Writing and photographs by Dean Andrews

At FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 held in Singapore this week the Australian women’s Gangurrus team are attempting to become the first women’s team to win back-to-back gold medals at the tournament. It is the seventh edition of FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup with the event first being held in 2013. The Australian women’s team are competing in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup for the sixth time, the only edition they didn’t compete in was the inaugural tournament in 2013. At each of the five editions of FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup they have competed in the Australia women’s team has won a medal, winning gold in 2017, 2019 and 2023, silver in 2022 and bronze in 2018.

All four members of Australia’s gold medal winning team at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 – Anneli Maley, Lauren Mansfield, Marena Whittle and Ally Wilson are in the Gangurrus 2024 Asia Cup women’s team. Maley and Whittle were both selected in the Team of the Tournament at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023, Whittle was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP). Australia won each of their games at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 by at least 10 points and defeated Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand 21-11 in the final to win the gold medal. Australia’s first game of FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 will be a rematch of last year’s gold medal game with fifth seeds Australia playing fourth seeds New Zealand in a Pool D game. 12^th seeds India finished on top in Qualifying Draw C to become the third and final team in Pool D. Two months after FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 the Australian Gangurrus women’s team of Maley, Mansfield, Wilson and Whittle excelled on the world stage to win a bronze medal at FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023 held in Vienna, Austria.

In the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 main draw 12 nations are competing, with pool games played on Friday 29 March and Saturday 30 March, followed by quarter finals, semi finals and medal games on Sunday 31 March.

The article below covers:

• The history of 3×3 basketball
• 3×3 basketball rules
• The FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 tournament in general
• The history of women’s basketball at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup
• Player profiles on the four members of the Australian women’s Gangurrus 3×3 team
• Information on the four members of New Zealand’s women’s 3×3 team

A brief history of 3×3 basketball

The 3×3 basketball page of Olympics.com states “Considered to be the number one urban sport in the world, 3X3 basketball has its roots in street basketball—a creative variation of the indoor game with a less formal structure. Evolving from outdoor courts to the Olympic Games, 3X3 basketball has been structured over the years by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the governing body responsible for developing basketball.”1 

An official 3×3 event was held for the first time at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore. Typically there are two events held at each 3×3 tournament, a men’s event and a women’s event, however some tournaments have also included a mixed event where each team is comprised of two men and two women. In 2011 a FIBA 3×3 Under 18 World Cup was held in Rimini, Italy. The first senior 3×3 World Cup was held in Athens in 2012. In addition to World Cup’s the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) also holds regional 3×3 events including the Asia Cup and Europe Cup.

The FIBA 3×3 World Cup has been held eight times – 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023. Only one nation has won the women’s 3×3 World Cup multiple times, the United States of America – having won gold three times, the first two editions of the event in 2012 and 2014 as well as the most recent WC in 2023. Australia have won two medals in the women’s 3×3 World Cup, bronze medals in 2012 and 2023. Serbia have dominated the men’s 3×3 World Cup to win the gold medal six times – 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games the newer 3×3 format of basketball was included on the program in addition to the traditional five on five format of basketball. The United States of America won the gold medal in women’s 3×3 basketball at the 2020 Olympics and Latvia won the men’s event.

3×3 basketball was played at the Commonwealth Games for the first time at Birmingham in 2022. Canada won the gold medal in the women’s tournament and England won gold in the men’s event. The Australian men won a silver medal and the Australian women won bronze.  

3×3 basketball rules

Most of the rules for 3×3 basketball and the traditional five on five format of the sport are the same however there are some important modifications for 3×3 basketball. 3×3 is played in a basketball half-court. In 3×3 each team has three players on the court and one substitute. A substitution can be made in a dead-ball situation. When the defensive team gains possession they need to take the basketball past the arc before attempting a shot. The playing time for each game is 10 minutes, the game concludes at the earlier of a team scoring 21 points or the 10 minutes expiring. If scores are tied at the end of the 10 minutes the first team to score two points in overtime wins the game. Each team is allowed one time-out and at many tournaments TV time-outs are also called. The shot clock is 12 seconds. A made free throw in both 3×3 and the traditional five on five format of the sport scores one point however a different scoring system is used for shots in general play. In 3×3 a field goal made inside the arc scores 1 point and a successful shot from behind the arc earns 2 points. When it is a jump ball the defensive team gains possession. Whilst fouls are called in 3×3 basketball referees are more lenient than in 5 on 5 basketball which results in 3×3 being a more physical format of the sport. Team foul 7 and above result in the opposing team having two free throws.

Venue, Pools and nations competing in Women’s 3×3 Basketball at Asia Cup 2024

On 3 October 2022 FIBA announced that the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup would be held in Singapore in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Singapore had successfully hosted FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup in 2022. The FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 is being held at the Singapore Sports Hub, the same venue that held the 2023 edition of the tournament.

When the pools were announced for the women’s tournament on 2 February 2024 nine nations had secured their place in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 main draw. Another 11 nations were placed in three qualifying draws and these nations competed for the last three positions in the 12 nation main draw. Qualifying Draw games were held on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 March with three teams in Qualifying Draw A and four teams each in Qualifying Draw B and C. The top ranked nation in each Qualifying Draw progressed to the Main Draw. The teams that finished first in the three Qualifying Draws were:

• Iran finished first in Qualifying Draw A and progressed to Pool B

• Philippines finished first in Qualifying Draw B and progressed to Pool C

• India finished first in Qualifying Draw C and progressed to Pool D

The 12 nations competing in each 3×3 main tournament have been split into four pools of three nations. The four pools for the women’s tournament at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2024 are:

Pool A

China (1^st seed)

Chinese Taipei (8^th)

Singapore (9^th)

Pool B

Japan (2^nd)

Thailand (7^th)

Iran (10^th)

Pool C

Mongolia (3^rd)

Malaysia (6^th)

Philippines (11^th)

Pool D

New Zealand (4^th)

Australia (5^th)

India (12^th)

From Friday 29 March to Saturday 30 March each nation plays the other two nations in their pool. The nations that finish first and second in each pool progress to the quarter finals which will be held on Sunday 31 March.

Pool D Schedule on Saturday 30 March

(4) New Zealand vs (12) India                      2.40pm Singapore time, 5.40pm AEDT, 7.40pm NZDT 

(4) New Zealand vs (5) Australia                 7.20pm Singapore time, 10.20 pm AEDT, 12.20am NZDT

(5) Australia vs (12) India                               8.35pm Singapore time, 11.35pm AEDT, 1.35am NZDT

AEDT = Australian Eastern Daylight Time

NZDT = New Zealand Daylight Time

The FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 is being broadcast in Australia by Fox Sports Australia, Foxtel and Kayo Sports. Games are being broadcast on the FIBA 3×3 YouTube channel and the FIBA 3×3 Facebook page however there might be issues with geo-blocking.

Twice at a FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup tournament Australia have played New Zealand in the semi finals or later at the tournament. At the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2018 New Zealand won a semi final in overtime against Australia 20-18. New Zealand went on to win the gold medal and Australia won bronze. Trans-Tasman rivals Australia and New Zealand met in the final at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 and the Gangurrus had a 21-11 victory to win the gold medal. More detail on the rivalry between Australia and New Zealand is provided in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup history section.

Earlier this week India won each of their three Qualifying Draw C games by at least six points to progress to the Main Draw and book a berth in Pool D. India won the inaugural FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup women’s tournament in 2013, defeating Mongolia 21-14 in the final. India’s best result since Australia and New Zealand started competing in FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup was a fourth place finish in 2017.  

Four players that are competing in Pool D of the women’s tournament at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 played in the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season, Australian trio Anneli Maley, Lauen Mansfield and Ally Wilson along with New Zealand representative Esra McGoldrick. Two other players in Pool D have played in the WNBL before 2023/24 – Australia’s Marena Whittle and New Zealand’s Lauryn Hippolite.

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On the eve of the 2023/24 season commencing Milestones and Misses published a Comprehensive guide to player movement and main rosters for the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season. The comprehensive guide provides details on the player movement and main rosters from a league wide perspective and then looks at these two aspects for each of the eight WNBL clubs. The club section includes player profiles on every player on a main roster as at 30 October 2023. A profile on each club’s Head Coach is also included. A link to this comprehensive guide is below:

Comprehensive guide to player movement and main rosters for the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season

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The top two seeds at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024

China are the number one seeds at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 and have won a medal at four of the last five women’s 3×3 Asia Cups from 2017 onwards. China won the gold medal at the 2022 tournament held in Singapore, defeating Australia 14-10 in the final. The three other times China have finished on the podium at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup have been winning a silver in 2018 and bronze in 2017 and 2023.

At the past four FIBA 3×3 World Cups China have made it to the medal games which highlights their sustained excellence in this format of the game. China finished fourth in 2018 and 2023, won gold in 2019 and won bronze in 2022. Against USA early in a FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 semi final China were reduced to three players after Yi Zhang suffered an injury and could take no further part in the tournament. USA defeated China 20-12 in the semi final. With three players in the bronze medal game China fell just short of a podium finish, being defeated by Australia 21-20. 

China are the number 1 ranked team on the FIBA women’s 3×3 rankings with 2,166,442 points to be 32.8% ahead of United States of America in second place with 1,631,003 points. China are one of three teams along with USA and host nation France that have qualified for the women’s 3×3 tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.   

189 centimetre tall front court player JianPing Zhang is the only member of China’s bronze medal winning team from FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 that is representing her nation in Singapore at 3×3 Asia Cup 2024. The other three members of China’s FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 team, Wenxi Ha, Hong Wang and Xianyuan Zhang are each competing in their first official 3×3 event of the past 12 months this week in Singapore. China have consistently finished on the podium at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup’s and World Cup’s however the degree of difficulty to have another podium finish at Asia Cup 2024 has increased due to this Chinese team having less 3×3 experience then previous medal winning teams. With two players over 188 centimetres tall at Asia Cup 2024 in JianPing Zhang and Wenxi Ha China will have a size advantage over rivals. How effectively this size advantage is utilised will be a critical factor in China’s performance in Singapore at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 and whether they can have another podium finish.    

Number two seeds Japan have made it to the medal games at two of the past three FIBA 3×3 Asia Cups. In 2019 Japan defeated Mongolia 21-14 to win the bronze medal. At the 3×3 Asia Cup 2022 Japan lost in the bronze medal game to Indonesia 17-21. Japan fell just short of making it to the medal games in 2023, having a 16-17 quarter final loss to Thailand and finished fifth at the tournament.

