Writing and photographs by Dean Andrews
Isobel Borlase excelled playing for Adelaide Lightning during the 2023/24 Cygnett Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) season, her second season on a main roster to rank in the league’s top 15 for steals, points, blocks and minutes played per game. At just 19 years of age guard Borlase was selected in the 2023/24 All-WNBL First Team and won Adelaide Lightning’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. During a remarkable six months 180 centimetre tall Borlase made her debut for the Australian Opals in February and was selected by Atlanta Dream with pick 20 at the 2024 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Draft on 15 April.
At seven years of age Borlase started playing basketball in Adelaide, South Australia and went on to play all her junior club basketball with the Forestville Eagles. During the 2024 NBL1 Central season, Isobel is representing the Forestville Eagles at senior level, having played her first game of the season in a Round 6 home game at the State Basketball Centre (Wayville) on Anzac Day, Thursday 25 April.
Borlase is from a sporting family, Isobel’s mother Jenny Borlase (nee Kennett) played 70 games of netball for Australia and Isobel’s father Darryl played 246 games of Australian Rules football in the SANFL (South Australian National Football League) for the Port Adelaide Magpies. Isobel’s two older siblings have had success in their chosen sports, oldest sibling, sister Ella has competed for the Australian women’s under 23 team in Surf Life Saving and older brother James plays Australian Rules football for the Adelaide Crows.
At basketball National Championships Isobel achieved individual and team success playing for the South Australia Metro Under 16 girls team in 2019, the SA Metro Under 18 women’s team in 2021 and the SA Red Under 20 women’s team in 2022. At all three tournaments the South Australian team Borlase represented made the final and she ranked first overall in rebounds and in the top three for points per game. Borlase was a member of the SA Metro Under 18’s team that won the gold medal in 2021 and played on South Australian teams that won the silver medal in 2019 and 2022.
On 4 August 2020 Basketball Australia announced that the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (BA CoE) Women’s team were welcoming two new scholarship holders, South Australian Borlase and Victorian Nyadiew Puoch. At senior level Borlase and Puoch represented the BA Centre of Excellence together in state leagues. At junior level the duo were teammates on Australian teams at several tournaments including winning the silver medal with the Australian Gems at the FIBA Under 19 Women’s World Cup 2021 and the gold medal at the Under 18 Women’s Asian Championship 2022. Borlase ranked fourth overall for points per game, equal fourth for steals, fifth for assists, sixth for rebounds and second for field goal accuracy at FIBA Under 18 Women’s Asian Championship 2022 to earn selection in the Tournament’s All-Star Five.
Entering the season with just one game of WNBL experience Borlase was one of the revelations of the 2022/23 WNBL season playing for Adelaide Lightning. As an 18 year old Borlase was able to remain composed and play efficient basketball despite playing against far more experienced opponents and ranked in the WNBL’s top 25 for points, blocked shots and steals per game whilst having a field goal accuracy of 55.0%. For her phenomenal season Borlase won two awards at the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL Awards – the Breakout Player of the Year Award and the Sixth Woman of the Year Award.
Isobel Borlase playing for Adelaide Lightning against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 22 December 2022
During the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season Borlase thrived as a starter with Adelaide Lightning to average 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.6 blocks and 31.1 minutes per game and was named in the WNBL’s Team of the Week four times. Borlase was recognised for her exceptional 2023/24 season by winning Adelaide Lightning’s Most Valuable Player Award, being selected in the All-WNBL First team and finished fourth in the Suzy Batkovic Medal for the league’s MVP.
On 13 January 2023 Borlase was selected in the Australian Opals extended 26 player squad for 2023. In an article written by Megan Hustwaite and published by ESPN on 5 December 2023 Australian Opals Head Coach Sandy Brondello commented on Borlase “She’s a huge talent, I thought that last season, the way she came into the league. I knew about her a little bit but that first game I was like ‘Who is this kid? What is she doing here?’ The sky’s the limit, the potential that she has, what she’s already shown and for someone so young I think Izzy’s very poised. She sees things before they happen and as a young player than usually takes time, but it shows she’s confident, she’s skilled, she can handle the ball and make pretty good decisions. She can shoot, she can get to the rim, she’s got an all-round game and is defensively solid but can keep getting better.”1
Isobel Borlase about to shoot from inside the key for Adelaide Lightning against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December 2023 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Borlase on debut for the Australian Opals scored 10 points against Germany at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 in Belem, Brazil in February 2024. In her second game for the Opals Borlase played brilliantly against Serbia to score 12 points, made an equal team-high four assists and was named the TCL Player of the Game.
At the 2024 WNBA Draft on 15 April 2024 Atlanta Dream selected 19 year old international players with all three picks. With their first two picks Atlanta selected an Australian duo, forward Nyadiew Puoch with pick 12 followed by Borlase at pick 20. The Dream concluded their 2024 draft by selecting Italian guard, Matilde Villa at pick 32. On having a dream realised in being selected in the WNBA draft Borlase told WNBL Media “I’m super excited and grateful for the opportunity. Being challenged by the best in the world and the opportunity to play against them, I can’t wait.”2
On the 17 April 2024 edition of SEN SA Breakfast with Bicks and Walshy Borlase commented “I am deferring a year basically so I wont be heading over to Atlanta until this time next year. Purely because most girls that got drafted are 22, 23 years old and have done four years of college and are probably more prepared for the intense style of play that the WNBA is. Whereas for me and my friend Nyadiew who got drafted as well are only 19 so we are going to be waiting a year until we head over.”
Isobel Borlase playing defense for Adelaide Lightning against Southside Flyers guard Madison Rocci on 24 February 2024 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville, Nyadiew Puoch is in the background in the number 13 jersey for Southside
For the next 12 months before joining Atlanta Dream for their 2025 WNBA training camp Borlase will spend the majority of her time in Adelaide representing the Forestville Eagles in NBL1 Central and Adelaide Lightning in the WNBL. Borlase will also have Opals commitments in the form of training camps and games.
Isobel Borlase’s incredible basketball career to date is comprehensively covered below, from juniors through to playing for Adelaide Lightning in the WNBL, representing the Australian Opals and being selected in the 2024 WNBA Draft by Atlanta Dream.
Early life, family and junior career
Isobel Borlase was born on 12 September 2004, has two older siblings and is from a sporting family. Isobel’s mother Jenny Borlase (nee Kennett) played 70 games of netball for Australia, playing as a goal shooter and goal attack. Jenny was a member of three Australian teams that won the gold medal at World Netball Championships – 1991, 1995 and 1999. Jenny was also a member of the Australian netball team that won the gold medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Isobel’s father Darryl played 246 Australian Rules football games in the SANFL (South Australian National Football League) for the Port Adelaide Magpies and played in four SANFL premierships including being captain of the 1998 premiership side. Darryl predominantly played as a defender throughout his Australian Rules football career and played one state of origin game for South Australia in 1993.
Isobel grew up in Adelaide and played all her junior basketball with the Forestville Eagles, a club that she has represented at senior level in NBL1 Central. The player profile for Borlase in the Forestville Eagles April 2023 newsletter states that Isobel “started playing basketball at Forestville at 7 years old in U/10’s. Izzy was very active growing up playing with her older brother and sister and trying many different sports.”3
During the Player Profile – Isobel Borlase video published by Basketball Australia on 23 May 2023 Borlase commented “Growing up I played a lot of different sports, I played netball, did a bit of surf life saving, gravitated towards basketball just the freedom to run around the court and really loved doing that.”
Isobel’s two older siblings have had success in their chosen sports, oldest sibling, sister Ella has competed for Australia in Surf Life Saving. At the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships 2023 Ella was a member of the Glenelg Grenades team that won the gold medal in the women’s under 23 event. Ella has been a member of the Under 23 women’s Australian Development Surf Boat team that has competed against the New Zealand under 23 women’s team. Older brother James is on the Rookie list of Australian Rules football club Adelaide Crows and as at 22 April 2024 has played seven AFL games as a defender. James finished runner-up in the Adelaide Crows 2021 SANFL best and fairest.
During The WNBL Show – Ep 6 published on 7 December 2022 Isobel spoke about her family’s influence on her playing sport, commenting “I have got two older siblings and I kind of just followed them around and then mum and dad I guess we just have balls hanging around the house and that’s kind of how I got into it, particularly my older brother and my sister as well, just all got out in the backyard and I guess that is how it all started.”
At the 2018 basketball Under 16 National Championships held on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland in July Borlase was a member of the South Australia Metro girls team that finished fifth. Borlase’s SA Metro teammates included Tayla Brazel and Jess Simons who were both teammates at senior level for Adelaide Lightning in the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season. Borlase and Simons are also teammates at Forestville Eagles in the current 2024 NBL1 Central season. Borlase played eight games for SA Metro and ranked in the top 15 overall for points and rebounds per game.
In 2019 Borlase represented the South Australia Metro girls team at the Under 16 National Championships held in Darwin, Northern Territory in July. SA Metro won all five Pool B games to finish on top of the pool and then defeated NSW Country 83-55 in a quarter final and had a 66-62 victory against Vic Country in a semi final to set up a final against Vic Metro who were also undefeated.
In the final Borlase made 11 of 21 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 52.4%, scored a team-high 24 points, took a team-high nine rebounds and made an equal game-high three steals in SA Metro’s 71-89 loss to Vic Metro. On the opposing team fellow 2024 Atlanta Dream draftee Naydiew Puoch scored 31 points and took 12 rebounds for Vic Metro to set game-highs in both categories.
Borlase played all eight games for SA Metro girls team at the 2019 Under 16 National Championships and averaged 18.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 3.0 steals per game. Borlase played phenomenal basketball to rank first overall at the tournament in points and rebounds per game, ranked eighth for steals and equal 10th for assists. Borlase had a field goal accuracy of 49.6%, ranked seventh at the tournament among players that had at least 10 field goal attempts.
The 2020 Under 18 National Championships were scheduled to be held in Ballarat, Victoria from 17 to 24 April. COVID-19 cases in Australia and around the world escalated rapidly in March 2020 which led to Basketball Australia issuing a statement on 17 March. A sentence at the beginning of the statement said “Basketball Australia prioritises the health and safety of the basketball community and in this current climate, we have determined the Australian Junior Championships scheduled for April will no longer be proceeding.”4
At the 2021 Under 18 National Championships held in Werribee, Victoria during mid-April Borlase and Brazel were co-captains of the South Australian Metro women’s team that won all five games in Pool B to finish on top of their pool. SA Metro defeated SA Country 75-65 in a quarter final and had an 83-64 victory against Queensland South to advance to the final. In SA Metro’s semi final victory Borlase scored a game-high 29 points, took a game-high 20 rebounds including eight offensive boards, made three assists and had a game-high six steals.
South Australia Metro defeated Vic Metro 76-64 in the final to win the gold medal. In the final Borlase scored 22 points, took a game-high 16 rebounds, made a game-high five assists and had an equal team-high two steals. Borlase made nine of 20 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 45% and made three of four free-throws at 75%. Borlase was one of three SA Metro players to score at least 16 points in the final along with Tayla Brazel (24 points) and Jess Simons (16). SA Metro won their first Australian women’s under 18 national championship since 1990.
Throughout the 2021 Under 18 National Championships Borlase played eight games for the SA Metro women’s team and stuffed the stat sheet with her wide ranging skill set to average 20.0 points, 13.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.0 steals per game. At the tournament Borlase ranked first overall for rebounds per game, equal first for steals and third for points and assists. SA Metro teammate Brazel ranked equal first overall at the tournament with 22.8 points per game and equal first with Borlase for steals per game.
At 17 years of age Borlase played for the South Australia Red women’s team at the 2022 Under 20 National Championships held in Mackay, Queensland in April. Three members of the South Australian Red team at this tournament were teammates at Adelaide Lightning during the 2023/24 WNBL season with Borlase on the main roster and Jess Simons and Bianca Stasinowsky as development players. A trio of players from the SA Red team are teammates with the Forestville Eagles in the current 2024 NBL1 Central season – Borlase, Simons and Madison Freer.
