Schoolgirl Cassidy McLean makes WNBL debut for Sydney Uni Flames

IT was one minute and 10 seconds Cassidy McLean will remember for the rest of her life but it still didn’t mean she got a leave pass from school.

Cassidy McLean has made her WNBL debut while still at school. Pic: Gregg Porteous

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IT was one minute and 10 seconds Cassidy McLean will remember for the rest of her life but it still didn’t mean she got a leave pass from school.

Less that 24 hours after she joined an elite club of players who have made their WNBL debut as teenagers, Newcastle-based McLean was back in school uniform and hitting the books.

The 17-year-old, who won an historic world champion for the Sapphires earlier this year, hit the court for the Sydney Uni Flames against the Canberra Capitals in round two of the WNBL. Sunday.

Cassidy McLean has made her WNBL debut while still at school for the Sydney Uni Flames.

Her call up was such a shock she almost forget to inform the bench she needed to be subbed in.

“I was pretty nervous when Cheryl (Chambers, coach) called my name to be subbed in,” said Maclean, who started Year 12 last term and whose father Martin played for the Newcastle Falcons in the NBL in the 1990s.

“It would have been nice if we had got the win.

“But to make my debut alongside Opals and WNBA players is pretty special.”

The Flames fell foul of red-hot Opal Marianne Tolo who scored 38 as the Flames lost their second home game of the season 88-80.

McLean, who plans on studying medicine when she completes high school, travelled with the Flames to Bendigo for a game on Friday and again was given court time as the Flames posted their first win of the year.