Japan are ranked 10^th in the FIBA 3×3 women’s rankings but like China have quarter for 3 team at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 that doesn’t have much recent 3×3 experience. 175 centimetre guard Mana Kaneda was a member of the Japanese team that finished third at FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Baoding Stop 2023 in June. Joining Kaneda in Japan’s Asia Cup 2024 team are Ayumi Chiba, Riko Furuki and Miwa Kuribayshi. Chiba and Kuribayshi both competed in 3×3 events before 2020. Kuribayshi was a member of the Japanese team that finished 13^th at FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2019.

Australian Gangurrus women’s 3×3 team for the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024

Player                                   Number                             Position

Ally Wilson                              4                                      Guard

Lauren Mansfield                   33                                      Guard

Marena Whittle                     21                                      Guard/forward

Anneli Maley                          24                                    Forward

Coach – Damon Lowery

The Australian Gangurrus women’s team for the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 comprised of guards Ally Wilson and Lauren Mansfield along with guard/forward Marena Whittle and forward Anneli Maley have all represented Australia at several 3×3 tournaments and have each won at least three medals. The current Australian 3×3 quartet of Maley, Mansfield, Whittle and Wilson have been regulars in their national 3×3 team over 2022 and 2023. This quartet of Gangurrus players had success in FIBA 3×3 tournaments in 2023, winning gold at the Asia Cup and bronze at the World Cup.

Maley and Wilson were teammates playing for Bendigo Spirit in the WNBL during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons. During the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL season Mansfield and Whittle were teammates at Adelaide Lightning.

Lauren Mansfield and Marena Whittle playing for Adelaide Lightning against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 22 December 2022  

Maley was the first member of the Australian Gangurrus women’s team for the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 to represent her nation in 3×3.As a teenager Maley was a member of the Australian team that won the gold medal at the 2015 FIBA 3×3 Oceania Championships held on the Gold Coast on 12 and 13 September.

Anneli Maley shooting a three-pointer for Perth Lynx against Southside Flyers at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville on 10 March 2024

From 2019 onwards Damon Lowery has been the coach of the Australian women’s 3×3 team. At the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifier 2019 held in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 4 and 5 May Whittle made her Australian 3×3 debut with Lowery as coach. Australia won all four games at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifier 2019 to qualify for the 3×3 World Cup 2019.

At the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2019 held in Amsterdam the Australian team of Bec Cole, Alice Kunek, Maddie Garrick and Keely Froling fell just short of winning a medal, finishing fourth. Australia’s fourth placed finish at World Cup 2019 was the Australian women’s teams second best result at a 3×3 World Cup behind the bronze medal winning performance at the inaugural edition of the tournament held in Athens in August 2012.

At the start of 2022 Mansfield and Wilson were yet to make their debut for the Australian 3×3 team but had been members of the national 3×3 squad and had attended training camps along with Maley, Whittle, forward/centre Lauren Scherf and regulars in the team including Cole, Kunek, Garrick and Keely Froling.

For FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022 held in Singapore from 6 to 10 July Australia named a new look team of Maley, Mansfield, Scherf and Whittle. The three medal winners from the 2018 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup – New Zealand (gold medal), China (silver medal) and Australia (bronze medal) all faced difficult draws at the 2022 tournament as they were the three nations all drawn in Pool C. Australia split their Pool games, winning their opening game against New Zealand 21-11 and were defeated by China 20-12. Australia won their quarter final against Mongolia 21-10 and had a 21-13 victory over Indonesia in the semi finals. The two nations from Pool C that progressed to the knockout stage – China and Australia played each other in the final. With the gold medal on the line it was a closer encounter than their Pool game but China prevailed against Australia for the second time at the tournament, recording a 14-10 victory to win the gold medal with Australia winning silver and finishing in the medals for the fourth consecutive FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup. Maley was named in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022 Team of the Tournament.

Weeks later the Australian Gangurrus women’s team competed in the 3×3 tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham from 29 July to 2 August. Due to Australian Opals commitments Maley was unavailable for the Commonwealth Games and Ally Wilson was brought into the team to make her Australian 3×3 debut. 3×3 Asia Cup 2022 Gangurrus women’s team members Mansfield, Scherf and Whittle all suited up in the green and gold again at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Australia won their three pool games at the 2022 Commonwealth Games to advance to the semi finals. In a semi final Australia were defeated by England 15-21. Australia trailed New Zealand 6-10 In the bronze medal game. Australia went on a 9-3 run to fight back and have a 15-13 victory to win the bronze medal.

Ally Wilson playing defense for Bendigo Spirit against Southside Flyers guard Bec Cole at the State Basketball Centre on 6 January 2023

Singapore was again the host city for FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 held from 29 March to 2 April. The quartet that are playing for the Australian Gangurrus women’s team at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 of Maley, Whittle, Mansfield and Wilson dominated at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 to win the gold medal in convincing fashion. Australia won three qualifying draw games and five main draw games by at least 10 points each and defeated Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand 21-11 in the final to win the gold medal. Maley and Whittle were both named in the Team of the Tournament for the Asia Cup 2023, Maley ranked first overall with 7.6 rebounds per game. Whittle was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP), ranked first overall with 8.6 points per game and sixth with 6.6 rebounds per game. The Australian women’s team have won five medals at 3×3 FIBA Asia Cups comprised of three gold medals (2017, 2019 and 2023) along with one silver medal in 2022 and one bronze medal in 2018.

On the weekend of Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 May 2023 Australia had not one but two Gangurrus women’s teams competing in international tournaments. On this weekend a FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifier was held in Eilat, Israel and the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Wuhan Stop took place in China. Four players that had been members of Australia’s 3×3 squad and had attended training camps were able to gain valuable experience representing their nation. Due to WNBA commitments with Chicago Sky Maley was unavailable for either tournament.

Heading into a massive first weekend of May with two Gangurrus women’s teams in action Australian 3×3 women’s coach Damon Lowery told Basketball Australia “The clear goal is to finish top three and make the World Cup. We’re going to consolidate and strengthen our 3×3 strategies and values. The Gangurrus welcome in Miela Goodchild, Chloe Bibby, Amy Atwell and Emma Clarke for their first international 3×3 tournament in the green and gold.”2 

At the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifier 2023 held in Eilat, Israel on 6 and 7 May the Australian team was comprised of Whittle, Wilson, Keely Froling and Miela Goodchild. Australia were challenged in their second Pool A game but were able to prevail 18-16 against Czech Republic. Australia had convincing victories against Madagascar 21-9 and Israel 21-11 in their first and third Pool A games respectively. With Australia leading Israel 20-11 Whittle made a free throw to secure victory which enabled the Australian Gangurrus women’s team to finish first at the tournament and qualify for the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023. Australia were led by 10 points from Whittle and nine points from Wilson in the victory against Israel.

At the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Wuhan Stop on 6 and 7 May Mansfield’s experience playing for Australia at 3×3 level was invaluable alongside Australian 3×3 debutants – Amy Atwell, Chloe Bibby and Emma Clarke. In Australis’s third and final Pool A game Japan made a free-throw to tie the scores at 20 points apiece with one minute and 23 seconds remaining. Six seconds later Mansfield displayed composure to make a one point shot to secure victory for the Gangurrus and finished with a game-high 10 points. Australia defeated Sc. Yuanada 21-16 in a semi final led by 10 points from Mansfield. Host nation China defeated Australia 21-13 in the final, resulting in Australia finishing second at the Wuhan stop. Mansfield ranked second overall at the tournament with 7.6 points per game.

The Australian women’s Gangurrus team of Maley, Whittle, Mansfield and Wilson were seeded 19^th out of the 20 nations competing in Vienna from Tuesday 30 May to Sunday 4 June at FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023. Australia won four of their first five games of the tournament to advance to the semi finals where they lost to France 17-21. In the third place game Australia trailed China 14-11 with five minutes remaining. Whittle scored four of the next five points in the game, all with one point shots to level the scores with three minutes and 37 seconds remaining. China regained the ascendancy to lead 20-17 with one minute and 59 seconds left. Whittle made a two point shot to reduce the margin to one point with one minute and 43 seconds remaining. 29 seconds later Whittle made a two point shot to give Australia a thrilling 21-20 victory to win the bronze medal. Whittle finished the bronze medal game with a game-high 11 points. Whittle averaged 10.0 points per game, ranked second overall at the tournament was recognised for her exceptional World Cup 2023 by being selected in the Team of the Tournament.

Marena Whittle playing for Adelaide Lightning against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 22 December 2022

On Friday August 4 and Saturday August 5 the Australian women’s Gangurrus team competed in  FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Yichang Stop 2023. A four player team comprised of Maley, Mansfield, Emma Clarke and Whittle was selected for the tournament, however Mansfield weas a late withdrawal, reducing the Gangurrus team to three players. In an article published by the Sydney Flames Emma Clarke commented “It was never the plan to travel with three, as unfortunately Lauren Mansfield had to pull out last minute because of a medical condition and it was too late to get a replacement because of the Chinese visa requirements.”3 Despite being unable to make any substitutions the three player Gangurrus team of Clarke, Maley and Whittle were tremendous competing against four player teams and won their first four games of the tournament to make the Yichang Stop final. In the final Australia led by five points, 10-5 with three minutes and 50 seconds left. China overrun Australia to win the final by a point, 14-13. 

On Australia having the same quartet for FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 as the gold medal winning Asia Cup 2023 team Lauren Mansfield told Basketball Australia “It’s definitely an advantage, we know each other well and work well together. We still have so many things we can improve on and Asia Cup is a great chance to do so against some quality opponents. Any time we can get together on the court is so critical for not only this but in preparation for trying to qualify for the Olympics.”4

During Shooting The Breeze Ep97: Marena Whittle – For the people published on 16 December 2022 STB co-host Paul Camillos asked Whittle “Singapore is let’s be honest, not the most friendly outdoor environment for to play basketball let alone play 3×3, what was that like.” Whittle responded “It was hot, oh my god it was hot. Every day at a certain time I think it was 5 or 6 o’clock and games were playing the sun was right behind the backboard so it would hit everyone. We were allowed to bring in multiple drink bottles and our physio actually worked a way to get ice wrapped in a towel taped up so we could put it on ourselves waiting for a time out. We were so lucky that we had Anneli on the team, when Lozzie (Mansfield) was tired, the other Lozzie (Scherf) was tired, when I was gassed, I don’t know how she finds it but she just kept on going.” FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup is being held in Singapore for the third consecutive year this week with the 2023 and 2024 editions of the tournament both being played at Singapore Sports Hub.