South Australia Red won three of their four games in Pool A to finish second behind Victoria. In all four of South Australia Red’s pool games Borlase scored at least 18 points and took at least six rebounds. In a semi final South Australia Red recorded a 75-50 victory against New South Wales. Borlase scored a game-high 23 points, took a game-high 17 rebounds including five offensive boards, made four assists and had a game-high four steals.
South Australia Red were defeated in the final 47-65 by Victoria. Borlase scored 13 points, took a game-high 12 rebounds, made an equal game-high four assists and blocked three shots. At the 2022 Australian Under 20 Championships Borlase played six games for SA Red and averaged 21.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Borlase had an outstanding tournament to rank first overall for points and rebounds per game, equal second for assists and equal seventh for steals. Borlase had a field goal accuracy of 50%, ranked fourth among players that had at least 10 field goal attempts.
Representing Australia at under-age level and attending the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence
On 4 August 2020 Basketball Australia announced new and returning scholarship holders at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (BA CoE). The BA CoE is based at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra. Basketball Australia stated “The CoE program brings together the best young players from around Australia to live and train together in a high-performance daily training environment with the assistance of elite coaches.
The CoE Women will welcome two new scholarship athletes in Nyadiew Pouch and Isobel Borlase from Victoria and South Australia respectively. Pending government approval, Nyadiew will join the program in term 4 and Isobel in late January when the program starts up in 2021.”5
Then Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence Women’s Head Coach and current University of Canberra Capitals Head Coach Kristen Veal told Basketball Australia “Despite these uncertain and challenging times for many, we are fortunate to be able to provide two very promising athlete’s the amazing opportunity of a Centre of Excellence scholarship at the world-renowned Australian Institute of Sport. Through extensive talent identification pre-COVID, we are excited about Nyadiew and Isobel’s international athleticism, skill sets and enthusiasm for the game which have clearly shown through in their High Performance Programs, at National Championships and Australian Camps. We believe they will embrace and excel in the daily training environment.”6
Borlase and Puoch joined a group of 11 players that had already commenced their BA CoE scholarships including Jade Melbourne, Shaneice Swain, Kate Deeble, Millie Prior and Chyra Evans.
In May 2023 Borlase told Basketball Australia “When I got invited to the Centre of Excellence here in Canberra, I guess it started to give me a realisation that this could be something I could pursue. From there I’ve achieved a few things, and want to strive for a few more.”7
During 2021 the BA CoE women’s team competed at senior level in the Waratah League (now known as NBL1 East) in New South Wales. Borlase played four games for the BA CoE during 2021 and in her final game of the season against Maitland Mustungs on 20 June scored 13 points, took eight rebounds including five offensive rebounds and made an equal game-high six assists along with teammate Jade Melbourne.
At the 2021 FIBA Under 19 Women’s World Cup held in Hungary from 7-15 August Borlase was a member of the Australian Gems team and wore the number 14 singlet. David Herbert was the Head Coach of the Gems, Kristen Veal was an assistant coach and Jade Melbourne was the captain. In the Gems opening game of the tournament against Egypt their starting line-up was guards Melbourne, Swain and Kate Deeble along with forward Millie Prior and centre Chyra Evans. Completing the Gems team were guards Borlase, Dallas Loughridge and Isabelle Morgan along with forwards Nyadiew Puoch, Charlise Dunn and Olivia Pollerd and centre Kelsey Rees. Borlase was the youngest player on the Gems team and had her 17th birthday the month after the World Cup. Two of Borlase’s teammates had their 17th birthday earlier in 2021 – Loughridge (in January) and Puoch (in June).
During their Group A games the Gems had victories against Egypt 99-28 and Italy 58-42 and were defeated by USA 59-99. In each of Australia’s Group A victories against Egypt and Italy Borlase scored seven points. Against Italy Borlase shot at 50% from the field, made her only three-pointer, took five rebounds and made two assists. From the Round of 16 until the semi finals the Gems defeated Argentina 66-35, Canada 72-61 and Mali 62-50 to advance to the final against USA, the only team Australia had lost to in their first six games of the tournament.
The gold medal game against USA was the first and to this stage only time that Borlase has played against 2024 WNBA number 1 draft pick Caitlin Clark who was a starter for USA. Against USA in the gold medal game the Gems trailed by eight points 28-36 at half-time. USA outscored Australia 19-10 in the third quarter and went on to defeat the Gems 70-52 resulting in USA winning the gold medal and Australia taking home the silver medal. At each WNBA Draft since this game at least one player from the Australian Gems silver medal winning team was selected, Melbourne in 2022, Swain in 2023 and Borlase and Puoch in 2024. Borlase played all seven of Australia’s games at the 2021 FIBA Under 19’s Women’s World Cup and averaged 3.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 13.2 minutes per game. USA guard Clark and Australian guard Melbourne were both selected in the Tournament’s All-Star Five and Clark was named tournament MVP.
During the 2022 NBL1 season Borlase represented the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in Wildcard games. Against the Willetton Tigers on 28 July at Willetton Basketball Stadium the starting five for the Centre of Excellence was Borlase and Dallas Loughridge in the backcourt with Nyadiew Puoch, Jessica Petrie, and Isla Juffermans in the frontcourt. The Willetton Tigers had won the 2021 NBL1 West Grand Final and three players from the 2021 title winning Willetton team that suited up for the club again in 2022 were Alex Sharp, Emma Gandini and Desiree Keeley. With five minutes and 55 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter the BA CoE trailed Willetton 59-68. Borlase made a tip-in off her own miss and made two lay-ups to reduce the deficit to three points, 67-70 with two minutes and 10 seconds remaining. Willetton extended the lead to four points with one minute and 10 seconds to play in the fourth quarter. Borlase displayed tremendous, poise, reading of the play and skill to make two steals in the CoE’s defensive half and on each occasion drove to the basket and made a lay up. On the first lay up Borlase made an and one free throw for the three-point play. The BA CoE recorded an amazing fightback 75-72 victory against Willetton. In the last five minutes and 55 seconds Borlase played incredible basketball to score 11 points, make two steals and spark a BA CoE match-winning 16-4 run. Borlase finished the victory with a team-high 18 points, shot at 50% from the field, took six rebounds and made three steals.
Against the Joondalup Wolves in a road game on 30 July at HBF Arena Joondalup Borlase scored a team-high 25 points, took five rebounds, made three assists and three steals in the CoE’s 79-59 victory. Borlase shot at 75% from the field and was phenomenal from long range, making seven of eight three-pointers at an accuracy of 87.5%.
In 14 games for the BA CoE in 2022 Borlase averaged 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Throughout the season Borlase was an accurate shooter, having a field goal accuracy of 48.7% and a free-throw accuracy of 85%. Borlase scored at least 18 points in a game six times.
Borlase was a member of the Australian Gems team at the FIBA Under 18 Women’s Asian Championship 2022 held in India from 5 to 11 September. David Herbert was the Head Coach and Kristen Veal and Tom Garlepp were Assistant Coaches. Throughout the tournament Borlase started in the Gems backcourt alongside Dallas Loughridge, with Nyadiew Puoch, Jessica Petrie, and Isla Juffermans starting in the Australian frontcourt. This group of players had started games together for the BA CoE during 2022 NBL1 Wildcard games. Borlase, Loughridge and Puoch had all been members of the Gems silver medal winning team at the 2021 FIBA Under 19’s Women’s World Cup.
Against host nation India in the Gems opening game of the tournament Borlase played a brilliant all-round game to score a game-high 20 points, take five rebounds and made an equal game-high six assists along with Puoch in the Gems 116-49 victory. Borlase made eight of 10 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 80% and three of four three-pointers at 75%. Australia defeated New Zealand 111-44 and had a 96-66 victory against Korea to finish on top of Group A with three wins. In a semi final against Chinese Taipei Borlase scored a team-high 19 points, took 11 rebounds, made an equal game-high six assists and a game high-six steals to play a critical role in the Gems recording a 71-61 victory.
In the final the Australian Gems played China who had won the gold medal at the previous five editions of the Under 18 Women’s Asian Championship. In the 2022 final the Gems won every quarter against China and recorded an 81-55 victory to win the gold medal. Borlase shot at 50% from the field in the final, scored five points and took 14 rebounds – ranked second for the game behind teammate Juffermans with 15 rebounds. The Gems won the offensive rebound count 21-8 with Juffermans and Borlase taking nine and eight offensive rebounds respectively. It was the first time that Australia had won the gold medal at the FIBA Under 18 Women’s Asian Championship, the Gems had won the bronze medal in 2018. In the 2022 bronze medal game Japan defeated Chinese Taipei 77-45. The nations that finished in the top four, Australia, China, Japan and Chinese Taipei all qualified for the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup 2023.
In each of the Gems first four games of the tournament Borlase scored at least 12 points and made at least four assists. Borlase played all five games for the gold medal winning Gems and averaged 14.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.8 steals and 25.7 minutes per game. Borlase shot the ball proficiently to have a field goal accuracy of 60.8% and a three-point accuracy of 60%. At the FIBA Under 18 Women’s Asian Championship 2022 Borlase ranked fourth overall for points per game, equal fourth for steals, fifth for assists, sixth for rebounds and second for field goal accuracy behind teammate Juffermans (66.1%). Borlase was recognised for her phenomenal all-round play with selection in the Tournament’s All-Star Five. Juffermans was selected in the All-Star Five and won the tournament MVP award after averaging 17.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game to rank second overall at the tournament in both categories.
On 20 September 2022 Basketball Australia announced that Borlase was one of three players to graduate from the Centre of Excellence along with Puoch and Loughridge. During The WNBL Show – Ep 6 published on 7 December 2022 Borlase told Megan Hustwaite and Mia Murray “I absolutely loved my time at the CoE and under Vealy, she brought out a lot of confidence in me. I was just a shy young girl when I got there and then the likes of Jade Melbourne, Shaneice Swain and then Nyadiew and Dallas are like two of my best friends now who I am getting to share all these experiences with.”
During the Player Profile – Isobel Borlase video published by Basketball Australia on 23 May 2023 Borlase commented “(In) 2021 went to the under 19 World Cup and it was just amazing. I think that opened my eyes up to where it can take you and the fact that we got to do it in COVID we were super lucky.”
The FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup 2023 was held in Madrid from 15-23 July. 16 nations comprised of four groups with four nations each competed in the tournament. Australia were in Group A with host nation Spain, Argentina and France. David Herbert was the Head Coach of the Gems and had Zoe Carr and Keegan Crawford as Assistant Coaches. Borlase was a co-captain of the Gems and as she had done at previous tournaments wore number 14 for Australia.
The Gems starting five in their opening game of the tournament against Spain on 15 July was Saffron Shiels, Tayla Brazel, Borlase, Puoch and Juffermans. Other members of the 12 player Gems team were Paige Burrows, Sophie Burrows, Jayda Clark, Rubi Gray, Tess Heal, Jessica Petrie and Ruby Vlahov. Borlase scored 12 points at 50% from the field in the Gems 68-83 loss to Spain. In Australia’s second game of the tournament Borlase score a game-high 26 points, took four rebounds, made a game-high six assists and an equal game-high three steals in an 85-45 victory against Argentina. Borlase put on a shooting exhibition to make nine of 12 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 75% and eight of 10 three-pointers at 80%. Puoch was the second highest scorer of the game with 17 points and between them Borlase and Puoch scored 43 points, accounting for 33.1% of the 130 points scored by the two teams combined. Momentum ebbed and flowed between Australia and France throughout the game and with six minutes remaining in the last quarter Australia led 60-58. France outscored the Gems 8-14 for the remainder of the game to have a four point victory 72-68. A critical factor in the result was Australia committing 27 turnovers to France’s 11. Australia finished third out of four nations in Group A with a record of one win and two losses.
