Former Bellarine basketballer Agnes Emma-Nnopu signs with WNBL franchise Sydney Flame; Geelong United’s men’s and women’s pull off round 9 NBL1 wins

A former Bellarine basketballer is set to kickstart her pro career in the WNBL – but it won’t be with her former NBL1 team-turned WNBL franchise. Plus, Geelong United pull off thriller.

Agnes Emma-Nnopu in action for TCU during this year’s NCAA Championships. Picture: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

Ocean Grove native and former Geelong Supercat Agnes Emma-Nnopu will start her pro career at Sydney Flames after signing with the WNBL franchise ahead a new season.

Emma-Nnopu, who came up through Bellarine Storm’s junior ranks, signed a three-year deal with the Flames – with a mutual option in the third season – after free agency opened on Monday.

It comes off the back of a successful US college career for the 24-year-old, where she won an NCAA Championship at Stanford in 2021 during a three-year stint as a Cardinal and later helped TCU make its maiden Elite Eight appearance at this year’s national championships.

Agnes Emma-Nnopu has returned to Australia with a more dangerous three-point shot. Picture: NBL1

Agnes Emma-Nnopu in action with Geelong Supercats. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Emma-Nnopu, who is currently playing for Knox in the NBL1 South, will link up with former Geelong NBL1 players Shaneice Swain and Isabella Brancatisano in Sydney, while the opportunity to play under Flames coach Guy Molloy was “a full-circle moment” for the 5’11” forward.

“Before I went to college, I trained with Guy during his time at the Melbourne Boomers and always thought he was a great and very detailed coach,” Emma-Nnopu said.

“We stayed in touch while I was in the US, and it just felt right to reconnect with Guy.

“I know he can help me become the player I want to be and achieve the goals I’ve set for myself with his developmental focus.”

The Nigerian-born talent has previously played for Geelong in the NBL1, before attending Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence.

Heading to the US as a known rebounder, Emma-Nnopu said her five years in college helped her become a more prominent scorer.

“I honestly believe I’m a versatile, winning player and can complement the pieces we have on our roster (at Sydney),” she said.

Molloy said Emma-Nnopu had become a “legit two-way player” with her much-improved three-point shooting.

“Agnes is the quintessential glue and hustle player every team needs,” Molloy said.

“She has an incredible work rate and is always one of the hardest trainers, which is evident by the amount her game has improved during her time abroad.”

‘Make big plays’: United come up trumps in thriller

It was a game Geelong United couldn't afford to lose.

But as momentum swayed in favour of Melbourne Tigers in the final minutes of a Saturday night thriller, United’s ability to come up big when it mattered most breeds confidence moving forward in their NBL1 South men’s playoff chase.

Buoyed by a packed-out and deafening Geelong Arena crowd, United, led star import Tristan Forsyth and inspirational captain Demarcus Gatlin, pulled off a number of clutch plays in the final two minutes, including a match-defining defensive stop, to edge out the star-studded Tigers, 89-86, led by the legendary Andrew Gaze.

Geelong United's Tristan Forsyth was crucial in Saturday’s win over Melbourne. Picture: NBL1

Forsyth went toe-to-toe against the Tigers’ 210cm big man in Harry Froling, and pulled in 26 points and 15 boards to mark his fourth double-double for the season.

“I’m not going to lie, we needed that one,” a relieved Forsyth said post-win.

“I think the boys came together, especially in that fourth quarter, there was a lot on the line there, so really proud of the fellas.

“It’s big plays – I’ve got to give credit to Jack McVeigh, his saying of ‘I make big shots’, it’s the same thing, ‘I make big plays’ and it’s the mindset moving forward.

“I could not hear anything (in the Arena) – I absolutely love that, it goes back to making big plays and to do it for these guys and inspire these young kids, it means everything”.

After back-to-back tight losses, United almost threw away another close one, up six points midway through the final quarter before luck seemed to leave the room as a number of calls went against Grace Wallace’s side.

Geelong United captain Demarcus Gatlin led his team to victory on Saturday. Picture: Ian Knight/NBL1 South

Then came three missed foul shots from Liam Herbert – who up until then had been firing with 19 points, including five threeballs.

The Tigers pounced, scoring off a fast break and eliciting plenty of reaction from both crowd and bench – United big Ma’alo Hicks one to show his frustration by banging his fist on his chair – as the Tigers took the lead with minutes left.

