The Nottingham Wildcats claim an emphatic 85-68 victory over the Leicester Riders to prove that a postseason push is still viable.

It cannot be denied that the Super League Basketball Women (SLBW) championship standings can make for rough reading if your franchise does not have a sufficient budget to attract top-level talent.

After seven successive regular-season defeats, the Nottingham Wildcats were learning this fate all too well.

However, each performance displayed glimpses of hope that this team possess the calibre of players to swing the momentum of their campaign into something more positive.

Now, after back-to-back victories, Nottingham can prove to supporters of the league that they are more than a roster that is here to make up the numbers.

Wildcats stars are making a big statement

To say that the Wildcats are ready to challenge for a championship after just two wins would be wildly premature. Although what it has shown is that they have a core of players that possess an array of impressive attributes.

Nottingham’s dominant center Johanna Langbehn is proving to be a difficult proposition for most defences to handle,

Langbehn is a physical player with efficient scoring ability and ridiculous rebounding presence. Through nine regular-season games, she is averaging 17.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks, while shooting around 55% from the floor.

This is far from a one-woman team, as Kalaya Buggs is proving to be a two-way menace that is integral to everything that Nottingham is building.

Defensively, Buggs’ fast hands have been pivotal during the Wildcats’ recent resurgence. Additionally, the 21-year-old guard is showing maturity beyond her years when she has the ball in her hands with a sophisticated level of decision-making.

The electric guard has recorded 15.6 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. When driving into traffic, Buggs thrives, kicking the ball out to open teammates if her shot is becoming too difficult.

Nottingham’s roster is littered with players who can supplement their key players’ scoring. Emma Nolan (14 ppg) and Tiarna Chambers-Desmond (8.2 ppg) add a dynamism to the Wildcats’ offence that is making them more dangerous with each passing game.

Given their recent victory over postseason rivals, the Leicester Riders, it would be foolish to dismiss the Nottingham Wildcats out of a playoff push in the second half of the campaign.