BULLEEN Boomers are the only side that remain undefeated heading into Round 5 of the Big V Women’s with Keilor Thunder suffering their first loss of the season last round and looking to bounce back this weekend. Meanwhile up the other end of the ladder, Whittlesea Pacers are on the lookout for their inaugural win in 2021.

Keilor vs. Southern Peninsula
Saturday, April 17 @6:00pm

Dropping their first game of the season last week by 19 points expect Keilor Thunder to be on the prowl for their next win and to solidify their standings in the top four with a strong performance here. On the flip side, Southern Peninsula have shown glimpses of dominance and will be hoping to find a level of consistency in their performance against Keilor.

Bianca Babic has been a key cog for the Thunder in season 2021 with her tenacity and willingness to drive to the basket a couple of fundamentals in the way she approaches the game. Babic alongside the likes of Emily Suckling, Ally Keating and Ellen Kett will have to be on their a-game if they are to bounce back from last week’s loss and pile on the pressure against Southern Peninsula. When it comes to the Sharks, Tanarly Hood is the main playmaker, able to get her hands to plenty of ball and most importantly score while Ashleigh Wright is the other one to keep an eye out for. Fiona Darnell has proven to be dominant off the boards and will need to be on full alert in this clash while Jayde Popovski will be hoping to recapture her hot form.

Hume vs. McKinnon
Saturday, April 17 @8:00pm

Both sides will be looking to creep their way up the ladder with McKinnon on the hunt for their third win of the season and Hume hoping to notch up their second. Coming into the Round 5 clash both sides will be riding high with McKinnon securing a 37-point win while Hume notched up an impressive 45-point victory.  With this in mind expect both teams to come out firing and to play with great flair and tenacity across the court as they look to replicate their attacking ways.

When looking at McKinnon there are a number of players that are capable of stepping up to the plate with Amelia Todhunter and Rosie Fadljevic capable of leading the way. The duo combined for 42 points last week and will be eager to replicate that type of performance against the lowly Hume Broncos. Other players to keep a key on throughout the clash are Katie Blazer and Isobel Anstey given their ability to bob up and hit the scoreboard. Hume have struggled to generate a wealth of scoring opportunities but when they do it is Leilani Siamoa that leads the way producing a team-high 11 points last round. Tashia Overby and Hailey Wynd will need to up their output if they are to worry McKinnon while Ellen Wright is a strong option off the boards and will have to bring that intensity on Saturday night.

Casey vs. Whittlesea
Saturday, April 17 @8:00pm

Casey will be searching for their fourth win of the season while Whittlesea will be aiming to secure their first for the year. It will be an uphill battle for the Pacers given the dominance of Casey who have proven they have the calibre to mix it with the best, currently holding onto second spot on the ladder.

There is no denying that Shereesha Richards is the main port of call for Casey with her explosive nature and all-round star power often earning her the limelight and for good reason. Coming off a 29 point and 12 rebound haul the Pacers will have their work cut out for them when it comes to finding ways to shut her down. Rachel Bunn is another player that poses a threat while Tegan Fowler and Rebekka Mawdsley are no slouches on the points scoring front. All eyes will turn to Indiana Bodley when she steps out on court for Whittlesea registering an impressive 21 points last round but at a lowly 35 per cent. If she can up the ante it will go a long way in troubling the second placed Casey. She will need support from the likes of Saule Kontautaite and Lyndsey Hoogenhout who have proven to be viable scoring options when given the time and space but just need to ensure they can have a sustained impact.

Sunbury vs. Bulleen
Saturday, April 17 @8:00pm

The final game of the round will see a huge clash between top four sides Sunbury and Bulleen with the latter looking to keep their unbeaten record intact. It is going to be a tantalising matchup as both teams are coming in hot with their ability to attack the rim a key feature in both their game plays.

The Jets will be hoping that Orla O’Reilly and Courtenay Wragg can combine once again to put some fear into the opposition and keep the scoreboard ticking over. Notching up 29 points collectively last round they proved to be real handy across the court while Tahnee Cannan is no slouch given her scoring prowess. Emily Conn is known for her ability to get busy while Bianca Dfelmeier is influential both on the scoreboard and off the boards. But anything that Sunbury can do, the Boomers can do bigger and better boasting a multi-pronged attack filled with WNBL talent. It is hard to ignore the likes of Kate Gaze and  Louella Tomlinson who are simply unstoppable once given a taste. Gaze put up a staggering 47 points in a showing of just how explosive she is while Tomlinson recorded a triple double. But if those two are kept quiet there are a wealth of other options that are capable of taking the reins with Annie Garrick and Kate Sturzaker able to chime in with some handy points and defensive plays to halt opposition teams in their tracks.