WNBL 2023-24: Cayla George And Tess Madgen Back Lauren Jackson To Play At Paris Olympics

Two of the most prominent players on the Opals have stated that they would not be opposed to Lauren Jackson making another return and competing for Australia in the Olympics in Paris. Would such a thing be possible?

As Tess Madgen and Cayla George of the Opals look to rekindle their Olympic campaigns after starting over with the Sydney Flames, they have backed a potential play for basketball veteran and "warrior woman" Lauren Jackson in the upcoming Olympic tournament.

Opals captain Madgen and WNBA champion George, who both left the Melbourne Boomers for the Calgary Flames, were two of the league's most notable off-season transfers.

In Sydney, Madgen and George will reunite with Guy Molloy, their WNBL champion coach from 2022 and the Boomers.

Jackson, at age 42, is getting ready to return to the WNBL with the Southside Flyers after a devastating injury, and the move comes in preparation for next year's Paris campaign.

Madgen, who has her sights set on Paris in four years, has claimed that if Australian basketball star Stephen Jackson decides to try out for the Olympics, she will "definitely" welcome him back for the Opals.

Madgen added Jackson's leadership and "fierceness" would be crucial, despite the fact that Jackson has stated the Games are not currently in her plans.

"If her body is fit and healthy, then she proved what she could do at the World Cup last year," Madgen remarked.

Having her on the team brings out the best in everyone because of her leadership, knowledge, expertise, tenacity, fierceness, and competitive spirit.

"To captain alongside someone like that obviously made my job that much easier, so selfishly of course I would love to see her back in there.

She is in the best shape she has ever looked, which is a tremendous credit to her, and what she has been able to achieve is absolutely fantastic. "I know she has worked incredibly hard, and I know she is in the best shape she has ever looked.

It would be amazing for us to win the gold medal game in the Olympics with another performance of 30 points or better.

Jackson was able to turn back the hands of time and shine with a performance of 30 points while playing for the Opals in the bronze-medal play-off at the FIBA women's World Cup in Sydney last year. This was before she had two catastrophic injuries to her foot and Achilles.

George, who just won the WNBA title with the Las Vegas Aces, pitched a game in the Jackson Games.

George said, "If LJ is good enough to make it and if she is fit enough and her body is OK, then why not?" LJ had been training very hard.

Everyone believed she was done after she suffered those devastating injuries, but here she is again, proving everyone wrong.

"She is the epitome of a fierce warrior woman. To be able to share the court with someone of her caliber, even if she does not have the same kind of impact that she did when she was at the height of her career, simply to have her experience and insight... She entered the game against Canada, in which we were competing for the bronze medal, and had 30 points, so a bit of the old LJ came out.

"Therefore, even if we were only able to obtain a few examples of classic moments, that would be more than we could ever hope for."

Because of a knee injury, Madgen was only able to play in one game during the previous season of the WNBL, so her forthcoming debut with the Flames comes after an injury-plagued campaign of her own in which she was limited to just one game.

The Opals, on which she had been playing since her return, won bronze in the Asia Cup in Sydney in June and July.

Madgen stated that the opportunity to play under Molloy again before to an Olympic year was a major factor in her decision. Madgen felt that Molloy brought out the "best" in her as a player.

To continue developing as a player, I knew I needed to move. Madgen reasoned that she would stop playing if she didn't think she could improve.

I had a great time under Guy's tutelage, so when I heard he might be the coach in Sydney, I jumped at the chance. I couldn't really wait to get there and be coached by him.

Since next year is an Olympic year, I want to do all in my power to improve my chances of getting chosen for the team, and he is without a doubt the coach who brings out the best in me.

I always assumed I would retire with the Baby Boomers, but I decided that now was the time for a change since I was tired of the same old thing. In Melbourne, I did a lot of other things to make ends meet, but now I'm devoting my entire attention to basketball. I'm thankful that the Flames have finally given me the opportunity to focus only on my basketball career.

George explained that she made the switch so that she could play for Molloy again in preparation for the Games and that she could continue to play alongside her longtime teammate Madgen.

"I am a young springbok at 34 and I will continue to keep learning and Guy definitely keeps me accountable and allows me to add things to my game and he pushes me to be a better leader and a better player as well, so that's definitely a huge reason why I wanted to go to Sydney," said George.

And Tess, I've played with her for almost 20 years, ever since we were under-14s together in the Eastern Mavericks in Mount Barker. The way she goes about her work inspires me to do my best, and I like to think I do the same for her.

