THE WNBL season is getting closer each day, and the preparations of each team are starting to ramp up as the pre-season reaches the pointy end. In our player spotlight series, we take a look at the starting lineup of each team and what each player will bring to the table. With plenty of exciting player movements around the league, there are set to be some enthralling dynamics across the league. The next team on the agenda is the Southside Flyers, who will be looking to back up their impressive 2020 campaign. The Flyers will enter this season with the title of ‘reigning champions’, but with a few new faces on the roster, they will be just as dangerous in their quest to claim back-to-back titles.

Next up in the starting lineup is forward Sara Blicavs, who has forged a career as one of the league’s most respected players. At 193cm, Blicavs uses her size to not only pour in plenty of points, but also bring down a handy number of rebounds.

Blicavs is a native of Sunbury, Victoria and was recognized as a young basketball talent early in her junior career. Like many of her teammates, she started to gain prominence during her time playing for the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), with an offer to play for the Dandenong Rangers following shortly after.

After a successful one year stint with the Rangers, Blicavs made the decision to move across the state to play for the Bendigo Spirit, where she made an immediate impact, averaging nine points per game. She spent the next two seasons with the side, where she won her first WNBL Championship in 2014.

A steady improvement of her performance in each statistical category also followed, with Blicavs beginning to gain attention from across the league. She returned to the Rangers ahead of the 2015/16 season, as she once again suited up for the side that handpicked her to join from the AIS.

Over this time, there has been a clear progression of Blicavs’ ability, as she cemented herself as a reliable double-digit scorer, with her rebounding in particular making a huge leap. She suffered a brutal knee injury in November of 2018, where it was revealed she had sustained an ACL injury.

She returned to the court the following season, where she re-established her spot in the starting lineup, much to the excitement of fans of the organization. It was during this season where the club rebranded as the Southside Flyers.

In 2020, she received her first taste of Olympics action, joining the Australian Opals for the Tokyo games. Blicavs had represented Australia in the past during FIBA matches, and clearly had proved her worth in these games. In Tokyo, she proved a valuable contributor as she helped her side through their campaign with handy scoring and ruthless rebounding.

Flyers coach Cheryl Chambers said that the side is looking forward to seeing Blicavs in their starting lineup.

“She’s getting better and better every year,” Chambers said.

“We shot the three pretty well last year, and Sara was a massive part of that, as she shot nearly 50% in that area.”

“She brings some physicality and competitiveness every game, so we really appreciate having her.”

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