New-look women’s league

The Albany Basketball Association women’s A-grade competition will begin on unpredictable terms after four teams from last season have departed.

The competition loses last year’s premiers Mystics, along with Rebels, Phoenix and Slayers as new teams Sparks and Panthers round out the new-look six-team league.

The newly formed Sparks team will combine players from last year’s champions Mystics and Rebels

Ex-Mystics players Karlee Anning, Izzy Baum, Georgina Lilford and Taylah Orzel will team up with Brittany Tomlinson and Kelsey McMorran from Rebels.

The side have also acquired forward Laine Ferry who is new to town from Perth.

Sparks captain Erin Hetherington, who was runner-up MVP two seasons ago for Phoenix, said their first game against last year’s grand finalists Flames would be a good test early in the season.

Flames have added two players from Mystics in centre Jordan Tester and small forward Alyssa Ward while Chelsea Grove and Jessica Leamon are also new to the team.

Flames lose Carina Cronje, Bridgette Latham and Savannah Hill who will all be playing for Grammar.

Grammar will be boosted by the inclusions of Cronje, Latham and Hill after losing to Mystics in last season’s preliminary final.

New team Panthers will feature some of Albany’s younger talent.

Panthers coach David Arthur said the team would consist of players aged 13-16.

“It will be the top of the range young kids so they will be exciting to watch,” he said.

The Raiders under-18 squad has retained a number of players from last season and will be hoping the added experience will help them better last season’s sixth place.

The first match tips off at 6pm between Grammar and Raiders, Panthers play Magpies at 7pm and Flames take on Sparks at 8pm.