Phillips ‘Attitude’ ignites WNBL

Adelaide Fellas guard Erin Phillips is fast becoming one of the most exciting female players to grace Australian basketball courts. She epitomises the League’s tag line – Feel the Attitude – and is entertaining crowds wherever she travels.

She is not only flashy, but this weekend’s 45 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists over two matches have catapulted her to Round Two Virgin Blue Player of the Week.

20-year-old Phillips, who is gaining fans faster than a teenage reality TV star, shot at 67% over the weekend, but take out some wayward three-pointers and she missed only one shot per night from two-point range (88.9%).

Her 11 assists have put her at the top of the league ladder in that statistic, averaging seven per game this season. She is also doing it on the defensive end, snatching four steals over the weekend.

Phillips doesn’t let her 173cm stand in the way of being a threat in the paint. She had nine rebounds on Friday night against Dandenong, and followed that up with another five over Bulleen Melbourne on Saturday.

Despite Phillips’ great figures, Adelaide couldn’t get over the line in either matches in Round Two, which has pushed them to sixth on the ladder.

“Erin is always bitterly disappointed when we lose, but individually she had very solid performances in both games,” Adelaide coach Chris Lucas said.

“She is in great condition early in the season and will do well throughout the season.”

Phillips was selected in the WNBL All-Star Five in 2005 and was rewarded with a place in the Opals squad and by being drafted by the Connecticut Sun. She has a big future in the game of basketball and is one to watch this season.

Players of the Week will be announced every Tuesday throughout the season with the 2005/06 League MVP being presented with a trip for two courtesy of Virgin Blue and the WNBL at the end of the season.

Other players in contention for the award in Round Two were Rohanee Cox (Townsville), Trish Fallon (Sydney Uni), Larissa Cavanagh (Bulleen Melbourne), Deanna Smith (Perth) and Emma Randall (Dandenong).