In an article published by Basketball Australia on 22 March Australian women’s 3×3 coach Damon Lowery commented on the team for Asia Cup 2024 “The same four players are back to defend our title, the successful countries have little to no changes, and with our girls playing WNBL and overseas we play the least amount of 3×3 so anytime we can achieve that continuity is great. The Asia Cup will double as prep for the Olympic Qualifiers in May and we will also play practice games beforehand which will provide us with more prep.”5 In pre-Asia Cup friendlies Australia had an extended squad with Amy Atwell, Miela Goodchild, Lara McSpadden, and Emma Clarke joining team members Maley, Mansfield, Whittle and Wilson in the eight player squad.

Whilst Australia are the number five seeds for FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 this is largely due to not competing in as many tournaments as rival nations. The Australian Gangurrus quartet of Maley, Mansfield, Whittle and Wilson have consistently outperformed their seeding at FIBA 3×3 Tournaments including winning gold at Asia Cup 2023 and bronze at World Cup 2023. Having continuity playing as a team and the experience of playing 3×3 in Singapore and knowing what to expect from the conditions gives them an advantage over most of their opponents.

Of the top five seeds in the women’s FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 tournament in Singapore Australia are the only nation that have the exact same quartet as FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023. Three members of the third seeded Mongolian team and fourth seeded New Zealand teams at Asia Cup 2024 represented their nation at Asia Cup 2023.  Top seeds China and second seeds Japan have vastly different teams to Asia Cup 2024, neither team has multiple players returning from the 2023 tournament.

Eight nations will be competing in the women’s 3×3 basketball tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The top three ranked nations in the FIBA women’s 3×3 rankings as at 1 November 2023 – 1) China, 2) USA and 3) France have already qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The results at Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in April and May will determine which five nations will be joining China, USA and France in the field of eight nations in the women’s 3×3 basketball tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The Australian women’s Gangurrus team will be competing at Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2 held in Utsunomiya, Japan, from Friday 3 May to Sunday 5 May 2024. Australia are one of eight nations competing in the women’s 3×3 tournament along with  Kenya, Brazil, Netherlands, host nation Japan, Germany, Canada and Austria.

More details on the four members of the Australian women’s 3×3 team for 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 are provided in the Player Profiles section at the bottom of this article, with details provided on the basketball careers of the Australian quartet in the traditional five on five format of the sport as well as the newer 3×3 format. 

New Zealand women’s 3×3 team for FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024

Player                                                    Position

Gabriella Fotu                                        Forward

Lauryn Hippolite                                    Guard

Sharne Pupuke-Robati                          Forward

Esra McGoldrick                                     Forward

Coach – Anthony Corban

The four members of New Zealand’s team for FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024, Gabriella Fotu, Lauryn Hippolite, Sharne Pupuke-Robati and Esra McGoldrick have all represented their nation at the tournament previously. In 2022 Fotu represented New Zealand in 3×3 at both the Asia Cup and World Cup. Hippolite, Pupuke-Robati and McGoldrick were members of the New Zealand team along with Krystal Leger-Walker that won silver at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023, being defeated 11-21 in the final by Australia. McGoldrick, Hippolite and Pupuke-Robati all represented the New Zealand Tall Ferns team in 5 on 5 basketball at FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 held in China in February. Fotu, Hippolite and Pupuke-Robati were teammates on the BNZ HP team that finished first at 3×3 Jam in February 2024.

After missing most of 2023 due to injury Gabriella Fotu returns to New Zealand’s team for FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024. In 2022 Fotu represented New Zealand at FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2022, FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022 and the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. New Zealand made it to the medal games at the Commonwealth Games and finished fourth, having a 13-15 loss to Australia in the third place game.

In 2022 and 2023 Fotu competed in eight rounds of the NZ Pro Quest 3×3 Circuit. Fotu and Pupuke-Robati were teammates on the Puriri Ma team that won Rounds 5 and 6 in December 2022. In February 2023 forward Fotu was a member of the Puriri Hina team that finished first at NZ Pro Quest – R10 Auckland. Fotu was a member of the BBNZ team that finished third at Dream 3×3 Cup 2024 in March 2024.       

At 2021 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup held in Jordan in September 2021 guard Lauryn Hippolite made her debut for New Zealand’s senior women’s basketball team the Tall Ferns and averaged 2.8 assists per game, ranked third for New Zealand. In 2021/22 and 2022/23 Hippolite spent time as a development player with the Deakin Melbourne Boomers in the WNBL.                             

In January and February 2023 Hippolite played six rounds of the NZ Pro Quest 3×3 Circuit in Christchurch with the Manuka Pango team and achieved great success with the team finishing first at all six rounds. In five Rounds Hippolite and New Zealand 3×3 Asia Cup teammate McGoldrick were teammates on the Manuka Pango team that finished first. Hippolite represented New Zealand in six stops of the FIBA 3×3 U23 Nations League 2023 – Asia-Oceania. 

Lauryn Hippolite playing for New Zealand against Melbourne Boomers in a pre-season game at Casey Stadium on 22 October 2022

Hippolite played all three games in February for the Tall Ferns at FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 held in China and averaged 23.8 minutes (ranked fourth for New Zealand) and 3.7 points per game.  

Esra McGoldrick made her debut for the New Zealand Tall Ferns in 2019 against Japan. From December 2022 to February 2023 forward McGoldrick played seven rounds of the NZ Pro Quest 3×3 Circuit in Christchurch with Manuka Pango and the team finished first in all seven rounds. In Rounds 7, 8, 11, 12 and 15 McGoldrick Hippolite and New Zealand 3×3 Asia Cup teammate Hippolite were teammates on the Manuka Pango team that finished first.

At FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2023 held in Sydney McGoldrick ranked in the Tall Ferns top five for points and rebounds per game, New Zealand finished fourth at the tournament. McGoldrick was a member of the New Zealand team that won a silver medal at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023. At FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 held in China in February McGoldrick played all three games and averaged 32.8 minutes, 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game to lead the New Zealand Tall ferns in all three categories. McGoldrick scored at least 10 points in all three games. 

Esra McGoldrick taking a rebound for Bendigo Spirit in a WNBL game against Southside Flyers at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on 17 January 2024

In the lead-up to Asia Cup 2023 McGoldrick played six games for Casey Cavaliers in NBL1 South and averaged a double-double with 12.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. During the 2023 Tauihi Basketball season McGoldrick averaged 14.3 points, 8.2 rebounds (ranked 7^th in the league) and 1.6 blocked shots (3^rd) per game. McGoldrick was exceptional from long range, making 26 of 51 three-pointers at an accuracy of 51.0% to lead the league in this category. During the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season McGoldrick played 14 games for Bendigo Spirit and averaged 7.6 minutes and 1.9 points per game.

Esra McGoldrick with Bendigo Spirit teammates after their victory Melbourne Boomers at Melbourne Sports Centres Parkville on 30 December 2023

Pupuke-Robati represented New Zealand at the 2018 FIBA Under 17 Women’s Basketball World Cup and averaged 9.4 points (ranked third for New Zealand), 7.0 rebounds (ranked third) and 3.1 assists (ranked second) per game. From November 2022 to February 2023 Pupuke-Robati played seven rounds of the NZ Pro Quest 3×3 Circuit in Auckland. Pupuke-Robati and Fotu were teammates on the Puriri Ma team that won Rounds 5 and 6 in December 2022.

At FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 forward Pupuke-Robati was a member of the New Zealand team that won the silver medal. Pupuke-Robati averaged 6.6 points (ranked 3rd overall at the tournament) and 6.2 rebounds (7^th) per game and earnt selection in the All-Tournament Team. Pupuke-Robati played 2 games for the Tall Ferns at OQT 2024 in China in February and averaged 6.7 minutes per game. 

Hippolite and Pupuke-Robati will both be playing for the Casey Cavaliers in Victoria, Australia during the 2024 NBL1 South season. New Zealand teammate McGoldrick played for the Casey Cavaliers during the 2023 NBL1 South season.    

Women’s FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup history

The FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup is being held for the seventh time in 2024, having first been held in Doha, Qatar on 15 and 16 May 2013 when it was known as the FIBA Asia 3×3 Championship. At the 2013 tournament India won the gold medal, defeating Mongolia 21-14 in the final. Turkmenistan defeated Hong Kong 10-8 in the third place match to win the bronze medal.

In the FIBA Federation rankings Australia and New Zealand are both classified as being in the Oceania zone and competed in Oceania Championships against other nations from this region. Five nations competed at the 2015 FIBA Women’s 3×3 Oceania Championships held on the Gold Coast – Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji and Samoa. The Australian team comprised of current team member Anneli Maley along with Alexandra Sharp, Elizabeth Tonks and Chantel Horvat won three of their four pool games with the loss being to New Zealand 6-9. The trans-Tasman rivals met again in the final and Australia were triumphant in a thriller 14-13 to win the gold medal. Cook Islands finished third at the tournament.

From 2017 onwards Oceania Championships were no longer held at senior level with nations from the Asia and Oceania zones both competing in the Asia Cup. Australia and New Zealand who are the clear-cut strongest two nations in the Oceania zone are able to face stronger opposition and a wider variety of opponents and playing styles competing in the Asia Cup. 

At the 2017 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 27 to 29 October the Australian team comprised of Isabelle Bourne, Sarah McAppion, Chantella Perera and Carlie Smith were undefeated in their five games to win the gold medal. In the final 9^th seeds Australia defeated 6^th seeds Malaysia 21-15. China defeated India 21-12 in the bronze medal game. Australian 16-year-old Bourne was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2017 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup.

The 2018 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup held in Shenzen, China from April 27 to May 1 featured an epic encounter between trans-Tasman rivals Australia and New Zealand. After their semi-final went to overtime New Zealand guard Micaela Cocks made a two point shot to secure a 20-18 victory over Australia. The New Zealand team comprised of Cocks, Antonia Farnworth, Chevannah Paalvast and Kalani Purcell defeated host nation China 14-11 in the final to win the gold medal. In the bronze medal game the Australian team comprised of Bec Cole, Keely Froling, Maddie Garrick and Carlie Smith had a convincing victory over Japan 17-5. Cocks was named the tournament’s MVP and was joined in the team of the tournament by Australia captain Cole. Australia’s record at the tournament was seven wins and one loss, winning both games in the qualifying draw to progress to the main draw where they had a record of four wins and one loss.