In the Round of 16 Australia lost to Mali 67-74 which resulted in the Gems missing the quarter finals and playing the classification games to determine the placings from 9th to 16th. Australia won their three classification games to finish ninth at the tournament, having victories by 31 points against Brazil, 25 points against Egypt and eight points against Germany. Against Egypt Borlase shot at 70% from the field, made three of four three-pointers at 75%, scored a game-high 17 points and made four assists in a 70-45 victory. In the playoff for ninth against Germany Borlase scored 11 points, took an equal game-high nine rebounds along with teammate Puoch, made five assists and a game-high six steals in the Gems 81-73 win. After losing three of their first four games of the tournament the Gems won their last three games to finish ninth. All three nations Australia lost to finished in the top five at the U19 Women’s World Cup 2023 with Spain second, France fourth and Mali fifth. USA won the gold medal and Canada took home the bronze medal.
At the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup 2023 Borlase ranked first for the Gems with 14.9 points, 2.3 steals and 32.7 minutes per game, ranked equal first with 4.0 assists and second with 5.9 rebounds. For scoring Borlase finished just ahead of Puoch, with 104 total points to 103 to lead the Gems. Borlase was effective from long range at the tournament, making 19 of 37 three-pointers at an accuracy of 51.4% to lead the Gems for three-point accuracy and three-pointers made. At the tournament Borlase ranked third overall for three-point accuracy, equal seventh for assists per game and equal eighth for steals.
A taste of the WNBL in 2021/22 with Adelaide Lightning
Borlase had been a member of Adelaide Lightning’s Academy so already had familiarity with the club before participating at WNBL level. During summer of the 2021/22 WNBL season Borlase had gone home to Adelaide from the Centre of Excellence and was doing some training with Adelaide Lightning’s WNBL team. In 2021/22 Chris Lucas was the Head Coach of Adelaide Lightning and Nat Hurst was in her second season as an Assistant Coach.
In January 2022 then Adelaide Lightning General Manager Tim Brenton told WNBL Media “We are thrilled to add another South Australian to our squad. Currently, we have 8 out of 14 players from SA, as a club, we are proud and excited about this. Chris Lucas has done an outstanding job providing opportunities for players coming through Basketball South Australia’s High-Performance Program. Adding Isobel to our group as a replacement player through this tough Covid period is great for SA basketball and we will all watch with interest how she develops at the next level.”8
At 17 years of age Borlase made her WNBL debut for Adelaide Lightning in a road game against Sydney Flames on 20 January 2022 at Brydens Stadium. Adelaide’s starters were Abbey Wehrung and Kiana Williams in the back-court along with Steph Talbot, Alanna Smith and Kylee Shook in the front-court. Borlase was one of five players on the Adelaide bench who played court-time along with Marena Whittle, Chelsea Brook, Samantha Simons and Brooke Basham. Borlase had been teammates with Samantha Simons’ younger sister Jess on several South Australian teams at Junior National Championships. Borlase was substituted into the game against Sydney to play her first WNBL minutes mid-way through the second quarter. Playing eight minutes and 45 seconds court-time Borlase made her only field goal attempt, a driving lay up early in the fourth quarter, scored two points and made two assists in Adelaide’s 77-52 victory. It was the only game that Borlase played in the 2021/22 season.
Adelaide finished fourth at the end of the 2021/22 WNBL regular season with 10 wins and seven losses, two wins behind minor premiers Melbourne. Adelaide lost their semi final series to the Melbourne Boomers, being defeated in both games. During the 2021/22 WNBL season Borlase was able to gain valuable experience training alongside and against Adelaide Lightning players including Adelaide captain and Australian Opals representative Steph Talbot.
On 30 December 2021 Milestones and Misses published an article to celebrate Steph Talbot reaching 150 WNBL games. Below is a link to the Talbot article:
Award winning 2022/23 WNBL season with Adelaide Lightning
On 25 May 2022 Adelaide Lightning announced that Nat Hurst had been appointed as Adelaide Lightning’s Head Coach for two seasons. In a 290 game WNBL career playing as a point guard Hurst played in seven WNBL Championships with the Canberra Capitals. Hurst’s final season as a WNBL player was with Adelaide Lightning in 2019/20 before being an Adelaide Assistant Coach for two seasons in 2020 and 2021/22 with Chris Lucas as the Head Coach. Lucas joined rival WNBL club, the Deakin Melbourne Boomers as their Head Coach for the 2022/23 season.
On 27 September 2022 Adelaide Lightning announced that Borlase had signed with the club for two seasons. Adelaide Lightning Head Coach Nat Hurst told wnbl.basketball “Not only are we bringing home a local, but she is also a future star of this league and the Opals so to have her back where it all started is amazing. She is so strong and athletic and her style suits exactly what we want to put on the floor. I’m excited to watch her grow this season.”9
Borlase told WNBL Media “ I’m looking forward to my first WNBL season. I was lucky enough to train with the Lightning over the Summer and really enjoyed being challenged by veterans such as Steph Talbot. I cannot wait to contribute to the team’s success this season under Nat as Head Coach. It really is a dream come true to sign my first contract with my home team.”10
Having returned to Adelaide for the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL season Isobel was back living with her family, parents Darryl and Jenny along with older siblings Ella and James. Isobel and father Darryl were interviewed on the 27 September 2022 edition of the television program 7News Adelaide. Isobel commented “Mum and Dad both played different sports so I guess I am making my own way in my own sport of basketball.” On being back living with siblings Izzy commented “Lots of I wouldn’t say fights but little bickering, throwing the racquet around or something like that but I think it’s allowed me to grow up.”
Darryl told 7 News Adelaide “Very rarely home for dinner all together, we try to make Sunday night’s dinner together so everyone is there. We just really let them take their own path. If they want to know something we are happy to give a bit of advice.”
Four members of Adelaide’s 2021/22 core rotation suited up for the club again in 2022/23 – Steph Talbot, Marena Whittle, Chelsea Brook and Samantha Simons. In the off-season Adelaide recruited Lauren Mansfield, Abby Cubillo and American imports Jacinta Monroe and Kierstan Bell. Adelaide’s 11 player main roster was completed by three players that represented the club but had limited opportunities in 2021/22, Borlase who played the one game along with Ella Batish and Brooke Basham who each averaged between 4.5 and 5.5 minutes per game. During the 2022/23 season Borlase wore the number 5 jersey for Adelaide.
Adelaide Lightning team huddle against Melbourne Boomers on 13 November 2022 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Adelaide Lightning’s opening game of the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL season was on the road against the Southside Flyers on Saturday 5 November at the State Basketball Centre. Adelaide’s starting line-up was Mansfield, Bell, Whittle, Talbot and Monroe whilst Southside’s starting five was Maddison Rocci, Bec Cole, Kayla Thornton, Sara Blicavs and Lauren Jackson. Seven players from the two teams starting line-ups represented Australia during 2022. Talbot, Blicavs and Jackson were members of the Opals bronze medal winning team at the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup held in Sydney from 22 September to 1 October. Rocci and Cole had both represented the Opals earlier in 2022. Mansfield and Whittle were members of the Australian women’s 3×3 team that won the silver medal at the 2022 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup and the bronze medal in the women’s 3×3 tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth games held in Birmingham. Bell and Thornton both played in the WNBA in 2022 and Monroe has vast experience playing in international leagues all around the world. Adelaide’s opening game of the season included three previous winners of the WNBL’s Most Valuable Player Award, Jackson in her WNBL comeback game along with Adelaide captain Talbot and Abby Bishop who commenced the game on Southside’s bench.
You would expect that it would be a difficult task for an 18 year old in the second WNBL game of their career to look like they belonged out on court playing with and against players of that calibre. Somehow Izzy Borlase was able to defy the odds, play with composure, physicality, high basketball IQ and set game-highs in two key statistics just for good measure. With five minutes and 40 seconds remaining in the first quarter and Adelaide trailing 13-7 Borlase was substituted into the game, replacing Bell. Borlase scored six points in the first quarter comprised of a pull up jump shot, a lay up and two free-throws to help Adelaide level the game at 25 points apiece at quarter time. After spending the first four minutes and 20 second of the game on the bench such was Borlase’s impact on court that she ended up playing over 30 minutes court-time, ranked second for Adelaide behind Talbot. Borlase scored a game-high 25 points, took a game-high nine rebounds, made three assists and two steals in Adelaide’s 91-99 loss. Borlase shot the ball exceptionally from the field to make 10 of 12 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 83%, made her only three-point attempt and made four of six free-throws.
During The WNBL Show – Ep 6 published on 7 December 2022 Borlase spoke about her Round 1 performance against Southside, commenting “I didn’t really have any expectations at all heading into the game. I was hoping just to get some court time. I was quite happy with how it went.” Borlase was recognised for her superb Round 1 performance against Southside by being named in the WNBL’s Round 1 Team of the Week.
During The WNBL Show – Ep 6 published on 7 December 2022 co-host Megan Hustwaite asked “What has Nat been like as a coach for you?” Borlase responded “Yeah I am really enjoying playing under Nat this year. She is really understanding, can really just talk to her about anything. She has instilled a lot of trust with me coming off the bench and letting me do what I do and I am really enjoying that.”
Above- Isobel Borlase during the introductions for Adelaide Lightning against Melbourne Boomers on 13 November 2022 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Below – Isobel Borlase playing for Adelaide Lightning against Melbourne Boomers on 13 November 2022 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Isobel Borlase playing for Adelaide Lightning against Melbourne Boomers on 13 November 2022 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Hustwaite asked “What is it like playing against some of those girls (former Centre of Excellence teammates) in the WNBL, Nyadiew and Jade just this round gone?” Borlase responded “It is great to see them, I hadn’t seen Jade in a little while, Nards I have seen her a few times now and I think it is just really exciting that particularly Nards and I get to do this together and then Dallas who will be back next year, getting to share this experiences with them.”
During The WNBL Show episode co-host Mia Murray asked “I am a huge Izzy Borlase fan not only because you played for Forestville but I am just so impressed with the way you have imposed yourself on the league at such a young age. Did you have the option to play at college, why did you choose the WNBL. I am really happy you chose WNBL pathway but did you have that option to go overseas?” Borlase responded “Yeah for sure, I definitely had that option. I didn’t really have that many schools contact me to be honest. I trained over the summer with the Lightning when Chris Lucas was coaching, really enjoyed that and then when Nat took over she gave me a call and I was pretty keen to get back home to Adelaide and play amongst some people like Steph Talbot, Marena Whittle and Loz Mansfield.”
Borlase expanded on being teammates at Adelaide Lightning with Talbot, commenting “I absolutely love training against Steph and then being on her team when we play. I think off the court she’s just a really chilled out, cool gal and I have loved getting to know her and learning off her. Being a sponge I suppose. Having her defend me at training is probably really frustrating at times but I think I am probably learning a lot as well.”
Steph Talbot passing to Isobel Borlase during Adelaide Lightning’s game against Melbourne Boomers on 13 November 2022 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Bell was a starter for Adelaide but in late December left the club and returned to the United States of America. After Bell’s departure Borlase was brought into Adelaide’s starting five for the club’s 10th game of the season, a Round 8 home game against Bendigo at Adelaide Arena on 28 December and scored 11 points, shooting at 62.5% from the field.
As a starter for Adelaide’s first game of 2023 against Townsville at Adelaide 36ers Arena on 5 January Borlase scored seven points in the first seven minutes of the first quarter comprised of a jump shot in the opening possession of the game, a floating jump shot and a three-pointer. With seven minutes and 40 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter Adelaide led Townsville 70-59. In the next two minutes and 30 seconds Borlase had a white-hot burst to make four consecutive field goal attempts and amazingly scored 12 of the next 14 points in the game to spark a Lightning 12-2 run to well and truly seal the game. During this electrifying sequence Borlase made a jump shot, a driving lay up, two free throws and two three pointers. In Adelaide’s 93-68 victory against Townsville Borlase scored a game-high 23 points, took three rebounds, made two assists, one steal and blocked one shot. Borlase shot the ball superbly from the field to make seven of 10 field goal attempts at 70%, three of five three pointers at 60% and made six of nine free throws. Borlase was selected in the WNBL’s Round 9 Team of the Week, her second selection in the TOTW for the season.
Isobel Borlase with Adelaide Lightning teammates Ella Batish, Brooke Basham, Lauren Mansfield and Abby Cubillo after the game against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 22 December 2022
Against the Southside Flyers in a Round 12 home game at Adelaide 36ers Arena on 28 January Borlase scored a team-high 19 points, took three rebounds, made four assists and a team-high three steals in a 72-73 loss. Borlase shot the ball proficiently to make eight of 11 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 72.7%, made her only three pointer and both free throws.
