Basketball news 2023: Tess Madgen sidelined for rest of season, Lauren Jackson’s Flyers WNBL outfit book big arena showdown

The Opals’ bronze-medal winning captain has suffered a major blow just a week after making her WNBL season debut.

Opals bronze medal-winning captain Tess Madgen will miss the rest of the WNBL season.

The gun Melbourne Boomers guard suffered a knee injury during preparations for September’s FIBA Women’s World Cup and, following the tournament, had surgery to clean out her right knee.

The 32-year-old made her WNBL season debut in last week’s Melbourne Derby against Southside Flyers, but suffered pain in the troublesome knee.

Tess Madgen wil be sidelined for the rest of the WNBL season. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

After discussions with club medicos and Boomers coach Chris Lucas, the South Australian made the difficult decision to sit out the remainder of the season to focus on rehabilitating the knee in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Tess is a highly popular figure and a leader within our organisation and we look forward to seeing her back. I know she is keen to remain involved with the team as she recovers, contributing all that she can as team member and leader in our organisation,” Boomers boss Tony Hallam said.

Off to a Flyer: WNBL set for history-making spectacle

— Matt Logue, Exclusive

Lauren Jackson’s Southside Flyers will create history on February 4 when the franchise hosts the first WNBL game at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena against the Sydney Flames.

With a capacity of over 9000 at John Cain Arena, further history could be made with a record crowd for a WNBL game.

Flyers owner Gerry Ryan hailed the historic clash as a “major celebration”.

“It is more than a basketball game,” Ryan said.

“It’s a major event, not just for women’s basketball but for women’s sport.”

The historic first WNBL clash at John Cain Area is an opportunity for the Victorian sporting public to come together and celebrate elite basketball featuring Australia’s greatest ever basketballer in Jackson.

The event is another example of the support Ryan continues to provide to women’s sport and in particular women’s basketball. Once he received confirmation the venue was available, he wanted to provide the opportunity for women’s basketball and in particular Jackson to be part of history.

“What Lauren has done for basketball, and indeed women’s sport, continues to be remarkable,” Ryan said at the announcement of Lauren’s return to the WNBL this season.

Kelly Wilson of the Spirit drives to the basket against Lauren Jackson of the Flyers.

Melbourne versus Sydney is also another chapter in the rivalry between Australia’s two biggest cities.

And with Shane Heal, an Australian basketball legend, coaching the Sydney Flames it just adds to the basketball royalty that will be at the historical event.

The Flyers have proven themselves as one of the teams to beat this season, with Jackson helping them to a 9-3 start to the season to be second on the ladder behind the Melbourne Boomers.

Wtih Kayla Thornton, Maddi Rocci, Rebecca Cole and Jackson leading the way, the Flyers have won their past five games including last week’s impressive double over the Boomers (88-70) and the Bendigo Spirit 118-72.

The Flames have won two of their last three games with Keely Froling and Shyla Heal starting to find the type of form that could spark their season.

Tickets for the first WNBL game at John Cain Arena are for $20 for adults and $5 for children.

Tickets go on sale from noon on Wednesday via Ticketek.

Originally published as Basketball news 2023: Tess Madgen sidelined for rest of season, Lauren Jackson’s Flyers WNBL outfit book big arena showdown