26
Oct
Cut to the Jase
Tess Heal's flying start has Southside dreaming despite rebuild
Tess Heal in action for the Southside Flyers in round one of the WNBL 2026-27 season against the Sydney Flames. Photo: Getty Images
Podcasts
Rookie Tess Heal is averaging 19.7 points for Southside, and Jason Cadee says Mackinnon is the key.
- Every WNBL27 roster, squad list and projected depth chart
- Every injured WNBL player, with expected return dates
- WNBL fixture 2026-27: every WNBL27 game, time and how to watch
The Southside Melbourne Flyers are in a rebuild.
A bunch of WNBL veterans have gone out, but the positive is, a bunch of talented Aussies have come in.
Rookie Tess Heal is leading from the front, quickly establishing herself among the league's class of quality point guards in just three games.
The former NCAA star is averaging 19.6 points per game, plus 3.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds, as Southside Melbourne grabbed a quality win over the Tasmania Jewels in round two and nearly pulled off an upset over the Sydney Flames in their season opener.
Not only is she proving what she can do on the big stage, but she's got the perfect coach in Australian basketball legend Sam Mackinnon, who is in her first season as WNBL head coach.
Jason Cadee spoke about the Heal and Mackinnon combination in the Triple Threat Tournaments Rising Stars segment on the latest edition of Cut to the Jase.
"Sammy will let you go if you do the right things. He's going to let you play, and he's going to let you make mistakes because that's part of the game," Cadee said on the basketball.com.au show.
"I think that's one thing. Yes, a little bit of it is Tess; obviously with injuries, he's got to do it, but he's empowered her to go and make plays, and he's going to back you in.
"The difference between what I'm saying is, he doesn't let anyone go.
"He doesn't. Tess doesn't have that kind of game if she hasn't been filled with confidence from Sammy.
"Also, I think she's got some maturity of going through that college span and now coming out the other side, where she's been and seen some things overseas that she can bring back here and then tied into an environment with a guy like Sammy as the head coach.
"I think that just helps Tess.
"I think it's really cool that she was able to get off to a start like that because that group is going to be a young group throughout the year.
"It's not the same probably Southside we've seen for a number of years and I think that that part of their development is seeing some girls like this feel like they belong in the WNBL."
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