Isobel Borlase
No. 14 – Adelaide Lightning
PositionGuard
LeagueWNBL
Personal information
Born (2004-09-12) 12 September 2004 (age 19)
Listed height180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Career information
High schoolLoreto College
(Adelaide, South Australia)
Playing career2021–present
Career history
2021–2022BA Centre of Excellence
2022–presentAdelaide Lightning
2023Forestville Eagles
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Representing  Australia
Under-19 World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2021 Hungary National team
Under-18 Asian Championship
Gold medal – first place 2022 India National team

Isobel Borlase (born 12 September 2004) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Adelaide Lightning of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She debuted for the Lightning in 2022, and in 2023 won the WNBL Sixth Woman of the Year and WNBL Breakout Player of the Year. She helped the Australian Gems win silver at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup and gold at the 2022 FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship.

Early life

Borlase grew up in Adelaide, South Australia,[1] where she attended Loreto College[2] and played junior basketball for the Forestville Eagles.[3][4] She also played netball and did surf lifesaving.[5] She led South Australia Metro to victory at the 2021 Australian Under-18 Championships.[6]

Professional career

Borlase joined the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in 2021,[7] where she played in four games in the Waratah League.[8]

In January 2022, Borlase joined the Adelaide Lightning of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) for the rest of the 2021–22 season.[9] She appeared in one game.[10]

With the Centre of Excellence in 2022 in the NBL1, Borlase averaged 13.57 points, 5.29 rebounds, 2.64 assists and 2.0 steals in 14 games.[11]

In September 2022, Borlase re-signed the Adelaide Lightning for the 2022–23 WNBL season.[1] In the season opener, she had 25 points and nine rebounds in a loss to the Southside Flyers.[12] She finished the season averaging 13.5 points per game.[13] She was subsequently named WNBL Sixth Woman of the Year and WNBL Breakout Player of the Year.[14][15]

Borlase joined the Forestville Eagles of the NBL1 Central for the 2023 season,[16] but appeared in only two games.[17] A back injury limited her during the 2023 off-season.[18]

In May 2023, Borlase re-signed the Adelaide Lightning for the 2023–24 WNBL season.[14] She entered WNBA draft pick discussions in her second full season, and with team captain Stephanie Talbot sidelined, she began shouldering more responsibility.[19] On 7 January 2024, she scored a career-high 31 points in an 84–68 loss to the Perth Lynx.[20]

National team career

Borlase debuted for Australia at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Hungary with the Gems.[21] She helped the Gems win the silver medal.[22]

In 2022, Borlase helped the Gems win the gold medal at the FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship in India.[22] She was named to the All-Star Five after averaging 14.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.8 steals per game.[23]

Borlase played for the Gems at the 2023 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Spain.[21]

Personal life

Borlase is the daughter of Darryl Borlase and Jenny Borlase. Her father played Australian rules football for the Port Adelaide Football Club while her mother played for the Australian netball team.[19][24] Her older sister, Ella, has represented Australia in surfboat rowing[19] while her older brother, James, is also a footballer who made his AFL debut in 2023 with the Adelaide Crows.[25]

References

  1. ^ a b "ADELAIDE LIGHTNING SIGN SPORTING ROYALTY ISOBEL BORLASE". Adelaide Lightning. 27 September 2022. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  2. ^ "SACSSGSA Athletics Carnival A Grade 2018 20/03/18" (PDF). SACSSGSA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Club Newsletter April 2023" (PDF). Forestville Eagles. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 January 2024.
  4. ^ Abbracciavento, Daniela (6 January 2021). "Messenger Community News names top 20 young SA athletes to watch in 2021". Messenger Newspapers. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Player Feature – Isobel Borlase". YouTube. Basketball Australia. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  6. ^ "NSW ATHLETES SELECTED IN GEMS SQUAD FOR 2021 FIBA UNDER-19 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WORLD CUP SELECTION CAMP". Basketball New South Wales. 1 June 2021. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  7. ^ "CoE Women to receive scholarships". Basketball Australia. 6 August 2020. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Player statistics for Isobel Borlase". Waratah League. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  9. ^ "IZZY JOINS LIGHTNING FOR 2022". Adelaide Lightning. 21 January 2022. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Isobel Borlase". Australiabasket.com. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Isobel Borlase 2022 Stats". NBL1.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  12. ^ Badkin, Liam (9 November 2022). "Borlase bursts out of the gates with dominant debut". central.rookieme.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  13. ^ Badkin, Liam (15 May 2023). "Lightning re-sign exciting youngster". central.rookieme.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  14. ^ a b "LIGHTNING RE-SIGN LOCAL YOUNG GUN FOR TWO YEARS". Adelaide Lightning. 9 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  15. ^ "CAYLA GEORGE NAMED MVP AT WNBL AWARDS NIGHT". WNBL. 5 March 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Borlase signs with Forestville Eagles". NBL1.com.au. 27 February 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Isobel Borlase 2023 Stats". NBL1.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  18. ^ Prentice, Tristan (21 April 2023). "Izzy Borlase: A Lightning start for a future Opal". PickAndRoll.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024. When Opals camp arrived, Borlase had to spectate as a result of a back injury sustained through the latter part of the WNBL season.
  19. ^ a b c Hustwaite, Megan (5 December 2023). "A stellar basketball career awaits Lightning star Isobel Borlase". ESPN.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  20. ^ "LYNX BACK SECOND AS POTTER FIRES AGAINST LIGHTNING". Perth Lynx. 7 January 2024. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  21. ^ a b "Isobel Borlase". FIBA. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Isobel Borlase: The Rising Star Sets Sights on Representing Opals". Basketball Australia. 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Isla Juffermans named MVP, joins All-Star Five of Borlase, Li, Yokoyama, and Hsiao". FIBA. 11 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024.
  24. ^ "10 things you may not know about James Borlase". Adelaide Football Club. 16 December 2020. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Borlase to debut". Adelaide Football Club. 1 August 2023. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024.

External links

Adelaide Lightning current roster
Categories