In a Round 13 road game against the University of Canberra Capitals at the National Convention Centre on 2 February Borlase scored 21 points, took three rebounds, made two steals and blocked one shot. Borlase made eight of 14 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 57.1% and was even more damaging from long range, making a team-high three three-pointers from three attempts.
Due to a back injury Borlase missed Adelaide’s last three games of the 2022/23 season. In Adelaide’s third last game of the season on 18 February 2023 against the UC Capitals at the National Convention Centre Talbot suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her knee.
During the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL season Borlase played 17 games for Adelaide Lightning including eight games as a starter and averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 26.4 minutes court time per game. At Adelaide Lightning Borlase ranked third for points per game, fourth for assists, steals and minutes per game and sixth for rebounds.
Isobel Borlase playing for Adelaide Lightning against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 22 December 2022
On Friday 2 March the WNBL announced the candidates for several of the awards to be presented at the Cygnett WNBL 2022/23 Awards Night on 5 March. Borlase and fellow 2024 Atlanta Dream draftee Puoch were both candidate for two awards, the Betty Watson Breakout Player of the Year Award and the Sixth Woman of the Year Award.
Adelaide Lightning held their end of season awards for the 2022/23 WNBL season on Saturday 4 March. Talbot won Adelaide’s MVP Award for the third consecutive season, the Defensive Player of the Year Award and the Members MVP Award. Basham won the Players’ Player Award and Borlase won the Rachael Sporn Award. After receiving the award Borlase commented “Obviously it’s a real privilege to receive an award from someone named Rachael Sporn. I look up to her, all the fellow Opals and my teammates as well – to be acknowledged with this award is a privilege.”11
One of Izzy’s greatest strengths in 2022/23 was the ability to remain composed and play efficient basketball despite playing against far more experienced opponents. Over the course of the season Borlase made 94 of 171 field goal attempts at an exceptional accuracy of 55.0%. Among players that had at least 10 field goal attempts for the season Borlase ranked seventh in the WNBL for field goal accuracy and second at Adelaide behind Monroe (56.5%). This stat was made even more impressive by 24.0% of Borlase’s field goal attempts being three-pointers. Borlase made 16 of 41 three-pointers at an accuracy of 39%.
Borlase ranked equal 22nd in the WNBL for points per game with Southside Flyers duo Lauren Jackson and Maddison Rocci. Borlase was one of three players in the WNBL to rank in the league’s top 25 for points per game and average less than 25 minutes court-time per game along with Jackson and UC Capitals guard Shaneice Swain. Borlase ranked equal 15th in the league for field goals made per game, equal 17th for blocked shots, equal 22nd for steals, and equal 27th for assists.
Isobel Borlase about to make a field goal for Adelaide Lightning against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 22 December 2022
For her phenomenal season Borlase won two awards at the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL Awards – the Breakout Player of the Year Award and the Sixth Woman of the Year Award. During the 2022/23 WNBL season Borlase was able to learn from playing alongside and training against Adelaide captain Steph Talbot who won the WNBL’s Robyn Maher Defensive Player of the Year Award for the second time in her career. Talbot was also selected on the 2022/23 All-WNBL Second Team. It was the fourth consecutive season that Talbot had earnt All-WNBL selection, in 2020 Steph won the Suzy Batkovic Medal for being the WNBL’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Isobel Borlase making a field goal for Adelaide Lightning against the Melbourne Boomers on 13 November 2022 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
During an Athlete Spotlight Isobel Borlase video published by the WNBL on 28 December 2023 Borlase commented “It was my first season, didn’t really have any expectations leading into it, I guess I received some accolades at the end of the season. I had an inkling that maybe I could come away with one of them but getting two was just amazing and I was really grateful for that.”
On Borlase’s debut WNBL season Adelaide Lightning teammate Lauren Mansfield commented in the Athlete Spotlight Isobel Borlase video “Obviously in pre-season you could tell OK, this girl is gonna be a star. She blew me away as well just with the season she had, to watch her play and watch her grow and I am excited to see what she does this season.”
In Adelaide Lightning’s game against the Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre on 22 December 2022 Isobel Borlase bringing the ball up the court with Lauren Mansfield on her left
Earning All-WNBL First Team selection with Adelaide Lightning in 2023/24
After signing with Adelaide Lightning for the next two WNBL seasons Borlase told WNBL Media in May 2023“I took a lot away from last season and I think there is a lot to work on and staying at home in Adelaide is the right place for me to do that. I’m super excited to be signing on with the Lightning for the next two seasons. I’m looking forward to playing under Nat again to help the team to be in finals contention next season.”12
Following Borlase signing with the Lightning for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 WNBL seasons Adelaide Head Coach Hurst told wnbl.basketball “We are super excited to re-sign the future of the club in Izzy. I can’t wait to see her growth from rookie year to the next two years and beyond.”13
On 11 September 2023 Adelaide Lightning announced that Rachael Sporn had decided to un-retire her number 14 Adelaide singlet and pass the number on to Borlase. Sporn told WNBL Media “I was incredibly honoured to have no. 14 retired by Adelaide Lightning in 2007. Bringing no.14 back on the floor for a player of the calibre of Izzy Borlase was a decision that made a lot of sense. Izzy will be able to adorn a number which already has great meaning for her and she has shown that she will have longevity in her career in the WNBL and beyond. Even at such a young age, Izzy is a wonderful role model on and off the basketball court. Izzy has many attributes that I admire, namely a great work ethic and integrity. I am so looking forward to seeing no.14 in the Lightning colours again!”14 Borlase has worn number 14 representing the Australian Gems at international FIBA tournaments.
Rachel Sporn is an all-time great of the WNBL and at the end of the 2023/24 WNBL season ranked equal third on the league’s All-Time games list and second for both career points and career rebounds. During her WNBL career Sporn played in five WNBL championships – 1990 with North Adelaide and 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1998 with Adelaide Lightning. Sporn won the Grand Final MVP Award playing for Adelaide in 1994 and 1995 and this prestigious award is now named the Rachael Sporn Medal in her honour.
Borlase was appreciative of Sporn’s decision to un-retire such an iconic number and commented “I feel very grateful that Rachael has thought to bring her number out of retirement for me to wear. She is a legend of Lightning and Australian Basketball and I’ll do my best to continue the legacy of number 14.”15
Five players from Adelaide Lightning’s 2022/23 main roster returned for the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season including three players that averaged more than 11.5 points per game – Adelaide captain Steph Talbot (14.1 points per game) along with Borlase (13.5) and guard Lauren Mansfield (11.9). Forward Ella Batish and guard Brooke Basham each averaged between 6.0 minutes and 10.0 minutes per game as part of Adelaide’s core rotation in 2022/23 and both suited up for the Lightning again in 2023/24.
The Lightning’s import duo for 2023/24 each won their club’s Most Valuable Player award in their only previous WNBL season, Brianna Turner with Adelaide in 2019/20 and Jocelyn Willoughby with the Sydney Flames in 2022/23. After playing six games as an Adelaide Lightning development player in 2021/22 Tayla Brazel was on the main roster of a WNBL club for the first time in 2023/24. Brazel missed the entire 2022/23 WNBL season due to an ACL injury and won the NBL1 Central’s Best Defensive Player award in 2023 playing for Sturt Sabres. Adelaide’s 11 player main roster was completed by three off-season recruits, forwards Isabelle Bourne and Taylor Mole along with guard Elizabeth Tonks.
Adelaide Lightning team huddle after their victory against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December 2023 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville with Borlase in the number 14 jeresy on the right hand side of the huddle
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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:
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In her second WNBL season Borlase was going to be given additional responsibility with Adelaide however this was amplified due to Talbot missing the first 12 rounds of the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season as she recovered from a knee reconstruction in February 2023. Borlase was a starter for Adelaide in 2023/24 and one of six players for the club that played at least 20 games and averaged more than 22.0 minutes per game along with Turner, Bourne, Willoughby, Mansfield and Brazel.
During the 2022/23 season Borlase scored at least 20 points in a game three times. In Borlase’s first four games of 2023/24 she equalled this mark, scoring at least 20 points in a game three times for Adelaide.
On the road in Round 1, 2023/24 Borlase scored an equal team-high 20 points along with Isabelle Bourne, took five rebounds, made three assists and two steals in Adelaide’s 82-79 road victory against the University of Canberra Capitals at the National Convention Centre on 5 November. Borlase made two of four three-pointers at 50% and was named in the WNBL Team of the Round for Round 1. In a round 2 road game against Perth Borlase scored a team-high 20 points, took five rebounds, made four assists and had a team-high four steals.
Against the Southside Flyers in a Round 3 home game at Adelaide 36ers Arena on 18 November Borlase scored a game-high and equal career-high 25 points, took six rebounds, made three assists and two steals in the Lightning’s 67-56 victory. Borlase shot the ball proficiently to make nine of 18 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 50% and two of five three-pointers at 40% and was selected in the WNBL’s Team of the Round.
During the Round 3 press conference Brianna Turner commented on the combination of her rebounding and Borlase’s ability in transition, saying “Well I knew with them playing Russell and Jackson rebounds are really important so I really just tried to crash the boards, when I crash and outlet it quick we have Borlase getting on the floor for easy lay ups. I know if I rebound it we can get it in transition a lot quicker.” On Borlase Turner commented “It is literally so exciting, it is really great to play with her and see her confidence grow.”
At home in Round 5 against Bendigo Spirit on 2 December at Adelaide 36ers Arena Adelaide trailed 58-59 late in the fourth quarter. With the shot clock winding down Borlase attempted a three-pointer which was blocked by Kelsey Griffin. With quick thinking, poise and skill Borlase grabbed the ball before it hit the ground and from the edge of the key quickly put up a shot which went in as the buzzer sounded to give Adelaide a 60-59 lead. Adelaide and Bendigo were tied on 60 points at the end of the fourth quarter, sending the game to overtime. Bendigo won by five points 70-65 in overtime. Borlase scored an equal game-high 17 points along with Bourne, made an equal game-high three-pointers, took six rebounds and made an equal game-high five assists along with teammate Mansfield.
Above – Isobel Borlase just after shooting a free throw for Adelaide Lightning against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December 2023 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Below – Isobel Borlase just after shooting a free throw for Adelaide Lightning against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December 2023 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
In a Round 7 road game against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville Borlase scored an equal game-high 21 points, made an equal game-high three three-pointers, took 12 rebounds, made two assists and an equal game-high two steals in a 68-59 victory. Borlase was named in the WNBL’s Team of the Round for Round 7.
Above and below Isobel Borlase with Adelaide Lightning teammates post-game after the victory against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December 2023 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Adelaide’s victory against Melbourne ending a six game losing streak, the last five losses in this sequence were all by less than seven points and the average losing margin for these five games was four points. In the post-game press conference Adelaide Head Coach Nat Hurst commented “The great thing about this group and I say to everyone, no word of a lie, is that they show up for me every day. So a lot of the close losses we could have had our head down and training could be a slog, it is not. They show up every day, they do the right thing, they lift, they get around each other. The team as a whole is in a really good spot, this win is like a cherry on top and hopefully it opens up a little bit for us now.” Borlase said “Yeah, same as Nat, I hope so. I think we have worked really hard, every game that we have lost we have gone back to the drawing board and we have tried to work on things and guess tonight finally opened the gates and hopefully we keep winning.”
Isobel Borlase with Adelaide Lightning Head Coach Nat Hurst at the post-game press conference after the game against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December 2023 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
During the post-game press conference Borlase was asked “Do you think you have reached your peak yet or have you got so much more to give?” Borlase responded “I would like to say that I have got a lot more to give. Every week is different, every game is different, teams are going to guard me differently but I was just happy that as a team we got the win tonight.” Hurst was asked “How do you feel about Isobel being chosen in the Opals team?” Hurst answered “I wasn’t surprised, I feel great about it, I feel like a proud mum (Borlase laughs), you know she is 19 years old and still has a lot to learn in her game but she goes out and does that (pointing to the court), that is all natural stuff. She continues to work and the world is her oyster.”
