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The Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) is pleased to announce the selection of its All-Star Five for the 2009/10 season.

The All-Star Five members were presented at halftime of yesterday’s Grand Final at The Cage in Melbourne.

The All-Star Five is determined by a poll of the head coaches, assistant coaches and team captains from all WNBL teams at the completion of the regular season and aims to recognise athletes for their on-court achievements.

Coaches and Captains are not permitted to vote for members of their own teams.

2009/10 All-Star Five:

Kristi Harrower
Jenna O’Hea
Deanna Smith
Elizabeth Cambage
Suzy Batkovic-Brown

Kristi Harrower – Bendigo Bank Spirit

Harrower is named in the WNBL All-Star Five for the second consecutive year.

The Bendigo point guard led the league with five assists per game and was the second best scorer in the league, averaging 23.8 points per game. Harrower was among the top ten players in four other statistical categories - 3-point percentage (3rd with 40%), foul shot percentage (4th with 83.4%), defensive rebounds (7th with 5 per game), and field goal percentage (10th with 48%) and tallied a WNBL career high and equal league-wide season high of 40 points on February 7.

The spiritual leader and on-court general of the Spirit, Harrower was the driving force behind Bendigo’s push into the finals. She was named Player of the Month for October and Player of the Week twice in the 2009/10 season.

Jenna O’Hea – Global Metals Bulleen Boomers

O’Hea returned to the WNBL in 2009/10 after a season in France and she impressed with her all-round game.

She averaged 12 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game and was amongst the top ten athletes in the league in assists (3rd), foul shot percentage (3rd with 83.6%) and defensive rebounds (10th with 4.6 per game).

O’Hea was the spiritual leader of the Boomers and stepped up in the clutch moments for the minor premiers.

The Bulleen guard earned the Player of the Week Award twice this season, in Round 15 and 18 when she led the Boomers past the Townsville Fire and Canberra Capitals.

Deanna Smith – ACUVUE Sydney Uni Flames

Smith settled into her new role with the Flames after signing with the Sydney-based club following a season with the Perth Lynx.

Despite having to adjust to a new club, Smith went on to average 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game in the regular season.

Her 16.6 points per game was the fifth best average in the league and Smith was one of the league’s best players in another six statistical categories; foul shot percentage (2nd with 84.3%), 3-point percentage (2nd with 40.5%), field goal percentage (4th with 50%), offensive rebounds (5th with 3 per game), assists (9th), and steals (10th).

Smith scored in double figures in 18 of 22 regular season games and was named Player of the Week in Rounds 11 and 16.

This accolade is the second All-Star selection for Smith after she was also named in the All-Star Five in the 2008/09 season.

Elizabeth Cambage – Global Metals Bulleen Boomers

After two seasons at the Australian Institute of Sport Cambage had a breakout year with Bulleen.

The 203cm centre won two statistical awards this season, Best Field Goal Shooting Percentage Award for the second consecutive season and Leading Rebounder.

Cambage converted 169 of 286 attempts from the field at 59.1 percent, rating 3.2 percent higher than the next player. She was the most consistent rebounder in both the offensive and defensive categories to claim the overall rebounding award with 9.6 rebounds per game at the end of the regular season. Cambage tallied 10 or more rebounds in 12 of her 22 games this season. Her biggest rebounding haul in a single game was in Round 10 when she grabbed 17 boards against the Perth Lynx.

Cambage set a new personal career high of 36 points which she tallied against Dandenong in Round 17. The 18-year-old earned two Player of the Week accolades this season in Round 10 and 13.

Suzy Batkovic-Brown – ACUVUE Sydney Uni Flames

Batkovic-Brown missed the last two rounds of the regular season with a knee injury but had been a standout for the Flames throughout the season averaging 24.6 points per game across 20 games.

The 193cm centre was the key offensive weapon for Sydney Uni and provided other teams with a difficult matchup.

Batkovic-Brown was named the league’s Leading Scorer after scoring 20 or more points in 17 of her 20 games, and 30 or more points in five outings. She recorded a season high of 35 points and was twice named Player of the Week.

The Beijing Olympian also posted averages of 8.8 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.8 assists, and 1.7 blocks over 20 games.

Batkovic-Brown was ranked second in defensive rebounds (7 per game), second in steals (1.9), second in blocked shots (1.7), fifth in total rebounds (8.8), ninth in field goal percentage (48.6%), tenth in foul shot percentage (73.6%).