LACEY LOWDOWN

Good news that Tall Fern Kalani Purcell has been signed to a training camp contract with WNBA franchise Dallas Wings.

“We look forward to Kalani and Kelsey joining a highly competitive training camp,” Wings President and Chief Executive Officer Greg Bibb stated. “We are excited to open camp on April 23 with a deep and talented roster.”

It is unclear how long the contract is for but it could be anticipated that it is at least until the Wings tip-off their regular season home opener on May 20 against three-time WNBA champions Minnesota Lynx – hopefully longer.

Purcell’s addition takes the Wings current roster, including Australian guard Erin Phillips, to 18 players – this number has to be eventually trimmed to 12.

Purcell, a 6-2 forward, joins the Wings after a stellar career at BYU Provo. In her two seasons with the Cougars she was named to the All-West Coast Conference First Team (2016 & 2017) where she ranked as the top rebounder.

A transfer from Hutchinson Community College, Purcell became BYU’s single-season record holder in total rebounds with 416 boards (12.6 average), and was named 2015-16 WCC Newcomer of the Year. This past season she once again led the Cougars and the conference in rebounds and finished her senior campaign averaging 12.7 points per game and 10.5 rebounds per contest, earning the 2016-17 WCC Women’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Year award.

Good news also for Jillian Harmon in Europe. Her club Le Mura Lucca eased past Venezia in the opening game of the Italian League semi-final series. The teams won one game apiece when they met in the regular season but Lucca drew first blood in the best of three series winning 77-61 on Easter Monday to move within one victory of a return to the grand final.

Harmon led all scorers with 19 points (6/9Fg, 7/9FT) and added 7 rebounds and an assist for good measure.

Our two Tall Ferns playing in Europe enjoyed mixed fortunes in recent play-off action.

Erin Rooney photo courtesy of Sandra Kochmanska

Erin Rooney’s club Artego Bydgoszcz was defeated 3-1 in the best of five semi-final series against Wisla Can in the Polish League play-off’s. Artego won the first game 68-65 but were beaten 81-66 in the second encounter, 68-63 in game three and 68-60 in the eliminator.

The Cantabrian guard averaged 18 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds and two assists across the four games.

Normally you would expect the season to be over following a play-off defeat but unusually Artego will play a 3^rd/4^th series against the other semi-final losers CCC Polkowice.

There was no such trouble for Jillian Harmon, the other Tall Fern playing in Europe. Her club Le Mura Lucca easily accounted for Pallacanestro Broni in the best of three Italian League quarter-final series. Lucca won 2-0 on the back of 69-39 and 85-35 score lines more reminiscent of a rep game mismatch than those normally associated with the professional game.

Harmon top scored with 16 points in the second game – Lucca now moving on to face Venezia in the semi-final series. The teams won one game apiece when they met in the regular season.

There were a number of commendable performances from Kiwis in Australian State League competitions over the weekend including a fine double double from Jess Bygate at a facility known to many Kiwi basketball players.

Bygate scored a game high 19 points for Sandringham Sabres in the South East Australian Basketball league (SEABL) but the Melbourne team went down heavily at Albury Wodonga losing 89-59. Bygate also corralled 11 rebounds in a game played at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre, a facility well known to the many young Kiwi players that have represented New Zealand Koru teams.

Jordan Hunter notched 7 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists on debut for Sturt Sabres in the South Australian Premier League on Saturday. The Sabres only scored 30 points in the first three periods against Southern Tigers but came home on a wet sail winning the last quarter 31-18 and the game 61-59.

Toni Edmondson top scored with 16 points (6/14FG) and claimed 4 rebounds as Perry Lakes Hawks defeated Cockburn Cougars 66-61 in the Western Australian State League. A decisive 20-11 second quarter did the trick for the Hawks that remain unbeaten after three rounds.

Also in WA Lisa Wallbutton was in good form for Perth Redbacks. Wallbutton led the game in rebounds (11) and blocks (4) as the Redbacks comfortably beat Kalamunda Eastern Suns 80-54. The former North Harbour forward added 7 points and 3 assists for good measure.

Sunbury Jets made it four wins in four outings in the Big V League after defeating Bulleen Boomers 68-58 on Sunday. Josie Stockill, in her first season out of college basketball scored 10 points and added 6 rebounds, a block and a steal for the Kennedy Kereama coached Jets.

The starters played the bulk of the minutes but Erin Rooney still chipped in for ten minutes off the bench as Artego Bydgoszcz won an epic five game series in Polish League quarter-final action. With the series locked at 2-2 Artego beat Energa Torun 86-80 on the road in the decisive fifth game on Wednesday.

Rooney dished off one of the team’s 26 assists but otherwise had a quiet night statistically.

The Tall Ferns point guard is working her way back to full fitness after an injury ravaged 2015. Since joining Artego in January the Cantabrian has played 15 games averaging 20 minutes of court time and accruing 3.4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal per game.

Artego begin a semi-final series at the weekend against TS Wisla. When the teams met in the regular season Wisla won both encounters although the margins were just 6 points and 7 points.