At the 2019 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup held in Changsha, China from 22 to 26 May the Australian team comprised of Cole, Alice Kunek, Maddie Garrick and Hanna Zavecz won all five games, comprehensively defeating Kazakhstan 20-9 in the final to win the gold medal. Japan defeated Mongolia 21-14 in the third place game to win the bronze medal. Australian guard Cole was named the tournament’s MVP.

From 2017 to 2019 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup was held annually. Due to COVID-19 the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup was not held in 2020 or 2021. Australia had a new look team of Anneli Maley, Lauren Mansfield, Lauren Scherf and Marena Whittle at the 2022 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup held in Singapore from 6 to 10 July. The three medal winners from the 2018 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup – New Zealand (gold medal), China (silver medal) and Australia (bronze medal) all faced difficult draws at the 2022 tournament as they were the three nations all drawn in Pool C. Australia split their Pool games, winning their opening game against New Zealand 21-11 and were defeated by China 20-12. Australia won their quarter final against Mongolia 21-10 and had a 21-13 victory over Indonesia in the semi finals. The two nations from Pool C that progressed to the knockout stage – China and Australia played each other in the final. With the gold medal on the line it was a closer encounter than their Pool game but China prevailed against Australia for the second time at the tournament, recording a 14-10 victory to win the gold medal with Australia winning silver and finishing in the medals for the fourth consecutive FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup. In the battle for third place Indonesia defeated Japan 21-17 to win the bronze medal.

Singapore was again the host city for the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 held from 29 March to 2 April. The quartet that are playing for the Australian Gangurrus women’s team at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 of Maley, Whittle, Mansfield and Wilson dominated at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 to win the gold medal in convincing fashion. Australia won three qualifying draw games and five main draw games by at least 10 points each and defeated Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand 21-11 in the final to win the gold medal. Maley and Whittle were both named in the Team of the Tournament for the Asia Cup 2023, Maley ranked first overall with 7.6 rebounds per game. Whittle was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP), ranked first overall with 8.6 points per game and sixth with 6.6 rebounds per game.

Australia have been the most successful nation at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup in both the men’s and women’s tournament despite not being eligible to play in the 2013 tournament. Australia have won the women’s tournament three times, 2017, 2019 and 2023 and have won a medal at all tournaments they have competed in. The Australian women’s team has also won one silver medal (2022) and one bronze medal (2018). No other nation was won the women’s FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup multiple times and only two other nations have won medals at multiple tournaments, China and New Zealand. China have won four medals comprised of one gold in 2022, one silver and two bronze. New Zealand won gold in 2018 and bronze in 2023.

Australian Gangurrus men’s 3×3 team for FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024

At the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup the Australian men’s team have finished on the podium at all five tournaments they have competed in and have a medal tally of three gold, one silver and one bronze. In the men’s tournament Australia rank first with three gold medals at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup ahead of Mongolia with two gold medals. The Australian men’s team won the gold medal at three consecutive FIBA 3×3 Asia Cups – 2018, 2019 and 2022. Australia won the bronze medal at 2017 and the silver medal in 2023, being defeated 21-18 by Mongolia in the final.

The members of the Australian men’s team at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 are Todd Blanchfield, Joshua Davey, Will Hickey and James O’Donnell. Blanchfield is the only member of the Gangurrus silver medal winning team from FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 that is representing his nation at Asia Cup 2024. In 2023/24 Blanchfield and Hickey played the traditional five on five format of basketball in the NBL for Perth Wildcats and Illawarra Hawks. Davey and O’Donnell are both at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence.   

The Australian men’s Gangurrus team were seeded 10^th for Asia Cup 2024 and had to compete in Qualifying Draw C to earn a place in the main draw. Australia convincingly won all three matches, defeating Tahiti 21-5, Krgyzstan 21-6 and Kazakhstan 18-7 to progress to the main draw. The Australian men’s team are in Pool C at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 and on Saturday 30 March play Japan at 6.35pm AEDT and Philippines at 9.30pm AEDT.

Player profiles of the Australian women’s Gangurrus team at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024

Anneli Maley

#24                                                      Position: Forward                  

Date of birth 1 September 1998       Height 186cm                         

Junior Club                                          Eltham Wildcats (Victoria)                          

WNBL debut: 2016/17                       WNBL games played: 112       

2023/24 WNBL Team:    Perth Lynx

Anneli Maley played her junior basketball with the Eltham Wildcats and also represented Eltham at senior level in the NBL1 South conference from 2021 to 2023. At under-age level forward Maley represented Australia at several tournaments including Under 17 and Under 19 World Championships. Maley was a member of the Australian Gems team that won a bronze medal at the 2015 Under 19 FIBA World Championships held in Chekhov, Russia. Maley is an exceptional rebounder and at the 2017 FIBA Under 19 World Cup held in Italy led the sixth placed Gems for rebounds and ranked fourth overall at the tournament in this category.

Maley joined WNBL club Adelaide Lightning in December 2016, two months after the 2016/17 season started and made her debut in the league at 18 years of age. The following month in an Adelaide Lightning victory on the road against the Dandenong Rangers on 8 January 2017 Maley fell just short of recording a double-double, scoring 16 points and taking a team-high nine rebounds. Maley played 12 WNBL games for Adelaide Lightning in 2016/17 and averaged 3.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Playing off the bench for Adelaide Maley finished in the top five of the WNBL’s 2016/17 Rookie of the Year Award.

Anneli Maley playing for Adelaide Lightning against Dandenong Rangers at Dandenong Stadium on 8 January 2017

In the United States of America Maley played one season of college basketball for the Oregon Ducks in 2017/18, playing 37 games off the bench. Against Southern Utah on 9 December 2017 Maley scored an equal season-high nine points, made two of three three-pointers, took a season-high eight rebounds and made two assists in 15 minutes court-time. After the 2017/18 college season Maley transferred from Oregon to Texas Christian University (TCU). Maley played 10 games for TCU including three as a starter in 2018/19 before returning to Australia during the Christmas break.  

During the 2019/20 WNBL season Maley played for the Southside Flyers. In a Southside 81-62 victory against Townsville Fire at Dandenong Stadium on 13 December Maley started on the bench and recorded a double-double comprised of 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds in just 16 minutes and eight seconds court-time. Maley played 25 games for the Southside Flyers off the bench in 2019/20, averaging 2.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 10.0 minutes per game.

Anneli Maley playing for Southside Flyers against Bendigo Spirit at Traralgon Stadium on 26 October 2019

During the 2020 WNBL hub season Maley flourished in a starting role with the Sydney Uni Flames. In each of Sydney’s last 11 games of the season Maley took at least eight rebounds, including taking more than 13 rebounds in a game six times. In Sydney’s 73-67 victory against Perth on 23 November Maley took 20 rebounds to set the season-high by a player in a single-game during the 2020 WNBL season. Maley was a revelation for Sydney in 2020 to average 7.9 points per game, a league-leading 12.1 rebounds, and 29.6 minutes court-time per game whilst also impressing with her defense. At 186 centimetres tall Maley consistently battled for rebounds against bigger bodies, however with the ability to read the flight of the ball superbly, together with great body positioning and timing Maley averaged 8.4 defensive rebounds and 3.7 offensive rebounds per game in 2020 to lead the WNBL in both categories. Highlighting how dominant Maley’s rebounding was her 12.1 rebounds per game during the 2020 regular season was 31.5% more than the second ranked player in the league – Cayla George with 9.2 rebounds per game.

Anneli is from a basketball family, her dad Paul Maley played 270 NBL games from 1990 to 2001, was part of North Melbourne’s 1994 Championship winning team and during his first two NBL seasons in 1990 and 1991 averaged a double-double for the entire season. After his playing career ended Paul has held several sports related roles including commencing with Basketball Australia in April 2015. Maley was appointed to an Executive General Manager role at Basketball Australia in March 2019.

Maley signed with Bendigo Spirit for the 2021/22 WNBL season and on 22 December put on a shooting exhibition for Bendigo against the University of Canberra Capitals to score a career-high 38 points, making 14 of 20 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 70%. Maley was even more effective from long-range, making five of six three-pointers at an astronomical accuracy of 83.3% to surpass her previous career-high of four threes made in a season in a single incredible game. Against the Capitals in Round 4 at the National Convention Centre Maley took a game-high 20 rebounds comprised of nine offensive and 11 defensive. For her incredible Round 4 game against the Capitals Maley was named the WNBL’s Player of the Week. Maley’s 38 points against the Capitals was the most scored by a player in a WNBL game during the 2021/22 season.

Anneli Maley playing for Bendigo Spirit against Melbourne Boomers at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville on 6 March 2022

Playing as a forward for Bendigo Spirit during the 2021/22 WNBL season Maley well and truly developed into an offensive threat, averaging a league-leading 19.8 points per game – a phenomenal 250% improvement on her previous season’s output of 7.9 points per game for Sydney. Maley averaged 15.7 rebounds per game in 2021/22 to again lead the WNBL in this category and also led the league for free-throws made and minutes played. Throughout the 2021/22 season Maley was remarkably consistent, scoring at least 13 points in 15 of her 16 games for Bendigo and fell a solitary point short of recording a double-double in every game. Maley was recognised for her incredible season, winning the 2021/22 Suzy Batkovic Medal for being the WNBL’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) and was also named in the All-WNBL first team.

To celebrate Maley winning the WNBL’s 2021/22 Suzy Batkovic medal for being the league’s Most Valuable Player an article comprehensively covering Maley’s incredible career was published by Milestones and Misses on 5 May 2022. A link to this article is below:

The evolution of Anneli Maley from exceptional rebounder to Suzy Batkovic medal winner

As a teenager Maley was a member of the Australian team at the 2015 FIBA 3×3 Oceania Championships held on the Gold Coast. After Australia lost a pool game to New Zealand the trans-Tasman rivals met again in the final and Australia were victorious in a thriller 14-13 to win the gold medal. From 2019 onwards Maley has competed in several NBL 3×3 Pro Hustle events and has had success playing on teams with her partner and fellow Australian Gangurrus team member Marena Whittle, including winning Pro Hustle events as teammates.