But then came big moments from Forsyth, Owen Odigie and Gatlin – Gatlin and Forsyth crucial in gaining the defensive stop needed to then go up by two with 2.03 seconds on the clock.

Forced to defend one final Tigers’ play, United gave up no space and forced a misfire, Forsyth swallowing the rebound and drawing the foul to go to the line to ice the game.

Marach Marach was a spark off the bench with 12 points. Picture: Ian Knight/NBL1 South

Wallace praised his line-up for sticking to “their rules and roles” late in the contest.

“They (Melbourne) are so disciplined with the offence they run … they almost give you the playbook of what they’re running and you’ve got to be able to defend it,” Wallace said.

“Our attention to detail was really important.”

Forsyth, who arrived in Geelong after playing in Norway, said the win would “boost morale” heading into the back-half of the season, while Wallace highlighted its weight in keeping in touch with the top half of the ladder, United now 5-7 and sitting in 12th.

The coach said every game – starting with Ringwood and NW Tasmania in a fortnight – was “finals-like” in its importance, with United still some way off the 13 wins typically targeted to guarantee post-season action .

Happy United outplay Opals-headlined Tigers

It’s an elixir Geelong United will hope to bottle and keep tapping into amid a remarkable 12-0 run.

There was no hiding the smiles on the faces of United’s biggest names – WNBL guard Gemma Potter for one – when a barrage of threes rained down Saturday to extinguish rivals Melbourne Tigers for good, 79-56, in front of a packed home crowd.

Jaz Shelley led Geelong United to its 12th staight win - though had plenty of support from her teammates. Picture: Ian Knight/NBL1 South

Later, in the quieter bowels of Geelong Arena as they unpacked their latest take-down, it was captain Jaz Shelley who hit the nail on the head of United’s latest performance and unprecedented run in the NBL1 South.

“Individual basketball will get you nowhere”, Shelley told her teammates.

It’s a statement which typified United’s performance against the Tigers, who, headlined by Australian Opals duo Sara Blicavs and Isobel Borlase, couldn’t match the depth on offer from their rivals.

The Tigers’ star pairing’s quality was undeniable – Blicavs with 26 points and Borlase with 23 – but from there, the tap ran dry.

United kept the Tigers’ next best scorer to three points, with a combined seven points coming from players other than Blicavs or Borlase.

“They’re (Blicavs and Borlase) going to get their points no matter what you throw at them, that’s inevitable, but to keep their next to three points just shows the people we have on this team are pretty powerful,” Potter said from the icy cold pits of a post-game ice bath.

Gemma Potter (middle) said it was easy to have fun playing for Geelong United. Picture: Ian Knight/NBL1 South

With much of United’s offence on Saturday facilitated through Shelley (25 points, six rebounds, eight assists, three steals in 38 minutes) and point guard Lilly Rotunno (nine points, eight assists in 34 minutes), it created various chances for others to also shine.

Emerging forward Dakota Crichton was strong in the paint with 12 points and five rebounds, US import Anni Stewart put up 12 points off the bench and did the team things – such as screens and steals – well, while Hannah Hank was her usual industrial self with nine points and eight rebounds.

Then there was other contributions, such as Tanielle Knight’s eight boards – including four on the offensive glass – as United edged out the Tigers in several statistical markers including second chance points, bench points and points in the paint.

Though United lost the first quarter – just the second time they’ve done so this season – they were quickly back on top with a 26-10 second term, with their defensive markers met by full time and the game broken wide open up in the final eight minutes from behind the arc.

Lilly Rotunno has come into Geelong United’s starting line-up this season. Picture: NBL1

A Rotunno triple was followed by back-to-back threes from Shelley – including one high-flying attempt aided by the backboard.

Stewart added her second three ball soon after, while the biggest cheer might have been reserved for Taylor Mole – the 25-year-old connecting from long range in just her third game back from a long-term back injury as she works back up her minutes.

Rotunno, who arrived at United this season seeking to play a genuine point guard role, highlighted how fun it was to play with her new teammates and in United’s system.

Meanwhile Potter, who had missed the past two games with an upper leg niggle and whose 28 minutes against the Tigers was favoured the first half, said she trusted any of her teammates to step on court and get the job done.

“This team is so easy to celebrate, even the littlest of things, you still want to celebrate them and you find ways to do that – big smiles and a lot of high-fives is what I tend to do,” Potter said.

Originally published as Former Bellarine basketballer Agnes Emma-Nnopu signs with WNBL franchise Sydney Flame; Geelong United’s men’s and women’s pull off round 9 NBL1 wins