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After starring in her side’s undefeated opening month of the season, Southern Design Sydney Uni Flames import Amy Denson has been awarded the WNBL Player of the Month for October.

The 184cm forward was outstanding for the Flames and averaged a league-high 22 points per game at 54% accuracy, along with 8.8 rebounds across five games in October.

The Flames picked up victories against the AIS, Adelaide, West Coast, Logan and Bendigo across the month, with Denson saving her biggest performances for the toughest competition.

“Obviously we are doing pretty good,” said Denson. “I think it helps just having so many weapons on the team, because it kind of takes the pressure off myself and the other girls, letting us go out and play to our strengths.”

Coming up against star centre Suzy Batkovic of the Adelaide Lightning, Denson made 11 field goals on her way to 25 points, the effort helping her claim her first WNBL Player of the Week award for the year.

Her second WNBL Player of the Week Award came following a fiery clash against the Bendigo Spirit in which Denson poured in 32 points, as well as pulling down 13 rebounds.

But her biggest highlight came with her game-winning basket with just four seconds remaining to give her side the 81-79 victory.

“I’ve never hit a shot like that before in my career,” she said. “So that was exciting, and to be able to win that game, because it was such a tough game, was great. But I think just our whole start has been a highlight this year.”

Denson said the inclusion of Olympian’s Alicia Poto and Belinda Snell to the Flames roster this season had also brought huge benefits to the team.

“They bring experience,” she said. “Having Alicia Poto as the point guard, that position is the leader on the floor, the coach on the floor, so having a little bit more direction has helped.

“And then Snelly, I mean she’s just an unbelievable shooter and has just played everywhere. So I think that her experience and shear competitiveness has really helped push the rest of us along.”

Coincidentally Denson, in her second WNBL season, was also awarded WNBL Player of the Month of October last season, something she wasn’t sure what to attribute to, but thought perhaps it may be due to her off-season preparation in the SEABL competition.

“I’m not sure, maybe October is just my lucky month? I have no idea,” she said.

“SEABL definitely helps me stay game-fit and is very, very competitive. I have a lot of respect for the conference and a lot of people play there in the off-season as well, so it helps a lot.”

The Flames continued their unbeaten run into November on the weekend, against the only other undefeated side to that point the Townsville Fire, something Denson said was a great test for her club.

“We had an amazing second half. But we just need to have an amazing whole game, and just reduce that gap in consistency, but it was an excellent win for us.

“They are a great team and they had a great crowd, I think it was a sell-out.

“It was a really good test for us, and hopefully we can learn from the first half about what we need to do for the upcoming weeks.”

The WNBL Player of the Month award is voted on by the league’s ten head coaches.

 

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