ONE of the best parts about the National Basketball League (NBL)1 competition is that it allows some of Australia’s premier talents from the NBL and WNBL to continue to shine at a different level during the off-season, which was absolutely the case in the South Women’s competition on the weekend.

The league often hosts a number of top-shelf talent from across the country, and Round 16’s clash between the Kilsyth Cobras and the Bendigo Braves was a perfect example of that. Lauren Scherf hit the court for the Cobras while Tess Madgen suited up for the Braves, and fans were treated to a battle between two genuine stars of the WNBL.

While the Braves came into the contest as heavy favourites, given their standing at the top of the table with a record of 19 wins and two losses, the Cobras had the star power to potentially cause an upset. Scherf has posted some big numbers in her time, and if Kilsyth could contain the scoring of Madgen, it was a chance.

However, that did not come to fruition, with Madgen dropping a game-high total in the points column and leading her side to a 15-point triumph, their 20th of season 2022. While the Cobras could not get the result they were after, the performance of Scherf was nothing short of fantastic. She fought tooth and nail to try and get Kilsyth rolling throughout the game, and the individual battle between her and Madgen was simply outstanding viewing.

Kilsyth Cobras (81) def. by Bendigo Braves (96)

Tess Madgen (Bendigo) – 40 points (14/28 FG), eight assists
Lauren Scherf (Kilsyth) – 29 points, 19 rebounds, five assists

To no one’s surprise, Madgen was able to get free and hit the scoreboard better than anyone in the contest. Her 40 points were 11 clear of the next best (who happened to be Scherf), with her scoring ability on full display and proving a big factor in the result of the game.

It was a balanced source of baskets for the guard, who had just under half of her buckets come from behind the three-point line. From downtown, she made six of her 14 attempts, often getting on the end of some strong ball movement from the Cobras.

Despite the fact that she took the most shots of anyone in the game, Madgen was still extremely unselfish at times, passing off the ball to her Bendigo teammates on plenty of occasions, particularly when the double teams came on the back of some impressive shooting.

Scherf’s numbers also caught the eye, as the experienced tall stuffed the stat sheet with some massive figures in some of the most vital categories. She top scored for the Cobras with 29, and while her shooting numbers were not the most accurate, she still produced some outstanding offence and consistent scoring, which Kilsyth was in strong need of.

From a rebounding standpoint, there was no one better than Scherf, who crashed the boards in a big way to try and secure possession for the Cobras on both ends. She ended the contest with a whopping 19 for the game, with seven of these coming on Kilsyth’s scoring end.

To top it all off, her five assists were the most of any player on the court, showing her smarts and ability to make the right decision, despite Scherf having the defence in her face most of the time she took possession.