Every week, ESPN's Megan Hustwaite brings together the stories that have caught her eye across the WNBL.
MEG'S NOTEBOOK
Australia's greatest ever basketballer has declared Canberra boom recruit Sara Blicavs her MVP tip after just one game.
Lauren Jackson was courtside at John Cain Arena at the weekend as her former teammate made a triumphant return with 19 points and nine rebounds in her first WNBL game in 568 days after undergoing spinal fusion surgery last year.
Blicavs, 32 and a Tokyo Olympian and 2022 FIBA World Cup bronze medallist, launched her comeback with the Melbourne Tigers in NBL1 South then rose to the top of the FIBA Asia Cup podium with the Opals in July.
"The way she's playing, I'm calling MVP," Jackson told ESPN.
"I feel like she's so confident and looks like she's ready for anything and I love that - I love that confidence. She's out there, in every single play, playing defence and rebounding, getting in the post and shooting the three. Sara's got everything at the moment and it's so fun to watch.
"I love it for her after everything she's been through. I had my injuries my whole career, so I love a good comeback story."
Blicavs has MVP pedigree, her mum Karen (nee Ogden) was crowned the league's most valuable player in the first two years (1982, 1983) of the WNBL playing for the St Kilda Saints.
PILI'D TO POST
Geelong has begun the second week of the season awaiting scan results to learn the availability of import forward Alissa Pilli.
The Los Angeles Spark landed awkwardly in the second quarter against Sydney on Saturday night, hurting her ankle and leaving the court in visible pain. The setbacks didn't stop there for Geelong with point guard Lily Rottuno also sent for scans after limping off in the final term. Chris Lucas is already without boom recruit Shyla Heal as she continues her recovery from a knee injury she sustained in NBL1.
The Venom are home to the Lightning on Saturday afternoon before traveling to Bendigo on Tuesday for a battle with their regional Victorian rival.
MUM'S THE WORD
There are four kids between them and Lauren Nicholson and Mikhaela Cann combined for 34 points in their return for Sydney in Round 1.
Nicholson is six months post-partum having welcomed her first child Ari in April and drained 27 points, 20 in the first half, in her return WNBL game. And, as she made the first of five trademark triples, it was like the dual champion and defensive player of the year had never taken a break.
Life looks very different for Cann who last played in the league in 2018-19 for Townsville. Then, she was a mum of one to Adisyn. Now, seven seasons later she's back in the league and has two more daughters, Harlo and Dallas.
The family juggle is real with mum and girls moving from Queensland to Sydney for the WNBL season and husband Luke in Adelaide as an assistant coach with the 36ers.
Congratulations to league games record holder and five-time champion Kelly Wilson, who saluted with Bendigo last season, who gave birth to her second child, a son Scout, a fortnight ago.
SPORTSWOMAN LIKE
While there were many off-season signings that came with bells and whistles, not many had the instant impact in Round 1 like Jasmin Fejo for Adelaide.
Having previously played in the league for the Lightning, Fejo has taken up footy while continuing to dominate at NBL1 level, winning a championship for Woodville with Erin Phillips in NBL1 Central, and showed against Perth that she has what it takes to continue a WNBL career.
A spark off the bench, the 25-year-old guard immediately got to work, hitting the floor, getting to the basket and getting Adelaide back in the contest with 9 points, four steals and as assist in just under 16 valuable minutes.
OPALS WATCH - Round 1
Abbey Ellis (Fire) 31 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal vs Bendigo
Sara Blicavs (Caps) 19 points, 9 rebounds vs Southside
Isobel Borlase (Spirit) 17 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks vs Townsville
Jade Melbourne (Caps) 15 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals vs Southside
Amy Atwell (Lynx) 15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist vs Adelaide
Steph Talbot (Lightning) 11 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists vs Perth
FIXTURES
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24
Sydney Flames vs. Southside Melbourne Flyers
Quaycentre, 7 pm (AEDT)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25
Geelong Venom v. Adelaide Lightning
Geelong Arena, 3pm (AEDT)
UC Capitals vs. Townsville Fire
AIS Arena, 7pm (AEDT)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26
Perth Lynx vs. Sydney Flames
Perth High Performance Centre, 6:30pm (AEDT)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28
Bendigo Spirit vs. Geelong Venom
Red Energy Arena, 7pm (AEDT)
Watch every game LIVE on Disney+
GAME OF THE WEEK
UC Capitals vs. Townsville Fire
Touted as the benchmark and the big improver, the Fire and the Caps meet in the standout game of Round 2 at a sold-out AIS Arena.
Talent-laden Townsville showed grit in fending off a Bendigo comeback last Sunday while a new-look Caps were too good for the Flyers at John Cain Arena led by recruits Sara Blicavs and French import Kadi Sissoko.
This one is worth watching purely for the point guard battle between Abbey Ellis, fresh from a career-best 30 points, and Olympic medallist Jade Melbourne - the exciting future of Aussie women's hoops.
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