During an interview on the 20 April 2021 NBL1 Show episode, co-host Peter Hooley asked Maley “You do a lot of 3×3 stuff, part of the National squad for Australia in 3×3. What is the carry-over from a 3×3 game, training and preparation for that and then you go and play in a normal NBL1 game, anything that carries over or do you treat them both completely different?” Maley responded “I think that since I have started 3×3 my five on five game has excelled. I think that it really gives you the tools to be able to work on those one on one break-down stuff. It like levelled up my offensive game like nothing else, I think that when you are training for 3×3 obviously there is like no fouls it is very physical and fast-paced and you can’t hide your weaknesses. It is a fast-paced game so when you get it you have to be able to shoot, you have to be able drive, you have to be able to pass. In the 3×3 trainings and the games that we play against each other and stuff, I think that it has equipped me with the skills to carry over to five on five. The more 3×3 I do the more comfortable I feel with my one on one game in a five on five situation as well as the fitness that you get from a 3×3 game and the ability to finish through physicality, there’s just so many benefits that I carry over from one to the other.”

At FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022 held in Singapore in July Maley and Whittle were members of the Australian team along with Lauren Mansfield and Lauren Scherf. Australia had three wins and two losses at the tournament to win the silver medal. Australia’s two losses were both against China, in a Pool C game and a 10-14 loss in the final. Maley was recognised for her brilliant performance at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022 by being named in the Team of the Tournament.

Singapore was again the host city for the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 held from 29 March to 2 April. The quartet that are playing for the Australian Gangurrus team at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 of Maley, Whittle, Mansfield and Wilson dominated at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 to win the gold medal in convincing fashion. Australia won three qualifying draw games and five main draw games by at least 10 points each and defeated Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand 21-11 in the final to win the gold medal. Maley and Whittle were both named in the Team of the Tournament for Asia Cup 2023 and Maley ranked first overall with 7.6 rebounds per game.

The same quartet represented the Australian women’s Gangurrus team at FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023 and were seeded 19^th out of the 20 nations competing in Vienna from Tuesday 30 May to Sunday 4 June. Australia won four of their first five games of the tournament to advance to the semi finals where they lost to France 17-21. In the third place game Australia fought back from a 17-20 deficit  against China with Whittle scoring the next four points to secure a Gangurrus 21-20 victory to win the bronze medal.

At FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Yichang Stop 2023 in August Maley was a member of an Australian Gangurrus three player team along with Whittle and Emma Clarke that finished second. Despite not being able to make substitutions the Gangurrus won their first games of the tournament and lost to China in the final by a point 13-14.

In May 2022 Maley attended WNBA team Chicago Sky’s training camp. After being waived by Chicago Maley was signed as a hardship exception player due to several of Chicago’s players being injured or overseas due to other playing commitments. Maley played four regular season games for Chicago in 2022, averaging 2.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 11.0 minutes per game before being waived when the players on Chicago’s roster returned.

On 31 May 2022 Maley made her debut with Australia’s senior women’s basketball team, the Opals in game three of the friendly series against Japan. Despite not being part of the Opals training camp due to her WNBA commitments with Chicago Sky and missing the first two games of the series Maley fitted in seamlessly. Immediately after being substituted in for her Opals debut at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre Maley took an offensive rebound off a missed free-throw and scored a field goal. Maley finished the game with 11 points and seven rebounds for the Opals.

During the 2021 NBL1 South season Maley averaged 17.3 points and a league-leading 23.4 rebounds per game for her home club the Eltham Wildcats. After her stint playing in the WNBA with Chicago Sky and making her Opals debut against Japan in late May 2022 Maley joined the Eltham Wildcats during the 2022 NBL1 South season. Maley played a total of 15 games for Eltham across the 2022 and 2023 NBL1 South seasons and averaged more than 19.0 points, 16.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in each season.

At FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 held in Sydney from 22 September to 1 October in the traditional five on five format of the sport Maley made her major championship debut for the Opals. Against Mali in Australia’s second group game Maley made a three-pointer, took three rebounds and made one assist. Maley was a member of the bronze medal winning Opals team and played in five of Australia’s eight games for the tournament. 

Anneli Maley playing for Bendigo Spirit in a pre-season game against Southside Flyers at Dandenong Stadium on 22 October 2022

Against Adelaide Lightning on 28 December at Adelaide 36ers Arena Maley played all 40 minutes, and scored a team-high 19 points in Bendigo’s 78-66 victory. Maley was superb on the boards,  taking a game-high and season-high 24 rebounds comprised of nine offensive and 15 defensive rebounds to be named the WNBL’s Round 8 Player of the Round. 

Maley played all 21 games for Bendigo during the 2022/23 regular season and averaged 16.2 points (ranked 9^th in the WNBL), 11.0 rebounds (2nd), 2.1 assists, 1.7 steals (equal 10^th), 3.5 free-throws made (4th) and 34.2 minutes (4th) per game.

Anneli Maley playing for Bendigo Spirit against the Southside Flyers at the State Basketball Centre on 6 January 2023

On 17 February 2023 WNBA club Chicago Sky announced that Maley had signed a 2023 training camp contract with the club. Maley played two games for Chicago during the 2023 pre-season before being the last player waived by Chicago before the regular season started. 

At FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2023 held in Sydney from 26 June to 2 July Maley was a member of the Australian Opals team that won the bronze medal. In the third place game Maley recorded a double-double comprised of 11 points and a team-high 11 rebounds against New Zealand and shot the ball at 83.3% from the field in the Opals 81-59 victory. Maley played all six games for the Opals and averaged 6.0 points, an equal team-high 7.5 rebounds and 18.9 minutes per game. At the tournament Maley had a field goal accuracy of 51.9%, ranked third for the Opals.

When the Australian Opals have competed in FIBA tournaments from 2022 onwards Milestones and Misses have published Australian Opals Player Profiles and Tournament Guides. Below is a link to the 5 on 5 tournament preview and Australian Opals player profiles page of the Milestones and Misses website:

https://milestonesandmisses.com/category/australian-opals/5-on-5-tournament-preview-and-opals-player-profiles

 After two WNBL seasons with Bendigo Spirit Maley joined Perth Lynx for the 2023/24 WNBL season. Perth Lynx Head Coach Petrik commented “Anneli is the best rebounder I’ve seen in my time in the WNBL, but there’s way more to her game than that. The tenacity and intensity she plays with, each and every possession, is infectious, and lifts everyone around her to play harder for longer. But it’s also the rate of improvement that’s scary, every season she comes back with new weapons to her game because she puts in the work. The way Anneli likes to play, inside our pace and space styled system, should be a match made in heaven, and we cannot wait to start working with her.”6

Anneli Maley and Perth Lynx Head Coach Ryan Petrik at the post-game press conference after Perth’s game against Melbourne Boomers at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville on 24 January 2024

In her first season with the club Maley was named Perth’s captain. Maley achieved several milestones in 2023/24, playing the 100th WNBL game of her career and reached 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds in the league. In a Round 14 home victory at Bendat Basketball Centre against University of Canberra Capitals on 18 February Maley fell just two assists short of reaching a triple double. Maley scored 17 points at 75% from the field, took a game-high 20 rebounds and made a team-high eight assists in a brilliant all-round game. Maley made two of three three-pointers at 66.7%. Maley was named in the WNBL’s Round 14 Team of the Week, her third selection of the season.

Anneli Maley shooting a free throw for Perth Lynx against the Southside Flyers at the State Basketball Centre on 22 November 2023

Perth finished fourth at the end of the 2023/24 regular season and defeated reigning WNBL Champions Townsville Fire two games to nil in a semi final to make the Grand Final. In game 1 of the Grand Final Perth Lynx had a road victory against Southside Flyers. Perth were defeated in the next two games and lost the Grand Final series to Southside one game to two. In 25 games for Perth in 2023/24 Maley averaged 12.9 points, 12.2 rebounds (ranked 2^nd in the WNBL) and 3.1 assists per game. It was the fourth consecutive season that Maley ranked in the league’s top two for rebounds per game. Maley has signed with Perth Redbacks for the 2024 NBL1 West season.

WNBL Achievements:          Suzy Batkovic medal winner 2021/22

                                               All-WNBL first-team 2021/22

                                              WNBL leading rebounder Award 2020, 2021/22

                                               WNBL leading scorer Award 2021/22

3×3 Achievements for Australia: Gold medal FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023

                                                                                Gold medal 2015 FIBA 3×3 Oceania Championships

                                                                                Silver medal FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022

Finished second FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Yichang Stop 2023

Bronze medal FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023

                                                                Team of the Tournament FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022, 2023

Lauren Mansfield

 #33                                                Position: Guard                     

DOB 18 December 1989                Height 170cm                         

Junior Club                                      North Adelaide Rockets (South Australia)                          

WNBL debut: 2012/13                   WNBL games played: 196     

2023/24 WNBL Team:     Adelaide Lightning

Lauren Mansfield grew up in South Australia, played her junior basketball with the North Adelaide Rockets and went on to play her first two WNBL seasons with her home state club, the Adelaide Lightning in 2012/13 and 2013/14. After playing seven WNBL seasons for teams outside South Australia Mansfield returned to her home state and played for Adelaide Lightning in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 WNBL seasons. Mansfield played for her junior club, the North Adelaide Rockets in the 2023 NBL1 Central season and is suiting up for the Rockets again in 2024.

Mansfield played two seasons of college basketball in the United States of America for Midland Community College in 2008/09 and 2009/10. Mansfield joined Iowa State University for the 2010/11 college basketball season. Playing as a point guard Mansfield made 61 starts in 64 games for Iowa across the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons. Mansfield was a co-captain of the Iowa State Cyclones in 2012 and was named in the Academic All-Big 12 Second team. During her two seasons at Iowa Mansfield had at least five assists in a game 26 times.

At World University Games Mansfield was a member of two medal winning teams for Australia, winning bronze medals in 2009 and 2013. Mansfield was named in the Australian Opals extended 27 player squad in 2016.

At the 2017 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup held in India Mansfield was a member of the Australian Opals team in the traditional five on five format of basketball. Mansfield played all six games for the silver medal winning Opals and was Australia’s equal leader for assists along with Katie Ebzery, ranked second for minutes played behind Ebzery, ranked equal third for steals and sixth for rebounds. After being named in the Australian Opals 12 player team for the 2018 FIBA World Cup in Spain Mansfield was a late withdrawal due to a foot injury.

