN) 15.7 RPG
Assists per game Stephanie Talbot (ADL) 6.4 APG
Steals per game Kalani Purcell (SYD) 2.8 SPG
Blocks per game Ezi Magbegor (MEL) 1.6 BPG

Individual game highs

Category Player Statistic
Points Anneli Maley (BEN) 38
Rebounds Anneli Maley (BEN) 24
Assists Stephanie Talbot (ADL) 12
Steals Kalani Purcell (SYD) 7
Blocks Abby Bishop (STH)
Ezi Magbegor (MEL)		 4

Awards

Player of the Week

Round # Player Ref.
Round 1 Brittney Sykes (CBR) [7]
Round 2 Lauren Nicholson (TSV) [8]
Round 3 Ezi Magbegor (MEL) [9]
Round 4 Anneli Maley (BEN) [10]
Round 5 Alanna Smith (ADL) [11]
Round 6
Round 7 Marina Mabrey (PER) [12]
Round 8 Lauren Nicholson (TSV) (2) [13]
Round 9 Mikaela Ruef (CBR) [14]
Round 10 Anneli Maley (BEN) (2) [15]
Round 11 Alanna Smith (ADL) (2) [16]
Round 12 Anneli Maley (BEN) (3) [17]
Round 13 Keely Froling (SYD) [18]
Round 14 Jackie Young (PER) [19]
Round 15 Cayla George (MEL) [20]

Postseason Awards

Award Winner Position Team
Most Valuable Player Anneli Maley Forward Bendigo Spirit[21]
Grand Final MVP Lindsay Allen Guard Melbourne Boomers[3]
Defensive Player of the Year Brittney Sykes Guard Canberra Capitals[22]
Sixth Woman of the Year Kristy Wallace Guard Southside Flyers[23]
Youth Player of the Year Ezi Magbegor Forward Melbourne Boomers[24]
Coach of the Year Ryan Petrik Coach Perth Lynx[25]
Leading Scorer Award Anneli Maley Forward Bendigo Spirit[26]
Leading Rebounder Award Anneli Maley Forward Bendigo Spirit
Golden Hands Award Brittney Sykes Guard Canberra Capitals
All-WNBL First Team Jackie Young Guard Perth Lynx[27]
Brittney Sykes Guard Canberra Capitals
Stephanie Talbot Guard Adelaide Lightning
Anneli Maley Forward Bendigo Spirit
Ezi Magbegor Forward/Center Melbourne Boomers
All-WNBL Second Team Lindsay Allen Guard Melbourne Boomers
Marina Mabrey Guard Perth Lynx
Kelsey Griffin Forward Canberra Capitals
Alanna Smith Forward Adelaide Lightning
Cayla George Forward/Center Melbourne Boomers

Team captains and coaches

Team Captain Coach
Adelaide Lightning Stephanie Talbot Chris Lucas
Bendigo Spirit[28] Madeleine Garrick / Tessa Lavey (co) Tracy York
Canberra Capitals Kelsey Griffin Paul Goriss
Melbourne Boomers Cayla George Guy Molloy
Perth Lynx[29] Darcee Garbin Ryan Petrik
Southside Flyers Jenna O'Hea Cheryl Chambers
Sydney Uni Flames[30] Keely Froling / Lauren Mansfield (co) Shane Heal
Townsville Fire[31] Mia Murray / Lauren Nicholson (co) Shannon Seebohm

References

  1. ^ WNBL official website
  2. ^ "Flyers reach potential earn redemption for WNBL championship". wnbl.basketball.
  3. ^ a b "Melbourne Boomers are the WNBL 2021/22 Champions". wnbl.basketball.
  4. ^ "2021-22 WNBL Season structure". wnbl.basketball.
  5. ^ "WNBL INKS NEW BROADCAST DEAL AHEAD OF 2021/22 SEASON". australia.basketball.
  6. ^ "2021/22 WNBL season released". wnbl.basketball.
  7. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021.
  8. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021.
  9. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021.
  10. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  11. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  12. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  13. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  14. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  15. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  16. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  17. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  18. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  19. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  20. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  21. ^ "ANNELI MALEY NAMED THE WNBL 2021/22 SUZY BATKOVIC MVP". wnbl.basketball.
  22. ^ "2021/22 ROBYN MAHER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR". wnbl.basketball.
  23. ^ "2021/22 SIXTH WOMAN OF THE YEAR". wnbl.basketball.
  24. ^ "2021/22 Betty Watson Youth Player of the Year". wnbl.basketball.
  25. ^ "2021/22 WNBL COACH OF THE YEAR". wnbl.basketball.
  26. ^ "The WNBL on Instagram". instagram.com.
  27. ^ "ALL-STAR WNBL FIRST AND SECOND TEAMS". wnbl.basketball.
  28. ^ "Bendigo Spirit on Instagram". instagram.com.
  29. ^ "PROUD CAPTAIN GARBIN HAS HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR LYNX". wnbl.basketball.
  30. ^ "Mansfield and Froling to fan the fire as leaders of the young Flames". wnbl.basketball.
  31. ^ "Captains announced". wnbl.basketball.

External links

  • WNBL official website
  • WNBL Hub season fixtures