Has your favourite team been dumped out of the SLB Playoffs? It may be time to avert your gaze to support the thriving women’s game.

It has been a fantastic inaugural year in Super League Basketball Women with the Oaklands Wolves emphatically clinching the regular season title – winning 18 of their 20 games.

However, with the top-four seeds cruising through to the Semi-Finals, who are the pivotal players who can propel their colleagues to lift a championship that they all crave?

Sam Ashby – Oaklands Wolves

At the age of 24, Sam Ashby has shown that she is a force to be reckoned with in the world of British basketball. Ashby was named in the ‘British Team of the Year’ during her rookie campaign with the Leicester Riders in 2024.

The so-called ‘sophomore slump’ has not been an issue for the dynamic guard as the star continued to dazzle spectators – averaging 15 points, 3.1 assists and 2 steals per game.

Not only has Ashby terrorized her opponents during the regular season, but she has continued her menacing form in the cup competitions. In just her second year in the league, the floor general led an impressive Oaklands side to their first SLB Cup trophy with a MVP level performance – tallying 12 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals.

With such a stunning set of performances now in the rear-view mirror, Sam Ashby must now shoulder the responsibility of turning her franchise’s already historic year into something even more remarkable.

Mathilde Domenger – Caledonia Gladiators

Delaynie Bryne may have led the Gladiators in scoring (11.9 ppg) and rebounding (7.8 rpg), nevertheless, Mathilde Domenger has been the underappreciated catalyst that has led her team to a Semi-Final matchup with the Wolves.

Domenger may have only scored 9.8 points per game this year, but the 24-year-old has showcased her ability to find open teammates as she averages 4.4 assists per game.

It is not just her creative skillset that makes her a vital cog in the Gladiators’ system, the French guard is tenacious in transition defense as she boasts 1.8 steals per game.

If the Caledonia Gladiators stand any chance of taking down the juggernauts that are the Oaklands Wolves, Domenger must shadow Ashby’s movements across the court and not allow her rival any room to breathe.

Georgia Gayle – Sheffield Hatters

Sheffield had a fantastic year in their own right, despite losing out the Wolves for the championship. The Hatters won a magnificent 17 games out of their 20 matchups and there was one superstar that made the side such a formidable force, Georgia Gayle.

Gayle has exhibited all the traits of a guard that franchises should build a roster around if they are looking to compete at the higher echelons of the league. The 27-year-old averaged 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.

The British talent is a star that will shine brightest in the toughest of fixtures, with her season-high in points (27) being registered against Oaklands in a game her side went on to lose 72-79.

When the offense is ran through Georgia Gayle, the Hatters look unstoppable. Her matchup against this next elite player could determine the fate of their exciting Semi-Final tie.

Jada Guinn – Newcastle Eagles

Newcastle’s leading light: Jada Guinn. The Geordie fan favourite has ignited the sleeping giant and catapulted her side to cement their highest-ever regular season finish in franchise history – finishing in third position.

Guinn has exploded onto the scene in the 2024/25 campaign – racking up a ridiculous 20.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game.

Standing at 5-foot-8, the Eagles’ guard has produced some of the most stunning displays that British basketball has ever seen from a rookie. The American star registered a spectacular season-high 34 points against the Nottingham Wildcats.

The Newcastle Eagles have been blessed with an abundance of talent this season, but there is absolutely no doubt that Jada Guinn has gracefully placed herself at the top of that list.