On the road against Perth in Round 10 on 7 January Borlase scored a game-high and career-high 31 points, took five rebounds and made two steals. Borlase shot the ball proficiently to make 14 of 24 field goal attempts at an accuracy of 58.3% in the Lightning’s 68-84 loss at Bendat Basketball Centre. Borlase’s 31 points accounted for 45.6% of the Lightning’s points tally and surpassed her previous PB of 25 points set twice against Southside, on the road on 5 November 2022 and at home on 18 November 2023.
During the post-game press conference Hurst was asked “When you have got someone like her (Borlase) for your fans to come and watch, when the ladder gets away from you and people need a reason to turn up and she is absolutely the reason isn’t she?” Hurst responded “Yeah, people come just to watch her play, typically it has been Steph within our group and whilst Steph is out injured it is Izz, can’t wait to get them back on the court together and watch them run up and down together.” On Borlase Hurst commented “19 years old and she is doing stuff like that. She is a pleasure to work with. When she comes out and does stuff like she does you sit back and are amazed. She is a star already, so young, has so much ahead of her, so much to work on. We are lucky that she has an Adelaide Lightning jersey on.”
Borlase was asked “When you get on a roll like you did do you realise that you are going as well as everyone watching knows or are you too engaged in the moment?” Borlase replied “You feel like you are on a roll but you probably don’t realise how many points you are accumulating. It felt good that I could keep scoring but we just needed stops on the defensive end to really make an impact.” Borlase was asked “How are you keeping your head on your shoulders at the moment when everyone is talking you up?” Borlase answered “Nat, my family, having the right people around me to keep me grounded. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low, I am really working on that at the moment. I have my times where it is annoying and frustrating, I am learning still.” On the Adelaide Lightning team Borlase said “I really love my team, I think we get on really well. Hopefully whether it is the end of this season, next season we will start rolling with some more wins.”
On 17 January Borlase was selected in the Australian Opals 12 player team for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 to be held in Belem, Brazil from 8 to 11 February. In the post-game press conference for the Round 12 road game against Sydney Flames on 17 January Borlase was asked “How was it to come up against Tess and Cayla who obviously you will be going to Brazil (on the Opals team) with soon?” Borlase responded “It is pretty cool, it was kind of weird to think that they are going to be my teammates now. It is nice, they have been really welcoming to me and I guess I will be on the same team as them in two weeks so that is pretty cool.”
Borlase suffered a minor ankle injury in Adelaide’s 90-75 road victory against Townsville on 20 January. In 19 minutes and 22 seconds court time against Townsville Borlase scored 16 points at 57.1% from the field and made all seven free throws. Adelaide did get on a roll late in the season and the victory against Townsville was the start of a winning streak. Borlase missed the Lightning’s Round 13 home game against UC Capitals on 28 January due to her ankle injury. Adelaide captain Talbot made her return from a knee injury off the bench against the UC Capitals, scored 14 points and took seven rebounds in Adelaide’s 84-67 victory.
In the first half of February no WNBL games were played due to a FIBA window and during this time the Australian Opals competed in the FIBA Women’s OQT 2024 in Brazil. Borlase made her Australian Opals debut at OQT 2024 and was the only Adelaide Lightning player on the team.
In an article published by Wide World of Sports on 8 February 2024 Adelaide Lightning Head Coach Nat Hurst commented on Borlase “She’s going to be a multiple Olympian, no doubt, and I think once she’s drafted, whoever gets her in the WNBA is going to be very, very happy. I think she’s going to take that league by storm … She’ll end up being a WNBA superstar — I have no doubt. She’s big, she’s strong, she can get down hill, she’s improved her three-point shooting a lot this season and she can take smaller guards to the post. Being so versatile with her size is super unique. She’s super athletic. She can give you a bit of everything, so it makes the opposition scout on her pretty tough, I think.”16
Isobel Borlase with Adelaide Lightning Head Coach Nat Hurst at the post-game press conference after the game against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December 2023 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
After returning with the Opals from OQT 2024 Borlase was back in the Adelaide lineup for their penultimate game of the season at home at Adelaide 36ers Arena against Melbourne Boomers on 17 February. It was the first time in the 2023/24 WNBL season that Borlase and Talbot both played for Adelaide. Borlase scored 14 points to be one of four Adelaide players in double figures along with Turner (a team-high 17 points), Talbot (11) and Bourne (10) in the Lightning’s 70-61 victory to extend their winning streak to three games.
Between the penultimate round (Round 14) and the final round (Round 15) of the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season the nominees for the league’s 2023/24 Awards night were announced. Borlase was one of five nominees for the Suzy Batkovic Medal awarded to the league’s MVP, along with fellow guards Jade Melbourne (UC Capitals), Lauren Nicholson (Sydney Flames), Jordin Canada (Melbourne Boomers) and Sami Whitcomb (Townsville Fire).
Adelaide Lightning team huddle before their game against Southside Flyers on 24 February 2024 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
The Lightning concluded their 2023/24 WNBL season by defeating Southside Flyers 74-60 on the road at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville on 24 February. Borlase was Adelaide’s second leading scorer with 16 points, behind Turner (20 points) and made an equal team-high five assists along with Bourne.
Isobel Borlase shooting a jump shot for Adelaide Lightning against Southside Flyers on 24 February 2024 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Adelaide won their last four games of 2023/24 and during this time defeated three teams that made the finals – Townsville Fire, Melbourne Boomers and eventual champions Southside Flyers. Talbot played Adelaide’s last three games of the season off the bench. Adelaide finished seventh on the ladder with eight wins and 13 losses, three wins behind the teams that finished fourth to sixth – Perth, Sydney and Bendigo. Perth and Bendigo were the only two teams that Adelaide didn’t have a victory against in 2023/24. The Lightning lost their season series 1-2 to Sydney and Townsville. Adelaide won the season split 2-1 against UC Capitals and the teams that finished second and third at the end of the regular season, Southside Flyers and Melbourne Boomers.
The 2023/24 WNBL Awards were held at Rydges Melbourne on Sunday night 25 February. Borlase was selected in the 2023/24 All-WNBL First Team along with guards Canada, Melbourne and Nicholson and centre Russell. Borlase finished fourth in the WNBL’s 2023/24 Suzy Batkovic Medal, behind Canada, Nicholson and Melbourne with Whitcomb in fifth place. Borlase’s Adelaide Lightning teammate Brianna Turner won the WNBL’s Leading Rebounder Award, averaging 13.8 rebounds per game.
Brianna Turner taking a rebound for Adelaide Lightning against Southside Flyers on 24 February 2024 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
During Unwrapped: The Pick and Roll Podcast, Episode 11 published on 14 March 2024 Adam Webster asked “Being named to the All-WNBL First Team is no easy feat given your peers and those who ended up on the Second Team. What was that moment like to be recognised as one of the five best players in the league this season?” Borlase responded “Yeah, it was pretty amazing. If I’m being completely honest I was pretty shocked, I definitely thought there was some other players in the league that maybe could have had better seasons. I was really grateful for that and second season I definitely wouldn’t have thought I would be in that position.”
Isobel Borlase playing for Adelaide Lightning against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December 2023 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Borlase was the second teenager to be selected in an All-WNBL Team in the past decade. The previous player to achieve this feat was fellow guard Shyla Heal being selected in 2020 All-WNBL Second Team at 19 years of age. Borlase is the sixth player to earn All-WNBL selection as a teenager in the past 25 years, joining Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor, Erin Phillips, Liz Cambage and Heal in this select group.
During the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL regular season Borlase earnt selection in the WNBL’s Team of the Round four times, rounds 1, 3, 7 and 10. In 2023/24 Borlase played 20 of a possible 21 games for Adelaide Lightning and averaged 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.6 blocks and 31.1 minutes per game. Among players that played at least five games in 2023/24 Borlase ranked fourth in the WNBL for steals per game, eighth in points, equal 10th in blocks and 14th in minutes. Borlase scored at least eight points in 19 of her 20 games.
Isobel Borlase playing for Adelaide Lightning against Southside Flyers on 24 February 2024 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
Borlase was one of four Adelaide players that played at least 20 games for the season and averaged more than 10.0 points per game along with Bourne (13.4 points per game), Willoughby (12.6) and Mansfield (10.8). Turner averaged 8.5 points per game and led the league for rebounds, minutes played (37.6 per game) and blocked shots (2.1) and was nominated for the Robyn Maher Defensive Player of the Year Award. Among players that played at least five games for the season Brazel ranked sixth at Adelaide for both minutes played (22.9 per game) and points (5.7) per game. Four members of the Lightning’s main roster – Tonks, Basham, Mole and Batish played at least 14 games each and averaged less than 10.0 minutes per game. In Adelaide’s last three games off the bench Talbot averaged 10.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 24.5 minutes per game.
Borlase was one of five players to earn selection in the WNBL’s Team of the Week at least four times in 2023/24. Borlase’s four TOTW selections in 2023/24 ranked equal second overall along with three imports, Adelaide teammate Brianna Turner, Melbourne Boomers point guard Jordin Canada and Southside centre Mercedes Russell. Perth Lynx point guard Aari McDonald led the league with five TOTW selections, Borlase’s four selections ranked first for Australian players. Two of Turner’s four selections in the TOTW were in the last two rounds of the season, the only games of the season that Borlase and Talbot both suited up for the Lightning. Turner had her two highest scoring games of the season in these games, scoring 17 points in Round 14 against Melbourne and 20 points against Southside in Round 15.
Adelaide Lightning huddle against Southside Flyers on 24 February 2024 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville with from left to right Jocelyn Willoughby, Isobel Borlase, Steph Talbot, Brianna Turner and Isabelle Bourne
During The Run Home SEN SA on 26 February 2024 Borlase was asked “What is your read on the Lightning, what are we going to learn from this season even if it wasn’t what we expected?” Borlase replied “We obviously want more wins on the board but the backend of the season has shown that Nat has been pulling the right pieces together and I think with any team you want consistency so hopefully bringing the core group of girls back will be really important. Experience, I guess that is what you gain when you play more games, we were a relatively young team so just learning how to play out a game when it is close. Basketball is a game of runs, so stop the other team from getting on runs and focussing on not the scoreboard but the process to get the win at the end of the game.”
On The Run Home SEN SA Borlase was asked “How do you go with two coaches, you have got Nat Hurst that coaches you at the Lightning and Sandy Brondello the Australian coach, do you get the same messaging or mixed messaging, what have they got you working on?” Borlase answered “Pretty similar messaging, I am still new to Sandy coaching me, this was the first time that she coached me (at OQT 2024 in Brazil). Both coaches see similar things in me, they like my aggressive nature on the court of (having) a scoring mindset, their messages are relatively similar but I am (more) familiar with Nat than I am with Sandy just at the moment. In the lead up to the selection period I probably need to get a bit stronger, I think the international game is a lot faster and physical so I think a conditioning component, getting my body in the right condition for playing that style of game. On court I think three point shooting consistency and defensively I just gotta be able to defend elite players, but that only comes with practice.”
During Unwrapped: The Pick and Roll Podcast, Episode 11 published on 14 March 2024 Borlase commented on her WNBL off-season “Just being in Brazil, half of that team has been in the WNBA, I asked a couple of questions, even them just talking about it I felt like I was a fly on the wall. Just grabbed little bits of information about their experiences and what it was like for them at their first time. So that was really good to get insight from all of them, it is a business over there so it is definitely different to what we experience in the WNBL. As far as training goes I am just going to try and maximise as much time as I have when Steph is training in Adelaide until she goes away to the WNBA and then just work on my conditioning, getting fit, going to the gym. I think just working on my game and potentially play a few NBL1 games here and there which I am yet to sign with a team, yeah just to fill in the gaps.”
Representing the Australian Opals
On 13 January 2023 Borlase was selected in the Australian Opals extended 26 player squad for 2023 and was one of two Adelaide Lightning players included along with Talbot. Four players that were under 21 years of age and had graduated from the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in the previous two years were selected in the Opals squad – Borlase (18 years old), Puoch (18), Swain (19) and Melbourne (20). This quartet of players were all members of the Australian Gems silver medal winning team at the 2021 FIBA Under 19 Women’s World Cup held in Hungary.