Lauren Mansfield playing for UC Capitals against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 17 December 2016

At expansion club SEQ Stars first and only WNBL season in 2015/16 Mansfield had a break-out season as the Stars starting point guard. On 23 January 2016 Mansfield scored 30 points, made eight assists and three steals for SEQ Stars to set game-highs in the latter two categories in a victory   against UC Capitals. With proficient shooting Mansfield had a field goal accuracy of 50% and made four of 10 three-pointers at 40% in the Round 14 home game at Logan Metro. 

Due to an ankle injury Mansfield missed the final two rounds of the 2015/16 regular season as well as the finals. In the first 16 Rounds of the 2015/16WNBL season Mansfield was selected in the WNBL Team of the Week six teams including five times in six rounds from Round 11 to Round 16 which highlights the outstanding standard of performance that she consistently delivered. For the SEQ Stars in 2015/16 Mansfield averaged 15.5 points (ranked 9^th in the WNBL), 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game – ranked second in the WNBL behind Kelly Wilson.

Lauren Mansfield shooting a free-throw for SEQ Stars against Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 8 November 2015

Mansfield has played a total of 196 WNBL games in 10 seasons comprised of 89 games for Adelaide Lightning, 21 games for SEQ Stars, 24 games for the UC Capitals, 42 games for Perth Lynx and 20 games for the Sydney Uni Flames. Mansfield was Sydney’s co-captain for both her seasons with the club however a calf injury ended her 2021/22 season after seven games.

In five WNBL seasons Mansfield has averaged at least 11.5 points and 4.0 assists per game – 2015/16 with the SEQ Stars, 2016/17 with the University of Canberra Capitals, 2020 and 2021/22 with the Sydney Uni Flames and 2022/23 with Adelaide Lightning.

After attending several training camps as part of the Australian 3×3 squad Mansfield made her debut for Australia’s national 3×3 women’s team at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022 held in Singapore from 6 to 10 July. The Australian team comprised of Mansfield, Anneli Maley, Lauren Scherf and Marena Whittle had three wins and two losses at the tournament to win the silver medal. Australia’s two losses were both against China, in a Pool C game and in the final.

Weeks after the 2022 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup Mansfield represented Australia in the women’s 3×3 tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham from 29 July to 2 August. The Australian team comprised of Mansfield, Scherf, Whittle and Ally Wilson won their three pool games to advance to the semi finals. In a semi final Australia were defeated by England 15-21. Australia trailed New Zealand 6-10 in the bronze medal game. Australia went on a 9-3 run to fight back and have a 15-13 victory to win the bronze medal.

In 2021 and 2022 Mansfield played for the Gold Coast Rollers in the NBL1 North conference. During 2022 Mansfield played 11 games for the Gold Coast Rollers and averaged 19.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

A decade after commencing her WNBL career with Adelaide Lightning in 2012/13 Mansfield returned to her home state club for a second stint, signing a two-year deal with Adelaide for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons. Adelaide Lightning Head Coach Nat Hurst commented “As a first-year head coach in the WNBL, I needed someone with Mansfield’s experience as our shooting guard, I could not be happier that she is leading us into next season. She has a wealth of talent and experience, and I am looking forward to seeing her in a Lightning jersey once again.”7

During the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL season Mansfield was teammates at Adelaide Lightning with Australian 3×3 teammate Whittle. In a Round 3 Adelaide home game at Adelaide 36ers Arena on 19 November Mansfield put on a shooting exhibition against Sydney Flames to score a game-high 23 points at an incredible 88.9% from the field, took three rebounds and made an equal team-high four assists in Adelaide’s 87-67 victory. Amazingly Mansfield made all seven three-point attempts for the game and earnt the WNBL’s Round 3 Player of the Round award.

Lauren Mansfield playing for Adelaide Lightning against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 22 December 2022

Mansfield played all 21 games for Adelaide in 2022/23 and averaged 11.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists (ranked sixth in the WNBL) per game. Mansfield’s 2.3 three-pointers per game ranked equal sixth in the league. 

Mansfield played for North Adelaide Rockets during the 2023 NBL1 Central season and was named the Conference’s Round 3 Player of the Week for her 24 point, nine rebound and eight assist performance in an 80-65 victory against Central Districts on 25 March. Mansfield played 13 games during the 2023 NBL1 Central regular season for North Adelaide and averaged 17.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game (ranked 2^nd in NBL1 Central)

Singapore was again the host city for FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 held from 29 March to 2 April. The quartet that are playing for the Australian Gangurrus at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 of Maley, Whittle, Mansfield and Wilson dominated at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 to win the gold medal in convincing fashion. Australia won three qualifying draw games and five main draw games by at least 10 points each and defeated Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand 21-11 in the final to win the gold medal.

Guard, Mansfield was a member of the Australian Gangurrus team that competed in the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Wuhan Stop in early May 2023 along with Amy Atwell, Chloe Bibby and Emma Clarke. In Australia’s 21-16 victory in their opening Pool A game against Germany Mansfield made four of four two-pointers and scored a team-high nine points. In Australia’s third and final Pool A game against Japan Mansfield made a free-throw to tie the scores at 20 points apiece with one minute and 23 seconds remaining. Six seconds later Mansfield made a one point shot to secure victory for the Gangurrus and finished with a game-high 10 points. Australia defeated Sc. Yuanada 21-16 in a semi final, led by 10 points from Mansfield. Host nation China defeated Australia 21-13 in the final, resulting in Australia finishing second at the Wuhan Stop.  

At FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023 the Australian women’s Gangurrus team of Maley, Whittle, Mansfield and Wilson were seeded 19^th out of the 20 nations competing in Vienna from Tuesday 30 May to Sunday 4 June. Australia won four of their first five games of the tournament to advance to the semi finals where they lost to France 17-21. In the third place game Australia fought back from a 17-20 deficit against China to score the next four points and had a 21-20 victory to win the bronze medal.

Lauren Mansfield playing for Adelaide Lightning against Southside Flyers at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville on 24 February 2024

In an Adelaide Lightning road game against Bendigo Spirit on 15 December 2023 Mansfield scored a game-high 28 points at 69.2% from the field and made seven of 11 three-pointers at 63.6% in a proficient shooting performance. Mansfield had at least five assists in a game eight times in 2023/24 including  a season-high and game-high eight assists in Adelaide’s 68-59 road victory against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December. With Adelaide Lightning in 2023/24 Mansfield averaged 10.8 points, 3.8 assists (equal 10^th) and 1.6 three-pointers (ranked equal 9^th in the WNBL) made per game. Mansfield is playing her second consecutive NBL1 Central season with North Adelaide Rockets in 2024.

Lauren Mansfield during a deadball situation in Adelaide Lightning’s game against Melbourne Boomers at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville on 17 December 2023

3×3 Achievements for Australia: Gold medal FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023

                                                           Silver medal FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022

                                                           Bronze medal 3×3 Commonwealth Games 2022

                                                                Bronze medal FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023

                                                           Finished second FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Wuhan Stop 2023

Marena Whittle      

#21                                                           Position: Guard/Forward       

 DOB  28 January 1994                   Height 180cm                         

Junior Club                                       Nunawading (Victoria)                          

WNBL debut: 2018/19                   WNBL games played: 95     

2022/23 WNBL Team: Adelaide Lightning

2023/24 Team: Movistar Estudiantes (Spain)

Marena Whittle commenced her junior career with the Nunawading Spectres in metropolitan Melbourne and later on represented the Spectres at State League level, earning SEABL (now NBL1 South) All-Star five selection with Nunawading in both 2017 and 2018.

In a four-season college career with North Dakota State University from 2012/13 to 2015/16 Whittle averaged 11.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocked shots per game. Whittle led the Summit League with 10.3 rebounds per game in her senior season in 2015/16 and was named in the All-Summit League First Team.

For the 2017/18 WNBL season Whittle was on Townsville Fire’s roster but due to a knee injury was unable to play a game during Townsville’s championship winning season. On 13 October 2018 Whittle made her WNBL debut for the Bendigo Spirit against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre and excelled to score a team-high 21 points, took four rebounds, made three assists and a game-high four steals in Bendigo’s 82-72 victory.

From April 2018 onwards Whittle has been very successful on the 3×3 circuit. In a 13 month period from April 2018 to April 2019 Marena represented Spectres i-Athletic in six tournaments with the team winning four tournaments including the first two NBL Pro Hustle Events, and finished on the podium in the other two events. During May 2019 Whittle represented Australia in 3×3 basketball in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifier 2019 tournament which Australia won, and since then has won several 3×3 tournaments on the Australian domestic circuit. Whittle has had success at several 3×3 tournaments playing on the same team as her partner and fellow Australian representative Anneli Maley including having won two Pro Hustle events as teammates.

At FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022 held in Singapore from 6 to 10 July Whittle was a member of the Australian team along with Maley, Mansfield and Scherf. Australia had three wins and two losses at the tournament to win the silver medal. Australia’s two losses were both against China, in a Pool C game and in the final.

Less than a month later Whittle, Mansfield, Scherf and Ally Wilson represented Australia at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham from 29 July to 2 August. Australia won their three pool games to advance to the semi finals where they were defeated by England 15-21. In the bronze medal game Australia trailed New Zealand 6-10. Australia went on a 9-3 run to fight back and have a 15-13 victory to win the bronze medal.

In late March 2019 Whittle told 3x3hustle.com “I love 3×3 because there’s so much freedom on the court and everyone matters, and gets the chance to play with the basketball and to have an impact in one way or another. I find in 5×5 that you can kind of get by just being a role player but in 3×3 there’s nowhere to hide out there. I love it because on every play and in every game you need to make an impact. There’s a lot of pressure that comes with that but I also have so much fun with it because there’s so much freedom and that’s how I like to play. The girls that are successful in 3×3 probably play quite similarly to that. I found that not only was 3×3 a lot of fun but it just adds a different dynamic to the game of basketball and I really enjoyed it.”8

Marena Whittle shooting a free-throw for the Bendigo Spirit against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 13 October 2018

After not playing a game in 2017/18 due to injury Whittle played 95 consecutive WNBL games across five seasons, representing Bendigo Spirit in 2018/19, Perth Lynx in 2019/20 and Adelaide Lightning from 2020 to 2022/23. In her first three WNBL seasons Whittle averaged at least 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Whittle ranked second at Adelaide in 2020 for rebounding (5.3 rpg) and steals (1.2 spg), fifth for scoring and minutes played and led the Lightning with 1.9 offensive rebounds per game. Predominantly playing off the bench for Adelaide Lightning in 2021/22 Whittle ranked fourth for her club in rebounding (4.0 rpg) and third for steals averaging 16.7 minutes per game.

