NBL1 West 2023: Added experience provides lift for developing South West Slammers women’s team

The South West Slammers women’s team arguably played some of their best basketball in four years on Saturday night at the Warwick Basketball Stadium. Pitted against the star-studded Warwick Senators — last season’s NBL1 West and NBL1 national women’s champs — the young Slammers played with a large degree of enthusiasm and belief for lengthy stages of the game, despite going down 113-67. The developing teenagers in the squad received a massive boost prior to tip-off, with experienced former Rockingham Flames guard Paris Duffield making her debut for the club. Duffield, a former Slammers junior, added notable bite to the Slammers’ offence and finished with a game-high 31 points — although her presence defensively against the dangerous Mackenzie Clinch-Hoycard was equally as critical. Together with playing-coach Alex Ciabattoni, who suited up for 19 minutes, Duffield’s presence was visibly welcomed by the youngsters, who showed no fear against elite Senators trio Clinch-Hoycard, Natalie Burton and new American import Karly Murphy. Despite the Senators able to eventually click through the gears in the third quarter and put the game out of reach, there was enough to indicate that the Slammers should be more competitive with this added experience moving forward. Keeper stats Field goals (Senators 38/60, Slammers 14/31); three-point attempts (Senators 7/22, Slammers 9/27); free-throw attempts (Senators 16/23, Slammers 12/17); total rebounds (Senators 53-25 Slammers); assists (Senators 32-11 Slammers); steals (Senators 17-10 Slammers); turnovers (Slammers 28-15 Senators).