Borlase attended an Opals Training Camp that was held in Canberra from 31 March to 5 April 2023. Due to a back injury Borlase was restricted to being a spectator for much of the camp, however she was able to learn more about the Opals program and got to know fellow Opals squad members better. In an article published by Basketball Australia in May 2023 Borlase commented “I think coming here to the CoE again and being around such elite people, has been really helpful and you get to build relationships that will last forever. Everyone’s really supportive here. We had a culture meeting on the first day and you really felt how connected all the girls are and how much this means to them.”17
On what suiting up in the green and gold for the Opals would mean to her Borlase commented in the Player Profile – Isobel Borlase video published by Basketball Australia on 23 May 2023 “I look up to all these girls and getting to play alongside of them would be amazing. I guess it’s a way of giving back to my family, my friends and coaches just for putting so much effort into me and just saying thank you and showing them what I can do. Yeah, it would mean a lot.”
Borlase commented to Basketball Australia in May 2023 on her goals for the future “Being able to represent the Opals at an Olympics or World Cup would be probably top of my list, and then I guess wherever it takes me, go to the WNBA, Europe, but that’s a little way down the track.”18
On 17 January Borlase was selected in the Seven Consulting Australian Opals 12 player team for the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 in Belem, Brazil from 8 to 11 February 2024. An experienced Australian team included nine players that had represented the Opals in multiple major championships – Lauren Jackson (9 major championships), Cayla George (5), Marianna Tolo (4), Bec Allen (4), Tess Madgen (3), Ezi Magbegor (3), Sara Blicavs (2), Alanna Smith (2) and Sami Whitcomb (2). Eight of these players were members of the Opals bronze medal winning team at World Cup 2022 in Sydney with the only exception being Smith who was a member of Australia’s silver medal winning team at World Cup 2018.
Borlase was one of three players along with point guards Jade Melbourne and Steph Reid that were selected in the Opals OQT 2024 team that didn’t have major championship experience. Borlase was the only player on the team that hadn’t made their debut for the Opals. Sandy Brondello was the Head Coach of the Australian Opals and the three Assistant Coaches were Cheryl Chambers, Paul Goriss and Shannon Seebohm. Tess Madgen was the captain of the Opals and in two FIBA tournaments held in Sydney Madgen had been captain of Australian teams that had won bronze medals, World Cup 2022 and Asia Cup 2023. Three members of the Opals bronze medal winning team from World Cup 2022 in Sydney were unavailable for OQT 2024 due to injury – Steph Talbot, Kristy Wallace and Darcee Garbin.
Sandy Brondello has been the Australian Opals Head Coach for seven years, having commenced the role in April 2017. Brondello had an illustrious basketball career as a shooting guard, playing in the WNBL, WNBA and represented the Australian Opals in 302 games including at four Olympic Games and four World Championships. Brondello was a member of the first five Opals teams that won medals at major championships from the 1996 Olympic Games to the 2004 Olympic Games. With Brondello as Head Coach the Opals won a silver medal at World Cup 2018 and a bronze medal at World Cup 2022. In her first season as Head Coach of Phoenix Mercury the club won the 2014 WNBA Championship. Brondello has been the Head Coach of WNBA club New York Liberty since 2022, New York made it to the WNBA Finals in 2023.
Jade Melbourne told Basketball Australia “Playing for the Opals is the pinnacle for me. I can’t wait to get on the plane, get to Brazil and do whatever I can to help the team qualify for Paris. I’m super excited to embark on this journey with Izzy Borlase, we were room mates at the Under-19 World Cup and are so happy for each other.”19 19 year-old Borlase and 21 year-old Melbourne were the two youngest players on the Opals OQT 2024 team. The only other member of the Australian team that was under 27 years of age was 24 year-old power forward/centre Ezi Magbegor.
The Opals starting five in their opening game of the tournament against host nation Brazil was Whitcomb, Allen, Smith, Magbegor and Tolo. Borlase didn’t play for the Opals in their OQT 2024 game against Brazil. In Australia’s second game of the tournament against Germany on 10 February Borlase made her Opals debut, being substituted into the game with two minutes and 28 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Borlase made an immediate impact, making a three-pointer after 16 seconds on the court. Borlase made a layup and a jump shot to score seven points in just two minutes and 28 seconds court time for the second term. In the Opals 85-52 victory against Germany Borlase scored 10 points, ranked equal second for the Opals. With the victory the Opals booked their ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
For the Seven Consulting Opals third and final game of OQT 2024 against Serbia Borlase was a starter along with Whitcomb, Allen, Magbegor and Tolo. Borlase scored 12 points – ranked second for the Opals and made an equal team-high four assists along with Melbourne. Borlase shot the ball adeptly in Australia’s 75-73 victory, making four of eight field goals at an accuracy of 50% and two of five three-pointers at 40%. In just her second international game at senior level for the Opals Borlase was named the TCL Player of the Game for her outstanding performance against Serbia.
The Opals won all three games against Germany, Serbia and host nation Brazil at FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 and achieved their aim of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. At OQT 2024 Borlase played two games and averaged 11.0 points (ranked 3rd for the Opals), 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 21.6 minutes (4th) per game. Borlase shot the ball efficiently to have a field goal accuracy of 47.1%, shot at 37.5% for three-pointers and made all three free throws.
In an article published by Basketball Australia on 12 February Opals Head Coach Sandy Brondello commented “I’m super proud of this group. There are areas we can get better at but we’ve ticked off the first step by qualifying for the Olympics, and that’s a credit to the players, now it’s building to Paris. We have a good mix of experience and the young players coming through. You saw the depth shine through with Issy Borlase, Jade Melbourne and Steph Reid who showed what they’re capable of and I was really rapt for them.”
“We were missing some key players from this one but we’ve had others players step in which allows them to shine and have this opportunity in the program. Hopefully everyone’s healthy and we have to make really hard decisions and that’s the worst part of my job, obviously, but our job as a coaching staff is to put the best 12 together that can handle so many different styles of play over a tournament. We’re going to Paris, we’ve got that selection headache and I’m just happy we get the right preparation this time and not a Tokyo one because it wasn’t ideal for us. And I’m excited for our players to experience a real Olympics with fans in the stands. The atmosphere here in Brazil, playing Brazil, was crazy and that’s real basketball, having the whole Olympic experience.”20
During the Run Home SEN SA on 26 February 2024 Borlase was asked “Take us through the qualifiers for Paris, you played in two of the games, what was that like?” Borlase responded “That was amazing, I just couldn’t believe that I was there, it is such a special group to be a part of and I was really grateful for that. Obviously didn’t play the first game against Brazil but just being there, being a part of that crazy atmosphere was really cool. Sandy gave me the opportunity in the second game against Germany and then I started the third game so that was full circle from the start of the tournament. All the girls were amazing, it was a really cool experience. The Brazil game just the whole atmosphere, the fans the first game, everyone was super excited. Just seeing how in the international game the referees let a lot go, they allow more physicality to happen. The Brazil game was like, wow this is intense, we are playing for our countries, it didn’t hit me until a bit later on that we are actually playing to get into the Olympics, that is just so crazy to me that I was there and I was representing the country to do that.”
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Since February 2022 Milestones and Misses have published articles providing player profiles on Australian players for 5 on 5 basketball and 3×3 and guides to FIBA tournaments. Below are links to the pages for these categories as well as the Milestones and Misses home page:
https://milestonesandmisses.com
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In Unwrapped: The Pick and Roll Podcast, Episode 11 published on 14 March 2024 Adam Webster asked Borlase “What is it that (Opals) culture, how welcome did you feel, and how do they take someone as yourself and grow you into the leader that you are destined to be, multi-time Olympian that you will be?” Borlase replied “I think it is credit to Sandy and the leadership group. I definitely think what happened in Tokyo forced them to reset and there were some troubles there. Credit to Tess and all of those girls who have really bought into turning it around because now it is spoken about a lot how comfortable the girls feel amongst the group and it is such a special place to be. I guess I got a little bit of a taste of that and I understand why because you can see how much it means to all of them to be an Opal. Obviously it means a lot to me but this might be some of their last Olympics so being around the genuine passion and gratefulness to be an Opal was really cool to see and be a part of as well.”
On 26 March 2024 Borlase was named in the Seven Consulting Opals 26 player squad for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. 17 players in the squad played in the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season and Borlase was one of two Adelaide Lightning players along with Talbot. Australia named an experienced squad that included 23 players that had represented the Opals at least once at a major championship and/or Asia Cup. The only three exceptions were Borlase, Steph Reid and Georgia Amoore. Borlase and Reid were both members of the Opals team that won all three games at OQT 2024 held in Belem, Brazil to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Point guard Amoore played four seasons of college basketball in the USA for Virginia Tech from 2020/21 to 2023/24 and was selected in the All-ACC First Team in 2022/23 and 2023/24. 23 year old Amoore has transferred to the Kentucky Wildcats for the 2024/25 college season.
The draw for the women’s 5 on 5 basketball tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games was conducted by Opals legend and 2006 World Championships MVP Penny Taylor on 19 March 2024 at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball in Mies, Switzerland. 12 nations comprised of three pools with four teams in each pool will be competing in the tournament.
At the most recent major championship, World Cup 2022 held in Sydney, USA won the gold medal, China won the silver medal and Australia returned to the podium, winning the bronze medal. The top three nations in the most recent FIBA women’s world rankings as at 11 February 2024 are in the same order with USA (834.8 points) first, China (686.0) second and Australia (668.8) third. At the 2024 Paris Olympic Games Australia are in Group B along with Canada (ranked 5th in the world), host nation France (7th) and Nigeria (12th). Seventh ranked France have 649.2 points, to be 36.8 points behind second ranked China, resulting in a gap of less than 6% separating the six nations from second to seventh on the FIBA women’s world rankings. The two nations in this section of the rankings not listed above are fourth ranked Spain and sixth ranked Belgium. The women’s 5 on 5 basketball tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games commences on Sunday 28 July and the Opals first game is against Nigeria on the following day, Monday 29 July.
In an article published on the ESPN Australian website on 15 April 2024 Borlase told Megan Hustwaite “Right now, I’m training at home in Adelaide, there’s a couple of Opals tours on the cards. I’m hoping to do whatever I can with the Opals, the ultimate goal is to get on the final roster of 12 for the Olympics and I’m trying to do everything I can to be on that plane to Paris.”21
On Saturday 22 June and Sunday 23 June the Australian Opals will play two international warm-up games against Japan’s national women’s team in the Mitsui Fudosan Cup 2024. Both of Australia’s warm-up games against Japan will be held at the Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center Hokkai Kitaeru in Sapporo City, Hokkaido, Japan. Japan are ranked ninth in the world and are in Group C at the Paris Olympic Games along with USA, Belgium and Germany.
On 18 April Basketball Australia and Visit Victoria announced “Ford BALLIN’24 a major international series featuring Australia’s top teams against China and Japan at John Cain Arena from 2 – 5 July 2024.”22 Six Australian national basketball teams, Seven Consulting Opals, Boomers, 3×3 Gangurrus men’s and women’s teams, Gliders and Rollers will play games in the series against international opponents. The Opals, ranked third on the FIBA women’s world rankings will play two games against the second ranked nation China, with the first game on Wednesday night July 3 and the second game on Friday night July 5. China are in Group A at the Paris Olympic Games along with Spain, Serbia and Puerto Rico.
Basketball Australia CEO, Matt Scriven commented “Australia is a global powerhouse in basketball, to have all our national teams in Melbourne playing at the same venue is a win for fans. John Cain Arena is the perfect setting for world class basketball, this is an incredible send off for our teams as they head to Paris.”23
Eight members of the Seven Consulting Opals 26 player extended squad are on a WNBA roster – Ezi Magbegor, Sami Whitcomb and Jade Melbourne (all for Seattle Storm), Rebecca Allen and Amy Atwell (both for Phoenix Mercury), Steph Talbot (Los Angeles Sparks) Alanna Smith (Minnesota Lynx) and Kristy Wallace (Indiana Fever). Due to WNBA commitments most of these players, possibly all of these players will be unavailable for the Opals upcoming tours and the two game friendly series against China held in Melbourne in early July.