After our success at the World Cup last year, prospects are bright. We've been medal-less in the last two Olympics, but we've been winning medals in the meantime, so I'm confident that we'll be back on the podium in Paris.

LIGHTNING’S FATAL MISTAKE AS BOOMERS RIDE PENINA POWER

Michael Randall

When you have a chance to put the Melbourne Boomers away, don't blow it.

The Adelaide Lightning found this out the hard way in the 2023–24 WNBL season opener, when they jumped out to a 20–6 lead before being devoured by the depleted visitors 68–60.

Even though the Boomers only fielded nine players (including development player Lilly Rotunno and injury replacement Sherrie Calleia) due to the absences of Opal Kristy Wallace (knee), recruits Aimee Rocci (concussion), and Mon Conti (AFLW), coach Chris Lucas was pleased as punch with his team's comeback from a 14-point deficit and victory on the road.

"Really pleased with our group but it wasn't pretty basketball and we know we're a long way off," Lucas said on the ESPN broadcast.

The Lightning were able to get out to an early lead despite poor starts from star newcomers Sara Blicavs and Keely Froling as well as highly-rated acquisition Jordin Canada (0-6 in the first half). The advantage was taken full advantage of by Adelaide immigrants Jocelyn Willoughby (a team-high 14 points off the bench), Brianna Turner (15 rebounds, 8 assists), and Lauren Mansfield, who captained the squad and scored all 9 of her points in the first half.

After going into halftime trailing by nine points, the Boomers began to ramp up their defensive intensity, while Canada and Blicavs (12 points) began to rediscover their rhythm.

But it was a forceful Penina Davidson sort of night, and her strength overpowered the Lightning as she slammed in seven consecutive Boomers points as part of a 25-13 third quarter that turned the narrative and gave the visitors a three-point lead at the last change. Davidson's performance helped the Boomers flip the script and give them a three-point lead at the final change.

"She was absolutely amazing tonight... "I've had her for three preseasons, and this is without a doubt her best performance," Lucas remarked of his game-winning workhorse.

Blicavs, who had sat most of the fourth quarter with four fouls, splashed a three, then Canada sliced and diced her way to the cup with an athletic finish, and the Boomers were on their way. Rising Lightning star Izzy Borlase had retaken the lead with four minutes left on a tough finish.

Davidson finished her bench role with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds, and her good friend and fellow New Zealander Tera Reid also had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds in her Boomers debut.

Import Naz Hillmon kept Melbourne in the game early, doing much of her team-high 14-point damage in the first half.

Canada, a WNBA star for the Los Angeles Sparks, scored six points and dished out eight assists in her league debut. She appeared more at ease as the game progressed and eventually took command of the game with her deft handling and precision passing.

The decisive factor in this game was the Boomers' 21-10 offensive rebounding victory over the Lightning. This led to 17 Boomers' second-chance points to just 7 for the Lightning.

DEPLETED BOOMERS

After Wallace suffered a knee injury in September while playing in the WNBA, the Boomers will need to figure out how to get through at least the next month without her.

During Indiana Fever's September 4 game with Dallas Wings, Wallace ascended for a free throw line jumper and immediately limped away on landing before being carried to the locker room in difficulty.

Since Wallace had torn her ACL twice in the same knee—despite being an All WNBL First Teamer who averaged 15.8 points (seventh) and 5.5 assists (fourth) last season—the Boomers will be extremely careful with her return.

"Wally, we're just going to take our time until she's right, It's a big year for her," Lucas assured Wally.

Due to the commitments she has with her other team, Richmond, which plays Collingwood in the season finale on Sunday, Conti, who is among the top-five prospects for the AFLW best and fairest award, won't be available for the Boomers until the following week.

Rocci had a concussion in a training accident earlier this week and is now participating in league protocols. She needs to go through a battery of tests before being declared ready to play again, so her return date remains uncertain.

NICE PASS FOR THREE

It's funny how basketball works. The lightning quick Isabelle Bourne missed all three of her first-half three-point shots. Early in the third quarter, she made her first three-point attempt, and she made it. The 22-year-old player picked up the ball on the right wing and attempted to lob it to Turner, who was racing for the basket. The ball, however, banked in for a three-pointer. On the box score, it only says that you acquired them; it doesn't specify how you got them.

COLOUR CLASH

For the first time, the WNBL joined forces with the NBL to celebrate Indigenous people during Round 1. When it was realized that the Boomers' Indigenous jersey clashed with the Lightning's, a quick decision had to be made. On Tuesday, the day before the game, the uniforms finally showed up. The Boomers will play Southside on Saturday and again on December 3 while wearing Indigenous-themed uniforms.