Every week, ESPN's Megan Hustwaite brings together news stories that have caught her eye across the WNBL.
COFFEY: FIRE HAVE 'WHAT IT TAKES'
Like her team, Nia Coffey is in form and has her eyes on the WNBL prize.
The experienced WNBA campaigner has now played five games since joining Townsville in January and is averaging 11.6 points, and 6.5 boards for a Fire team on a six-game winning streak.
Having played her way into the starting line-up, the 29-year-old forward drained four triples in her 15 points against Southside last round.
"This team has so much potential and I think there's still even a level where we can go - the way we play with each other, building on that chemistry and hunger for the championship," she told WNBL Weekly.
"I believe we have everything that it takes. There are little details we can improve on but once we get those down, I believe we have a running to win this whole thing.
"So, I'm really excited to see how we do and finish off the season."
Coffey returns to Adelaide this Wednesday night for the first time since 2018-19 where she was club MVP in a season where the Lighting were runner-up to Canberra.
The last time she played in SA, the Lightning, thanks to a Nicole Seekamp basket in the dying seconds, edged out the Caps in an epic Game 2 to send the Grand Final series to a decider.
Coffey was set to play for the Melbourne Boomers in 2022-23 but was cut down by injury.
This year, the timing was perfect. She took a break after her WNBA campaign with Atlanta and was keen for a short-term contract.
Enter the Fire who were in need of a replacement for guard Zia Cooke after the club and player parted ways.
"I actually spoke with coach Shannon a couple of years back, so I was familiar with him, I knew Lauren (Cox) on the team, our physio Brent Goriss' brother Paul (UC Caps head coach) was our assistant coach at Atlanta and I was like 'this is kind of too perfect'.
"Townsville has a really good reputation, I kept up with the team, started watching them play in December and they looked like a good group of girls to play with and I'm happy it turned out."
AUSSIES IN WILD WNBA MOVES
It's been a WNBA trade and free agency period like never before and now two WNBL stars are on the move for the upcoming season.
Sami Whitcomb, the overwhelming favourite for WNBL MVP, will play for Phoenix Mercury, departing Seattle Storm where she was a two-time champion.
The 36-year-old played four seasons in Seattle before joining New York for two years then returned to the Storm in 2023.
Perth captain Anneli Maley returns to the WNBA with Los Angeles Sparks who have signed the 2024 Paris Olympian on a training camp contract.
Maley, the WNBL's MVP in 2021-22, played four games for Chicago Sky in 2022.
BLOCK PARTY
Adelaide 36ers Arena is hosting a block party on Wednesday night and Brianna Turner and Lauren Cox are the attendees.
The imports have been human highlight reels in #WNBL25 with Turner averaging 3.3 rejections per game and her Fire equivalent 3.2.
Bendigo veteran Marianna Tolo is second for All-Time blocks with 494, behind the legendary Jenny Whittle who racked up 672, and weighed in on this key match-up.
"With anyone who likes to block you can always see they hunt it down and especially with Turner, whether she's playing on a guard or big she always putting off people's shots whether it's a block or not, she's always there," Tolo explains.
"Cox's technique is that volleyball kind-of spike. She is great at making contact and forcing you to take a shot you don't want and then blocking you.
"Blocking is all about timing, people's tendencies and when you jump. I still love making a big block and it's one of those things that your teammates get amped up for so it's more about that which I love."
ALLY A WORK OF ART
Ally Wilson has been immortalised on a mural in her hometown of Murray Bridge, South Australia.
The Perth Lynx star and Paris Olympian was born and raised on Ngarrindjeri Country and has been painted, by TR Visual Arts, alongside AFL players Kysaiah Pickett and Izak Rankine on the side of the local gym as part of Ngarrindjeri Ruwe Empowered Communities.
"They wanted a mural for inspiration for local Aboriginal people coming into the gym and the finished product is incredible," Wilson says.
"It was such a privilege to be asked and my biggest passion is to inspire Aboriginal boys and girls and show them that they can be anything and especially where I'm from, a country town in South Australia.
"I grew up there, my family are there, born and bred and I've gone all the way to an Olympics so I want them to see that and believe anything is possible."
Three Pointers with UC Capitals rising star Katie Deeble
1: The best part of the season so far has been coming back after Christmas and having that three- game winning streak. I thought we really came together as a team after a tough start, so that streak was a lot of fun.
2. Growing up, I looked up to Michele Timms and Kristen Veal, I've always admired them both and was lucky enough to be coached by Vealy at the AIS. Also, recently being able to have such an amazing point guard in Nat Hurst, throughout the back end of this season, helping me out and sharing her knowledge has been amazing and I couldn't have asked for a better mentor.
3: My dad Jon is a baseball legend, he was a player and then become a coach. He played in an Olympics and head coached two and has been a scout for the MLB teams Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox and now with the LA Dodgers. I've always looked up to my father and it's been amazing to see how much of an impact he has had on the sport and the people around him.