Borlase spending another 12 months developing her game before heading over for Atlanta Dream’s 2025 WNBA Training Camp enables her to be available for all Opals camps, tours and home warm-up games in the lead up to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
A dream realised at the 2024 WNBA Draft
In an ESPN 2024 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Mock Draft published on 8 December 2023 Michael Voepel had Borlase at pick 12. Borlase commented on the 2024 WNBA Draft in an article written by Darren Barker and published on the WNBL website on 5 January 2024, saying “I think it’s exciting. If I’m being completely honest I knew that I was eligible for the draft this year but when that mock draft came out I was like wow, I was quite shocked to be honest to see that my name was that high in the first round but you never know what can happen. So obviously I’m really excited but you know, there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge and we’ll just see how it plays out.”24
The 2024 WNBA draft faq included the question “Who is eligible to enter the 2024 WNBA Draft?” The answer was:
“All NCAA players who are turning twenty-two years old in 2024 are eligible to renounce any remaining NCAA eligibility (including extra eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the pandemic) in order to opt into the 2024 WNBA Draft.
College seniors who have exhausted all eligibility are not required to renounce.
All international players who are turning twenty years old in 2024 are also eligible for the 2024 WNBA Draft.”25
Most of the players eligible to be selected at the 2024 WNBA Draft had attended college in the United States of America and would be at least 22 years of age at 31 December 2024. As players that had not attended college and reside outside the United States of America, Australian duo Borlase and Puoch were part of a smaller group of ‘international players’ that were eligible for the 2024 WNBA draft due to turning 20 years old in the year ended 31 December 2024.
It is common for WNBA clubs to draft and stash international players. In this scenario an international player is drafted in the year that they turn 20 years of age and then remain overseas further developing their game for one season or multiple seasons before joining the WNBA club that drafted them. Ezi Magbegor was drafted at 19 years of age by Seattle with the 12th pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft, remained in Australia for another year and joined Seattle for the 2020 season. Jade Melbourne also opted to remain in Australia after being selected with pick 33 by Seattle Storm at the 2022 WNBA Draft and made her debut in the league with Seattle in 2023.
At a WNBA Draft 36 players are selected comprised of three rounds with 12 picks in each round. In the weeks leading up to the 2024 WNBA Draft Borlase’s placing in most mock drafts ranged from the middle of the first round to the end of the second round.
On the prospect of being selected in the 2024 WNBA draft Borlase commented to Megan Hustwaite in an article published on the ESPN Australian website on 15 April “Making the WNBA hasn’t been a goal for a long time but over the last few years seeing Ezi Magbegor and Jade Melbourne go there from the WNBL has shown me what could be possible. Now it’s here, I’m excited and nervous, the ball isn’t in my court anymore.”26
The 2024 WNBA Draft was held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in New York on Monday night 15 April 2024 New York time, Tuesday morning 16 April Australian time. 15 prospects were invited to the 2024 draft which included 14 players that had played college basketball in the USA. The only international player invited to the draft that didn’t play college basketball was Australian forward Nyadiew Puoch. Three international players that had played college basketball were invited to the draft, Brazil centre Kamilla Cardoso, Canadian forward Aaliyah Edwards and Croatian guard Nika Muhl.
With their first two picks in the 2024 WNBA Draft Atlanta Dream chose Australians, selecting forward Puoch with pick 12 and guard Borlase with pick 20. With their third and final selection Atlanta Dream chose another international player, Italian guard Matilde Villa at pick 32.
After the 2024 WNBA draft Atlanta Dream General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Dan Padover commented at a press conference “Borlase is a professional player, has some great Australian national team experience, tough guard, has size for a guard, she is going to continue to develop her outside game. The skill set she has at that position we think bodes well for this league.”
Tanisha Wright was appointed as the Head Coach of Atlanta Dream on 12 October 2021 and will be Head Coach of the club for the third consecutive WNBA season in 2024. Wright was selected by Seattle Storm with pick 12 at the 2005 WNBA Draft and played 10 seasons for the club. For eight seasons from 2005 to 2012 Wright was teammates with Australia’s greatest ever basketball player Lauren Jackson. In 2010 Wright and Jackson were teammates on Seattle’s 2010 WNBA Championship winning team. In a 14 season WNBA career from 2005 to 2019 guard Wright played a total of 457 regular season games, also playing three seasons for New York Liberty and one season for Minnesota Lynx. Wright was selected on a WNBA All-Defensive team seven times comprised of five selections on the First Team and two selections on the Second Team. In Wright’s debut season as a WNBA coach with Atlanta Dream in 2022 she finished second in the WNBA Kia Coach of the Year award.
All three of Atlanta Dream’s sections at the 2024 WNBA Draft were 19 year old international players. At a press conference after the draft Atlanta Dream Head Coach Tanisha Wright commented “We’re super excited to be able to add these young talented players. We like what we’ve seen them do at such a young age and we expect them to grow their game into the future. We are excited to be able to infuse this young talent into our group.”27
During the press conference Wright was asked “When you have players that are playing overseas and like you mentioned are not going to come over this year, how do you work to still have a relationship and stay in touch with them as they are still developing overseas?” Wright responded “Obviously that is the hard part because you are in season but luckily there is an off-season and most of our off-season is their season. It is just about taking the time out and really going to connect with those players, showing up and showing your interest with those players. Maybe we will head out to Australia and see the Aussie, Aussie, Aussies, I have got some friends in Australia so it will be nice to go connect and see these young players as they continue to develop and get better.”
A total of three Australian players were selected at the 2024 WNBA Draft. At pick 29 Phoenix Mercury selected guard Jaz Shelley. In her only WNBL season to date with the Melbourne Boomers in 2018/19 Shelley won the WNBL’s Rookie of the Year award. Playing college basketball in the United States of America for Nebraska Shelley was selected in an All-Big Ten team in three consecutive seasons from 2022 to 2024.
Three Australians being chosen at the 2024 WNBA Draft was the equal second most Australians selected at a WNBA draft, with a trio of Australians also being selected in 2000 and 2006. The three Australians selected in 2000 were Jessica Bibby (pick 45), Katrina Hibbert (57) and Natalie Porter (61). Six years later the trio of Australian players selected in 2006 was Renae Garlepp (nee Camino) at pick 24 along with Jessica Foley (38) and Marita Payne (42). The record for most Australians selected at a WNBA draft is four players in 2001 – Lauren Jackson (pick 1), Penny Taylor (11), Kristen Veal (13) and Jae Kingi (22).
At the 2024 WNBA Draft in New York Australian ESPN Journalist Kane Pitman said to Puoch “I asked you about Izzy Borlase before the draft, now she has been drafted also to Atlanta.” Puoch responds “What.” Pitman follows up “So obviously you weren’t aware of that, what is your first thoughts about that, someone you have played with together and know so well?” Puoch replies “That is amazing, oh my god, I didn’t know that. Me and Izzy are like best friends, we grew up playing at the AIS together for two years and we did obviously national team things together and obviously played in the WNBL against each other but I think it is amazing.”
Nyadiew Puoch playing for Southside Flyers against Perth Lynx at the State Basketball Centre on 31 January 2024
During the 17 April 2024 edition of SEN SA Breakfast with Bicks and Walshy Borlase commented on the WNBA Draft “It has been a crazy 24 hours but relieved and excited that it is all over. I didn’t know where I was going to be taken, I was hoping that I would be taken somewhere. I was watching it at home with some close family, friends, my manager and his team were there and just some of the Lightning girls as well and my coaches. Everyone who is important to me in my little network which is really nice.”
After Borlase was selected by Atlanta Dream Adelaide Lightning teammate Talbot commented to 9NEWS Adelaide on Borlase “If she keeps working the way she is working then she is going to have a long career in the WNBA that is for sure.”
During the 2024 WNBA Draft 12 of the players selected, representing one third of the draft class were international players and two thirds of the draft selections were from the United States of America. Six of the international players including Australian Shelley have played college basketball in the USA. Six of the international players were recruited from overseas leagues and have not played college basketball. Atlanta Dream accounted for half of these players, using all three draft picks on players in this category, Australian duo Puoch and Borlase along with Italian guard Villa. Between them the other 11 WNBA clubs combined chose three international players that had not played college basketball. French duo Carla Leite and Leila Lacan were selected at pick 9 and 10 by Dallas Wings and Connecticut Sun respectively. The Washington Mystics selected Belgian forward Nastja Claessens at pick 30.
At the start of the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season Isobel Borlase and Nyadiew Puoch were the third and fourth youngest players on a main roster respectively. At the 2024 WNBA Draft Borlase and Puoch were the third and fourth youngest players chosen and were both selected by Atlanta Dream. Borlase’s 20th birthday is later this year on 12 September, fellow Australian Puoch turns 20 on 23 June. Three of the four youngest players chosen at the 2024 WNBA Draft were selected by Atlanta Dream. Italian guard Matilde Villa selected by Atlanta with pick 32 is the youngest player from the draft class and was born on 9 December 2004. The second youngest player selected was Belgium’s Nastja Claessens who is a week older, born on 2 December 2004.
The 2024 WNBA Draft is the fourth consecutive draft where at least one player from Australia’s WNBL was selected. Guard Shyla Heal was selected at pick 8 in the 2021 WNBA Draft. Point guard Jade Melbourne was selected with pick 33 by Seattle Storm at the 2022 WNBA Draft. At the 2023 WNBA Draft the Los Angeles Sparks selected guard Swain with the second pick of the second round, pick 14 overall. To celebrate Swain and Melbourne being drafted Milestones and Misses published articles comprehensively covering their careers up until they were selected in the WNBA Draft. Links to these two articles are below:
Melbourne made her WNBL debut in 2020 and has played four seasons in the league, all with the University of Canberra Capitals. Swain made her WNBL debut with the University of Canberra Capitals in 2021/22 and after playing two seasons for the Caps joined the Sydney Flames for the 2023/24 season. After playing college basketball for University of Hawaii Amy Atwell was selected by Los Angeles Sparks with pick 27 at the 2022 WNBA Draft and played four regular season games for the Sparks before being waived. Atwell played for Perth Lynx during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 WNBL seasons and is on the 2024 training camp roster of Phoenix Mercury.
As at 27 April Isobel Borlase and Nyadiew Puoch both on Atlanta Dream’s roster, however they will be developing their game for another 12 months and attending Atlanta’s 2025 training camp. Nine Australian players are on a WNBA roster as at 27 April and will be attending a 2024 training camp- Ezi Magbegor, Sami Whitcomb and Jade Melbourne (all for Seattle Storm), Rebecca Allen, Amy Atwell & Jaz Shelley (all for Phoenix Mercury), Steph Talbot (Los Angeles Sparks), Alanna Smith (Minnesota Lynx) and Kristy Wallace (Indiana Fever).
Three Australians have coaching roles in the WNBA during the 2024 season. Australian Opals Head Coach Sandy Brondello is the Head Coach of New York Liberty. Australian Opals Assistant Coach Paul Goriss is an Assistant Coach of Atlanta Dream and Indiana Fever have hired Tully Bevilaqua to their coaching staff as a Video Associate. Brondello’s German husband Olaf Lange is on New York’s coaching staff as an Assistant Coach. When Borlase made her debut with the Australian Opals at Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 in Belem, Brazil during February Brondello was the Head Coach of the Opals and Goriss was an Assistant Coach.
The WNBA held its inaugural season in 1997. In October 2007 the WNBA announced that Atlanta Dream would join the league as an expansion club for the 2008 WNBA season. Atlanta Dream won the Eastern Conference Finals three times, 2010, 2011 and 2013. In all three seasons Atlanta lost in the WNBA Finals zero games to three, being defeated by Seattle Storm in 2010 and Minnesota Lynx in 2011 and 2013. Atlanta Dream finished first in the Eastern Conference at the end of the 2018 regular season and lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to Washington Mystics 2-3. Atlanta Dream finished fifth at the end of the 2023 WNBA regular season with 19 wins and 21 losses. In the first round of the 2023 playoffs Atlanta lost to the Dallas Wings 0-2.
