Family ties key to victory

Magpies are hopeful their new mother-daughter combination can push them into title contention when the new Albany Basketball Association women’s A-grade competition kicks off tonight.

Player coach Margie Coyne-Jones will play alongside daughter Jasmyne Jones as Magpies look to avenge last season’s grand final defeat.

Coyne-Jones said she was excited to play alongside her daughter and believes her side can go all the way.

“I’m really looking forward to being able to play with Jasmyne, I’ll provide a calmer head in those more tense parts of games and there is a great feeling among the girls so far,” she said.

Magpies also add the talented Nardia Humphries, Mikayla Ditchburn and Jamee Farrow to a side that went down by four points to the now- defunct Grammar Griffins in last season’s decider.

Flames have added key players to their line-up including under-15 WA Country women’s player Tayeesha Weeden, former Griffins Savannah Hill and Bridgette Latham and Caitlin Ward.

Flames coach Belinda Buitenhuis said her side would use its lack of height to its advantage.

“We’re not a very tall side, we only really have one tall but they’re very skilful and they have speed on their side along with a good work ethic so we’ll use that to try and run teams off their feet,” she said.

Buitenhuis confirmed last season’s MVP Zandalee Arthur would start the season for Flames; however, the star point guard is expected to move to Perth early next year.

Panthers, who finished bottom last season, will be boosted with the inclusion of Nina Smith, Sophie Lynch, Bree Griffiths and Jade Dimer while they lose Ditchburn, Marisa Vandemescht and Celeste Del Borrello.

Raiders under-18 squad lose a number of key players including Latham, Hill and Jenna Onions while Ella Scamozzi, Maddie Dallimore and Sophie Turner are among the team’s inclusions for the new season.