Whittle played her second consecutive NBL1 South season with the Ringwood Hawks in 2022. Ringwood had 18 wins and four losses during the 2022 regular season to finish second, two wins behind the Bendigo Braves. In the NBL1 South Grand Final at the State Basketball Centre on 3 September 2022 Ringwood defeated Bendigo 89-73 to win the South Conference women’s championship. In the Grand Final victory Whittle was phenomenal playing the full 40 minutes for Ringwood, scored a game-high 33 points, made 13 of 22 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 59.1%, made both three-point attempts and five of six free-throws at an accuracy of 83.3%. Whittle took a game-high 19 rebounds comprised of eight offensive and 11 defensive, made four assists and an equal team-high two steals. In the Grand Final win Whittle registered an outright season-high in scoring, an equal season-high for rebounds and won the Grand Final Most Valuable Player Award.     

Including finals Whittle played 21 games for the Ringwood Hawks during the 2022 NBL1 South season, averaging 21.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.7 steals per game. In 19 of 21 games Whittle scored at least 17 points and she registered 12 double-doubles for the season including all three finals. Whittle ranked second in the NBL1 South Conference for steals and in the top 12 for points and rebounds. Whittle was selected in the 2022 NBL1 South women’s All-Star 5, to earn Victorian State League All-Star 5 honours for the third time in her career, having been selected in the SEABL All-Star 5 in 2017 and 2018 whilst playing for the Nunawading Spectres.  

Whittle played her third consecutive season with Adelaide Lightning in 2022/23 and was teammates with fellow Australian 3×3 team member Lauren Mansfield. Whittle played all 21 games for Adelaide during the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL season including 11 games as a starter. Whittle flourished in a starting role late in the season and in each of Adelaide’s last four games of the season scored at least 16 points including three games with more than 21 points. Whittle registered four double-doubles for the season including a 27 point, 14 rebound performance to set game-highs in both categories against the UC Capitals on 18 February at the National Convention Centre. In Adelaide’s 78-72 victory against the Capitals Whittle made 10 of 15 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 66.7% and made three of six three-pointers at 50%.

Marena Whittle playing for Adelaide Lightning against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 22 December 2022

During the 2022/23 WNBL season Whittle averaged 12.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game to set new career-highs in all three categories. Averaging 25.8 minutes per game for Adelaide Lightning Whittle ranked 15^th in the league for rebounds per game. 

The FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 was held in Singapore from 29 March to 2 April. The quartet that are playing for the Australian Gangurrus team at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 of Maley, Whittle, Mansfield and Wilson dominated at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 to win the gold medal in convincing fashion. Australia won three qualifying draw games and five main draw games by at least 10 points each and defeated Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand 21-11 in the final to win the gold medal. Whittle was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) and was selected in the Team of the Tournament alongside Maley. At FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 Whittle ranked first overall with 8.6 points per game and sixth with 6.6 rebounds per game.

Whittle was a member of the Australian Gangurrus team along with Wilson, Keely Froling and Miela Goodchild at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifier held in Eilia, Israel on May 6 and 7. Australia won all three games to finish first and qualify for FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023. Whittle scored a game-high 10 points in Australia’s 21-9 victory against host nation Israel in the Gangurrus third and final game of the tournament.

The Australian women’s Gangurrus team of Maley, Whittle, Mansfield and Wilson were seeded 19^th out of the 20 nations competing in Vienna from Tuesday 30 May to Sunday 4 June at FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023. Australia won four of their first five games of the tournament to advance to the semi finals where they lost to France 17-21. In the third place game Australia trailed China 14-11 with five minutes remaining. Whittle scored four of the next five points in the game, all with one point shots to level the scores with three minutes and 37 seconds remaining. China regained the ascendancy to lead 20-17 with one minute and 59 seconds left. Whittle made a two point shot to reduce the margin to one point with one minute and 43 seconds remaining. 29 seconds later Whittle made a two point shot to give Australia a thrilling 21-20 victory to win the bronze medal. Whittle finished the bronze medal game with a game-high 11 points. Whittle averaged 10.0 points per game ranked second overall at the tournament was recognised for her exceptional World Cup 2023 by being selected in the Team of the Tournament.

After Whittle and her Australian Gangurrus teammates had received their FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023 bronze medals Whittle told Basketball Australia “China is an amazing team and when we were down, we were talking to each other saying ‘we can still do it, tough defense and get the rebounds’ we do it up and it went in. We had Anneli getting the rebounds and that’s what gets us extra possessions – it was amazing. Our coach Damon gives us all confidence to make buckets down the line, it’s great having my teammates back as well and I know they’re behind me on every shot I take. I love my country, I love playing for the Gangurrus and I love every single one of our girls including our squad back home, I love you all and I can’t wait to bring this medal home.”9

At FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Yichang Stop 2023 in August Whittle was a member of an Australian Gangurrus three player team along with Maley and Emma Clarke that finished second. Despite not being able to make substitutions the Gangurrus won their first games of the tournament and lost to China in the final by a point 13-14.

In the 2023 NBL1 South season Whittle played her third consecutive season with the Ringwood Hawks. In a road game against Keilor Thunder on 21 May Whittle scored a game-high 37 points shooting at 64% from the field, took a team-high 17 rebounds and made a team-high four assists in Ringwood’s 79-65 victory. Whittle played 15 games for Ringwood in the 2023 regular season and averaged 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game to earn her second consecutive selection in the NBL1 South All-Star 5. 

Whittle joined Spanish club Movistar Estudiantes for the 2023/24 season. In a EuroCup game against Levhartice Chomutov on 26 October 2023 Whittle recorded a double-double comprised of 23 points and 12 rebounds to set game-highs in both categories and also made an equal game-high two steals and had one block  in Movistar’s 70-66 victory. Whittle shot the ball proficiently to make eight of 11 field goal attempts at accuracy of 72.7% and four of five three-pointers at 80%. Between them all the other players in the game made five of 31 three-pointers at an accuracy of 16.1% which highlights how effective Whittle was from the perimeter. In eight EuroCup games for Movistar Whittle averaged 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 20.7 minutes per game. In a Queen’s Cup quarter final on 22 March Whittle’s Movistar team had a 72-49 victory against a Spar Girona team that included two Australians – Marianna Tolo and Lauren Nicholson. It was the first time that Movistar Estudiantes had made the Queen’s Cup semi finals in the club’s history. Movistar lost to Valencia Basket 50-77 in the Queen’s Cup semi final on 23 March.

3×3 Achievements for Australia: Gold medal FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023

                                                                               Silver medal FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2022

                                                                                Finished second FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Yichang Stop 2023

                                                                                       Bronze medal FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023

                                                                                Bronze medal 3×3 Commonwealth Games 2022

                                                                                Most Valuable Player (MVP) FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023

                                                                                Team of the Tournament FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023

                                                                                                                                                                                      Team of the Tournament FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023

Ally Wilson

 #4                                                      Position: Guard                      

DOB 21 March 1994                       Height 175cm                         

Junior Club                                       Eastern Mavericks (South Australia)                          

WNBL debut: 2010/11                   WNBL games played: 225     

2023/24 WNBL Team: Bendigo Spirit

Ally Wilson is a proud Ngarrindjeri woman and one of over 10 players with Indigenous and First Nations heritage that played in the league during the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL season. In an article published by The Pick and Roll on 14 February 2023 for the WNBL’s Indigenous Round held in Round 14 Wilson told Tristan Prentice “Indigenous round is very special to me as it gives an opportunity to celebrate Indigenous culture and be proud of that. At the same time – it is also an opportunity to highlight and bring awareness to the issues that Indigenous people face and provide education around the history of our people.”10 

Ally Wilson was born in Murray Bridge, South Australia and started playing basketball at four years of age. Wilson played her junior basketball with the Eastern Mavericks and was a teammate of 2020 WNBL Most Valuable Player Steph Talbot in the under 16’s and beyond. The Eastern Mavericks girls under 16’s team were runners up at the 2009 National Championships. At the 2013 Australian Under 20 Championships Wilson was part of South Australia’s silver medal winning team and had an exceptional tournament to win the Bob Staunton Medal for being the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).

At 16 years of age Wilson made her WNBL debut with Adelaide Lightning in 2010/11 and played three games for the season. From 2011 to 2013 Wilson was an Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) scholarship holder, another scholarship holder in 2011 and 2012 was 2023/24 Bendigo Spirit teammate Abbey Wehrung. At the 2013 FIBA Under 19 World Championships held in Lithuania from 18 – 28 July Wilson was a member of the bronze medal winning Jayco Australian Gems team. Wilson averaged 13.0 points per game (ranked third for the Gems), 7.0 rebounds (second), 3.0 assists (third) and 24.4 minutes (fourth). At the 2017 World University Games held in Taipei in August Wilson and 2023/24 Bendigo Spirit teammate Wehrung were members of the Emerging Opals team that won the gold medal, defeating Japan 85-78 in the final.   

Playing for the Townsville Fire in 2013/14 Wilson won the WNBL’s Rookie of the Year Award, averaging 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Wilson was a member of Townsville’s WNBL Championship winning team in 2014/15.

From 2015/16 to 2019/20 Wilson played five consecutive WNBL seasons with the Sydney Uni Flames, winning a WNBL Championship with the Flames in 2016/17. In 2016/17 Wilson averaged 11.5 points per game and made 53 of 152 three-pointers at an accuracy of 34.9%. Wilson’s 1.9 made three-pointers per game ranked ninth in the WNBL.

Ally Wilson playing for the Sydney Uni Flames against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 26 November 2017

In 2017/18 Wilson made 52 of 151 three-pointers at an accuracy of 34.4%, making more than 50 three-pointers for the second season in a row. Wilson averaged a then career-high 12.1 points per game and her 2.3 made three-pointers per game – ranked equal third in the WNBL.

In Sydney’s 10^th game of the 2018/19 season on 24 November Wilson suffered a season ending knee injury in a home game at Brydens Stadium against Perth Lynx. Wilson averaged 12.6 points per game and ranked fourth in the WNBL with 2.2 three-pointers made per game. Wilson set a new career-high with 3.9 assists per game – ranked eighth in the WNBL.   