Three Americans on Atlanta Dream’s 2024 roster have earnt All-WNBL selection playing as imports in Australia – Jordin Canada, Nia Coffey and Naz Hillmon. Coffey played for Adelaide Lightning in 2018/19 and was selected in the WNBL All-Star Five. From 2019/20 onwards two All-WNBL teams have been named, a First Team and a Second Team. As teammates with the Melbourne Boomers in 2023/24 Canada and Hillmon both earnt All-WNBL selection, with Canada selected on the First Team and Hillmon selected on the Second Team. Canada also won the Suzy Batkovic Medal for being the WNBL’s MVP, the league’s Golden Hands Award winner and was nominated for the Robyn Maher Defensive Player of the Year Award. To celebrate Canada’s award winning 2023/24 WNBL season Milestones and Misses published an article comprehensively covering her 2023/24 WNBL season and summarising the rest of her career. Below is a link to this article on Canada:
The three players that each averaged at least 15.0 points per regular season game for Atlanta in 2023 are all suiting up for the Dream again in 2024 being Rhyne Howard (17.5 points per game), Allisha Gray (17.1) and Cheyanne Parker (15.0). The trio of Howard, Gray and Parker all played in the 2023 WNBA All-Star game. Howard won the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year Award in 2022. In the off-season Atlanta recruited 2012 WNBA MVP and five time All-WNBA First Team member Tina Charles.
Australian, Paul Goriss is an Assistant Coach of Atlanta Dream for the third consecutive WNBA season in 2024, having commenced the role in March 2022. Goriss was a Head Coach of the University of Canberra Capitals for six WNBL seasons from 2016/17 to 2021/22. With Goriss as Head Coach the UC Capitals won back-to-back WNBL championships in 2018/19 and 2019/20. During the 2023/24 WNBL season Goriss was an assistant coach of the University of Canberra Capitals with Kristen Veal as the Head Coach. Goriss is an Australian Opals Assistant Coach and was able to work with Borlase when she made her Opals debut at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 held in Belem, Brazil.
Borlase played all of her junior club basketball with the Forestville Eagles and has represented the club at senior level in NBL1 Central. Borlase signed with the Forestville Eagles for the 2023 NBL1 Central season. In Borlase’s 2023 Forestville Eagles player profile she was asked “What is the best piece of advice you ever received?” Borlase responded “Don’t let anyone determine your self worth.”28 Due to a back injury sustained late in the 2022/23 WNBL season with Adelaide Lightning Borlase played limited minutes for Forestville Eagles in two NBL1 Central games in May 2023.
It was announced on 24 April 2024 that Borlase had joined Forestville Eagles for the 2024 NBL1 Central season. Georgia Crouch is Head Coach of Forestville’s women’s NBL1 Central team and is on a two-year deal. Crouch represented South Australia at under-age level from the under 16s to under 20s and played at senior level in the Premier League for Sturt and West Adelaide before moving in to coaching.
At junior level Borlase has represented South Australian teams with two of Forestville’s 2024 starters – Jess Simons and Maddison Freer. The trio were all members of the South Australian Red Under 20 women’s team that won the silver medal at the 2022 National Championships. Borlase and Simons were teammates on several SA Metro teams including the Under 18 women’s team that won the gold medal at the 2021 National Championships. At senior level Borlase and Simons were teammates at Adelaide Lightning during the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season with Simons being a development player.
An article published on nbl.com.au on 1 March 2024 stated that “The NBL1 is Australia’s premier winter basketball league, comprising of five conferences across every state and territory in the nation. NBL1 East (New South Wales, ACT), NBL1 North (Queensland, NT), NBL1 South (Victoria, Tasmania, Mount Gambier), NBL1 West (Western Australia) and the NBL1 Central (South Australia) hosts 74 clubs and 145 teams featuring over 2000 players in mens and womens competitions.”29 Ten South Australian clubs compete in NBL1 Central. The article on the NBL websitesaid “All NBL1 games will be streamed live and free via NBL1.com.au and the NBL1 App, with the Games of the Week streamed on Kayo Freebies.”30
Borlase played her first game of the 2024 NBL1 Central season for Forestville Eagles in their Round 6 home game on Anzac Day afternoon, Thursday 25 April against Central Districts Lions. Borlase started for Forestville along with Simons, Freer, Cara Annetts and Rachael King. In the Eagles second Round 6 game on the road against Woodville Warriors on Saturday night 27 April Borlase scored a game-high 26 points at an accuracy of 48% from the field, took nine rebounds, made an equal team-high three assists and had three steals in a 78-58 victory. Borlase was effective from long-range against Central Districts, making a game-high four three-pointers from seven attempts at an an accuracy of 57% and won the Anzac Round Medal for her superb performance.
At the end of Round 6 the Forestville Eagles are fifth on NBL1 Central ladder with four wins and three losses. Forestville’s 2024 NBL1 Central regular season concludes with a Round 15 home game against West Adelaide Bearcats on Saturday 13 July at the State Basketball Centre (Wayville). Borlase will be unavailable for some of Forestville’s NBL1 Central games due to commitments with the Australian Opals.
Upcoming 2024/25 WNBL season with Adelaide Lightning
At the start of the 2023/24 Cygnett WNBL season three Adelaide Lightning players were on multi-year deals. Borlase and Bourne were both signed for two seasons until the end of the 2024/25 season and Talbot was signed for four seasons until the end of the 2026/27 season. Nat Hurst was signed as Head Coach until the end of the 2024/25 season. Having Hurst return as Head Coach and the trio of Borlase, Talbot and Bourne returning for the 2024/25 season provides the Lightning with continuity and some high calibre players to build the rest of their roster around. Bourne was one of five nominees for the WNBL’s Betty Watson Breakout Player of the Year Award in 2023/24. Borlase and Talbot played as teammates at Adelaide in Borlase’s rookie 2022/23 season and the last two games of the 2023/24 season after Talbot returned from her knee injury. Borlase has developed her game significantly since 2022/23 and Talbot was building match conditioning late in the 2023/24 season after a long-term injury. Adelaide having two versatile players such as Talbot and Borlase as teammates in 2024/25 is likely to create match-up problems for opposition teams, enable the Lightning to spread the court more and improve the team’s field goal percentage above the 40.4% in 2023/24 which ranked last in the league.
After Talbot’s first game back from injury against the UC Capitals on 29 January 2024 Adelaide Head Coach Hurst was asked at the post-game press conference “How much does it excite you as a coach that potentially next season we could be seeing Borlase and Talbot on the court together?” Hurst answered “Mate, give it to me. I cannot wait to see these two running up and down on the wings with each other, the toughness that they will both bring. Another six months under Borlase’s belt and Stephy will go to the WNBA and feel like herself and better after she gets back after an Olympic campaign. Very exciting times ahead for the Lightning.”
Epilogue
Just under 18 months ago Isobel Borlase entered the 2022/23 season with only one game of WNBL experience and was able to learn from training and playing with experienced Adelaide teammates including Steph Talbot. Borlase made an immediate impact with a game-high 25 points at an incredible 83.3% from the field and a game-high nine rebounds in Adelaide’s first game of the season against Southside Flyers at the State Basketball Centre on 5 November 2022. Borlase maintained a high standard in 2022/23 to rank in the WNBL’s top 25 for points, blocked shots and steals per game whilst having a field goal accuracy of 55.0% – ranked seventh in the league among players that had at least 10 field goal attempts. Borlase was one of the revelations of the season and won two awards at the 2022/23 Cygnett WNBL Awards – the Breakout Player of the Year Award and the Sixth Woman of the Year Award.
With Talbot sidelined for most of the 2023/24 WNBL season due to a knee injury Borlase shouldered increased responsibility for Adelaide Lightning. After starting less than half of Adelaide’s games in 2022/23 Borlase thrived as a permanent member of the Lightning’s starting line-up in 2023/24, excelling with her composure and reading of the play against more experienced opponents. Among players that played at least five games in 2023/24 Borlase ranked fourth in the WNBL for steals per game, eighth in points, equal 10th in blocks and 14th in minutes. Borlase was recognised for her incredible 2023/24 season by winning Adelaide Lightning’s Most Valuable Player Award, being selected in the All-WNBL First Team and finished fourth in the Suzy Batkovic Medal for the league’s MVP.
As a junior Borlase had a decorated junior career for South Australia and Australia which led to her being touted as a future Opal. After first being selected in an Opals squad in January 2023 Borlase made her Opals debut in February 2024 at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 in Belem, Brazil. Borlase adjusted seamlessly to playing international basketball at senior level, ranking equal first for the Opals in assists against Serbia and reached double figures in scoring in both her games at OQT 2024.
Having seen fellow Australians Ezi Magbegor and Jade Melbourne be selected in the WNBA draft and play for Seattle Storm Borlase realised in recent years that reaching the WNBA was an achievable goal. On 15 April 2024 Borlase was selected by Atlanta Dream with pick 20 at the 2024 WNBA Draft. Close friend Nyadiew Puoch was also selected by Atlanta, making the significant milestone even sweeter. With another 12 months development playing for Forestville Eagles in NBL1 Central, Adelaide Lightning in the WNBL and with the Australian Opals Isobel Borlase will be better equipped for Atlanta Dream’s 2025 training camp.
Isobel Borlase playing for Adelaide Lightning against Melbourne Boomers on 17 December 2023 at Melbourne Sports Centres – Parkville
It has been a meteoric rise by Isobel Borlase achieve the significant milestones of winning Adelaide Lightning’s MVP and earning All-WNBL selection in 2023/24, debuting for the Australian Opals and being selected at the 2024 WNBA draft by Atlanta Dream. Borlase becoming the second teenager in the past decade to be selected in an All-WNBL team highlights how much her game has developed during the past 18 months and the heights Izzy has been able to reach at 19 years of age.
Article and photographs by Dean Andrews
Twitter – @DeanAndrews7777
References
2 https://wnbl.basketball/blog/news/wnba-draft-dreams-realised/
3 https://cdn.revolutionise.com.au/news/czu6sdt3idyspccy.pdf
5 https://australia.basketball/coe-women-to-receive-scholarships/
6 https://australia.basketball/coe-women-to-receive-scholarships/
7 https://australia.basketball/isobel-borlase-the-rising-star-sets-sights-on-representing-opals/
8 https://wnbl.basketball/adelaide/news/izzy-joins-lightning-for-2022/
9 https://wnbl.basketball/adelaide/news/adelaide-lightning-sign-sporting-royalty-isobel-borlase/
10 https://wnbl.basketball/adelaide/news/adelaide-lightning-sign-sporting-royalty-isobel-borlase/
11 https://wnbl.basketball/adelaide/news/talbot-three-peat-leads-lightning-accolades/
12 https://wnbl.basketball/adelaide/news/lightning-re-sign-local-young-gun-for-two-years/
13 https://wnbl.basketball/adelaide/news/lightning-re-sign-local-young-gun-for-two-years/
14 https://wnbl.basketball/adelaide/news/rachael-sporns-no-14-jersey-returns-with-isobel-borlase/
15 https://wnbl.basketball/adelaide/news/rachael-sporns-no-14-jersey-returns-with-isobel-borlase/
18 https://australia.basketball/isobel-borlase-the-rising-star-sets-sights-on-representing-opals/
19 https://www.australia.basketball/news/3859198/brazil-beckons
20 https://www.australia.basketball/news/3892651/opals-seal-the-deal-at-olympic-qualifiers
22 https://www.australia.basketball/news/3970678/ford-ballin24-melbourne
23 https://www.australia.basketball/news/3970678/ford-ballin24-melbourne
24 https://wnbl.basketball/blog/news/izzy-borlase-right-here-right-now/
25 https://www.wnba.com/news/2024-wnba-draft-faq
28 https://cdn.revolutionise.com.au/news/czu6sdt3idyspccy.pdf
29 https://nbl.com.au/news/get-around-the-nbl1-this-season
30 https://nbl.com.au/news/get-around-the-nbl1-this-season
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:
Milestones and misses 