Scanlon runs it back

One of Australia’s best young talents Lily Scanlon returns to the Eltham Wildcats for the 2022 NBL1 season, hoping to build upon the performance of the team in 2021.
 
The young guns provided what was a surprise to many in 2021 with the Scanlon, Maley and Pizzey combination proving to be a formidable force across the league. Scanlon reflecting; “I think we shocked some people, that’s for sure! But Grant [coach – Grant Hardy] and the girls, knew we had a pretty good group and we were disappointed we didn’t get to play the finals [due to COVID].”
 
Starting out in Melbourne’s north-west with Sunbury as a junior, Scanlon moved to Bulleen in U14’s and quickly stamped her authority at junior championship and junior domestic in the Eastern Districts Junior Basketball Association (EDJBA). Scanlon’s connection to her junior club remains strong, with Bulleen sponsoring Scanlon at the WNBL level. “My junior club is important to me, as they’ve played a big part in helping me where I am now and it is so good having them sponsor me for WNBL.”

Joining the team late in 2021, Scanlon will be handed the reins to lead in 2022, after having a full WNBL season under her belt and some time in pre-season with the Wildcats. “You can see her growing with Melbourne (WNBL) as the season goes along. She is being provided opportunities and she is flourishing as they arise. “said Eltham Coach Grant Hardy.
 
CEO Greg Jeffers said about Lily Scanlon “The club can be proud to have one of the country’s most talented up and coming players on the court in 2022. Lily is a young person that we think children should be aspiring to be like both on and off the court. We think 2022 is a year where we will see Lily take her game to another level and we’ll have the team around her to help make that happen.”
 
The Eltham Wildcats home schedule will kick off on May 7^th with the first ever Wildcard Series game against Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence. It will be the only single game featuring the women, with all matches being men’s and women’s double headers.
 
The Eltham Wildcats are in the final stages of building their $19m stadium at Montmorency SC featuring a 1,200 seat show court area; in what will be the jewel in the sporting landscape in north-eastern Melbourne, whilst hosting the Eltham NBL1 home matches and other big events.

Stay tuned for more player announcements to come and how to grab your 2022 NBL1 Wildcat membership.
 
The NBL1 represents the highest level achievable for players, coaches, technical officials and game day staff in the Eltham Wildcats pathway. It provides individuals in the north-east of Melbourne with a chance to be exposed to the national leagues. The Eltham Wildcats aim to have teams that strongly represent the north-east of Melbourne and players who’ve come through the Eastern Districts Junior Basketball Association (EDJBA).