Ally Wilson playing for the Sydney Uni Flames against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 30 November 2019

At state league level Wilson has excelled, playing for the Launceston Tornadoes Wilson was named in the All-SEABL team in both 2016 and 2018. Playing for the Eastern Mavericks in the Adelaide Premier League in 2017 Wilson averaged 26.9 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, won the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and was named in the All-Star Five. After being out for five months with her knee injury Wilson made her return in Victoria in April 2019 with Diamond Valley Eagles during the 2019 NBL1 (now NBL1 South) season.

During the 2019/20 regular season playing for the Sydney Uni Flames Wilson made 34 three-pointers, ranked equal 8^th in the WNBL. Playing for Adelaide Lightning in the 2020 Hub season Wilson averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 assists (equal fifth in the WNBL) and 2.0 three-pointers made (equal fifth in the WNBL).

Wilson joined Bendigo Spirit after the 2021/22 WNBL season commenced and was teammates with fellow Australian 3×3 team member Anneli Maley. Playing 12 games for Bendigo in 2021/22 Wilson averaged 8.8 points and 2.6 assists per game.

Ally Wilson playing for Bendigo Spirit against the Melbourne Boomers at Melbourne Sports Centres Parkville on 6 March 2022

Wilson had been on the fringe of Australian selection, having been named in Australian Opals squads including for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup and in addition to attending Opals training camps had also been part of Australia’s 3×3 squad. In July 2022 Wilson was able to represent Australia in 3×3 basketball at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham. The Australian 3×3 team comprised of Wilson, Perth centre Lauren Scherf and Adelaide Lightning duo Marena Whittle and Lauren Mansfield won the bronze medal.

In August 2022 Wilson commented to The Pick and Roll on becoming a member of the Australian 3×3 squad, saying “Honestly, I was invited into the 3×3 Australian Squad at the beginning of last year by the coaches who had watched me play WNBL and thought my style of game suited 3×3. I went to my first camp not really knowing what to expect! The first camp was challenging because it really is such a different style of game from 5×5. The more I have played 3×3, I have fallen in love with it more and more.”11

On the style of play in 3×3 and how it has helped her in the traditional five on five format of basketball Wilson told The Pick and Roll “3×3 is super tough and they don’t really call fouls! So, it has made me tougher in that sense with finishing under contact and being more physical defensively. The style of play is super quick with only having 12 seconds to shoot the ball, so it has helped with getting my shot off quicker under pressure and making quick decisions.”12

Ally Wilson driving to the basket playing for Bendigo Spirit against Southside Flyers at the State Basketball Centre on 6 January 2023

In a 7Sport television segment recorded at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Wilson commented “I am a proud Ngarrindjeri woman from South Australia. We have the aboriginal flag obviously and then the blue flag is the flag of my mob. Really special for me to have that out with the girls and I said to them after the game that I appreciate their love and support and holding it up, it means a lot to me and my people, yeah it means everything.”

Later in the 7Sport segment Wilson commented “Yeah, love being in the village in this environment and getting to meet people from so many different places. My path hasn’t always been easy, been told no a lot so it is all about that perseverance and resilience. Obviously getting to play with these girls is the highlight. Never give up, I know that is so cliché but that’s sort of been a big part of my story.”

Wilson played her second consecutive season with Norwood Flames in the NBL1 Central Conference in 2022. In 15 games for Norwood in 2022 Wilson averaged 19.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game. Wilson led the NBL1 Central conference for assists per game, ranked second for steals and ninth in scoring. With her superb 2022 season Wilson earnt selection in the 2022 NBL 1 Central All-Star Five.

During the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL season Wilson played her second consecutive WNBL season with Bendigo Spirit. In Bendigo’s first game of Round 11 against the UC Capitals at Red Energy Arena on 19 January Wilson scored 18 points shooting at 46.7% from the field, took five rebounds, made five assists and had an equal team-high two steals in the Spirit’s 86-74 victory. In Bendigo’s road game against Melbourne Boomers at Melbourne Sports Centres Parkville on 22 January Wilson scored 10 points, took five rebounds and made seven assists. Wilson was recognised for her excellent performances with selection in the WNBL’s Round 11 Team of the Week. In a seven game stretch from 6 to 25 January Wilson averaged 5.6 assists per game and had at least five assists in a game six times.

Ally Wilson playing for Bendigo Spirit against the Melbourne Boomers at Melbourne Sports Centres Parkville on 22 January 2023

Wilson played her 200^th WNBL game on 5 February in Bendigo’s road game against Melbourne at Melbourne Sports Centres Parkville and achieved another milestone in the game by recording the 500^th assist of her career. Below is a link to an article published on Milestones and Misses celebrating Wilson achieving these two milestones:

Proud Ngarrindjeri woman Ally Wilson’s path to reach 200 WNBL games and 500 career assists

Wilson played all 21 games for Bendigo in 2022/23 and averaged 11.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists (ranked 13^th in the WNBL) and 30.3 minutes court-time per game. Wilson ranked equal 14^th in the league with 1.6 three-pointers made per game and ranked 13^th for assists per game.

For the second year in a row Singapore was the host city for FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 with the tournament held from 29 March to 2 April. The quartet that are playing for the Australian Gangurrus team at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2024 of Maley, Whittle, Mansfield and Wilson dominated at FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023 to win the gold medal in convincing fashion. Australia won three qualifying draw games and five main draw games by at least 10 points each and defeated Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand 21-11 in the final to win the gold medal.

Wilson was a member of the Australian Gangurrus team along with Whittle, Keely Froling and Miela Goodchild at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifier held in Eilia, Israel on May 6 and 7, 2023. Australia won all three games to finish first and qualify for the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023. In Australia’s opening game of the tournament Wilson scored a game-high eight points in a 21-9 victory against Madagascar.

The Australian women’s Gangurrus team of Maley, Whittle, Mansfield and Wilson were seeded 19^th out of the 20 nations competing in Vienna from Tuesday 30 May to Sunday 4 June at FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023. Australia won four of their first five games of the tournament to advance to the semi finals where they lost to France 17-21. In the third place game Australia fought back from a 17-20 deficit against China to score the next four points and had a 21-20 victory to win the bronze medal.

In her third consecutive NBL1 Central season with Norwood Flames Wilson filled up the stat sheet in a home game against North Adelaide on 25 April with a game-high 48 points, a game-high 12 rebounds, an equal game-high three assists and three steals. Wilson made a game-high seven three pointers from 14 attempts at 50% and had a field goal accuracy of 60%.

During the 2023 NBL1 Central season Wilson was phenomenal for Norwood Flames to earn selection in the conference’s All-Star 5 and played a pivotal role in Norwood winning the NBL1 Central Championship. In Norwood’s 80-65 Grand Final victory against Sturt Wilson scored 23 points, took 16 rebounds and made six assists to set game-highs in all three categories and won the Finals MVP. Wilson played 16 games for the Norwood Flames during the 2023 NBL1 Central season and ranked in the conference’s top five for points, rebounds and assists per game to earn selection in the conference’s All-Star 5. At the 2023 NBL1 National Finals Wilson was incredible in her two games for Norwood to average 46 points and 13 rebounds per game to earn selection in the Tournament’s All-Star 5.   

Ally Wilson playing for Bendigo Spirit against the Townsville Fire at Geelong Arena on 7 January 2024

In a WNBL road game for Bendigo against Perth Lynx on 20 January 2024 Wilson scored 15 points, took seven rebounds and made a game-high and season-high 13 assists in a 95-74 victory at Bendat Basketball Centre. In Bendigo’s last two games of the season Wilson recorded double-doubles with a points-rebounds combination. Against Townsville Fire at the Townsville Entertainment Centre In Bendigo’s 93-60 Round 14 road victory Wilson scored a game-high 22 points, took 10 rebounds and made two assists. Wilson shot the ball adeptly against Townsville to have a field goal accuracy of 53.8% and made three of seven three-pointers at 42.9% on 18 February. Wilson scored 16 points, took an equal game-high 12 rebounds and made a game-high five assists in Bendigo’s Round 15 home game at Red Energy Arena against Perth Lynx on 24 February.

Ally Wilson shooting a free throw for Bendigo Spirit against Sydney Flames at Red Energy Arena on 25 November 2023

Wilson played all 21 games for Bendigo in 2023/24 and averaged 12.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists (ranked 4th in the WNBL) and 32.3 minutes court-time (10^th) per game. Wilson’s 1.5 made three-pointers per game ranked 13^th in the league. Wilson was selected in the WNBL’s Team of the Round three times in 2023/24, Rounds 5, 11 and 14.

WNBL Achievements:    Betty Watson Rookie of the Year 2013/14

WNBL Championship 2014/15 (with Townsville Fire), 2016/17 (with Sydney Uni Flames)

3×3 Achievements for Australia: Gold medal FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2023

                                                                 Bronze medal 3×3 Commonwealth Games 2022

        Bronze medal FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023

Article and photographs by Dean Andrews

Twitter – @DeanAndrews7777

References

1 https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/sports/3×3-basketball

2 https://australia.basketball/3×3-womens-gangurrus-teams-prepare-for-jam-packed-weekend/

3 https://wnbl.basketball/sydneyflames/news/clarkes-courageous-gangurrus-claim-silver-in-china/

4 https://www.australia.basketball/news/3939164/gangurrus-gear-up-for-3×3-asia-cup

5 https://www.australia.basketball/news/3939164/gangurrus-gear-up-for-3×3-asia-cup

6 https://wnbl.basketball/perth/news/league-mvp-anneli-maley-signs-with-the-perth-lynx-for-season-2023-24/

7 https://wnbl.basketball/adelaide/news/adelaide-lightning-sign-shooting-guard-lauren-mansfield

8 https://www.3x3hustle.com/news/whittle-thrives-on-pressure-to-perform-in-3×3/

9 https://www.australia.basketball/news/3562377/bronze-for-aussie-gangurrus

10 https://pickandroll.com.au/p/awareness-and-opportunities-cubillo

11 https://pickandroll.com.au/p/games-flames-and-spirit-its-been

12 https://pickandroll.com.au/p/games-flames-and-spirit-its-been

Milestones and Misses

Milestones and Misses publishes articles to celebrate the achievements of sportspeople. In sport as with life in general it is common that milestones are only achieved after overcoming adversity. Whilst the articles on the Milestones and Misses website celebrate sportspeople achieving milestones they also cover the misses along the journey such as a player having minimal game-time or spending a prolonged period on the sidelines due to injury.

A link to Milestones and Misses homepage and WNBL category is below:

https://milestonesandmisses.com

https://milestonesandmisses.com/category/wnbl