Perth Lynx

Perth Lynx
Leagues	WNBL
Founded	1988; 36 years ago (1988)
History	Perth Breakers 1988–2001 Perth Lynx 2001–2010; 2015–present West Coast Waves 2010–2015
Arena	Bendat Basketball Centre
Capacity	2,000
Location	Perth, Western Australia
Team colors	Red and black
Main sponsor	Northern Star Resources
CEO	Christian Hauff (managing director)
General manager	Samantha Macpherson
Head coach	Ryan Petrik
Team captain	Anneli Maley Amy Atwell
Ownership	Perth Lynx Pty Ltd
Championships	1 (1992)
Website	wnbl.basketball/perth/

The Perth Lynx are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Lynx compete in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) and play their home games at Bendat Basketball Centre. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Northern Star Resources Perth Lynx.

The Lynx were established in 1988 as the Perth Breakers. After being owned and operated by Basketball Western Australia from 2001 to 2015, the Perth Wildcats took over ownership and operation of the team for a period of five years. In 2020, the licence was transferred back to Basketball Western Australia. In 2024, the licence was transferred to a new holder, Perth Lynx Pty Ltd, which is owned by Perth business couple Christian Hauff and Jodi Millhahn. The Lynx have reached six WNBL Grand Finals, winning their only championship in 1992.

In 1986, a Perth women's basketball team known as the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) Rockets entered the Women's Basketball Conference (WBC), a second-tier national league under the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL).^[1][2] The state was told the only way they would be admitted to the WNBL was if the WAIS Rockets won the 1987 WBC title. The Rockets played all of their games away from home including finals, beating the Forestville Eagles in overtime to advance to the grand final, where they won the title 56–47 against the Knox Raiders.^[3] The team featured Tanya Fisher and Cheryl Kickett-Tucker.^[3]

The franchise debuted in the WNBL in 1988 as the Perth Breakers. After withdrawing midway through their second season in 1989,^[4][5] the Breakers returned to action in 1990.^[6] The team appeared in the WNBL finals every year between 1991 and 2000 except 1997, making grand final appearances in 1992, 1993 and 1999.^[6]

In the 1992 season, the Breakers won the WNBL championship behind captain Michele Timms and coach Tom Maher, along with Robyn Maher,^[7] Tanya Fisher, Natasha Bargeus, Lisa MacLean, Marynne Briggs and Marianna Vlahov.^[8]

In 2001, just three months before round one of the new WNBL season, the owners handed back the licence and the players were told the club would fold. Basketball Western Australia subsequently took over the licence^[9] and changed the team name to Perth Lynx, which remained as such until 2010.^[10]

Basketball WA lacked money to pay players and coaches. The players had to pay for their own gym memberships and maintained full-time jobs. They also travelled on game day or took midnight flights to save money. Despite the challenges, Perth won four games in 2001–02 and six in 2002–03.^[9]

After finishing last on the ladder in the 2009–10 WNBL season with a 2–20 record, the team was rebranded as the West Coast Waves for the 2010–11 WNBL season. The change symbolised the reinvigoration of the Basketball WA program under experienced head coach David Herbert and home-grown legend Tully Bevilaqua, and gave a nod to the team's history with the reintroduction of the black, green and gold colours. The Waves also debuted at the newly opened WA Basketball Centre.^[11][12][13]

In 14 seasons under Basketball WA, the team failed to make a finals appearance.^[6]

In April 2015, the team's licence was purchased by the Perth Wildcats and their chairman and owner Jack Bendat. The Wildcats subsequently brought back the Perth Lynx brand name and red colour.^[10][14][15]

In the 2015–16 season, the Lynx qualified for the finals for the first time since 2000.^[16] They went on to reach the grand final, their first since 1999,^[17] where they lost 2–0 to the Townsville Fire.^[18][19]

In the 2017–18 season, the Lynx won 14 consecutive games throughout the season and finished on top of the ladder, before losing four matches in a row after enduring seven flights in eight days. They lost to Canberra and Townsville in the final weekend of the regular season and were then swept 2–0 by fourth-placed Melbourne in the semi-finals.^[20][21]

In March 2018, the licence agreement with the Wildcats was extended.^[22]

In March 2020, the Perth Lynx's WNBL licence was transferred back to Basketball WA.^[23][24]

In the 2021–22 season, the Lynx finished in second place with an 11–5 record and reached the grand final,^{[25][26][27][28]} where they lost the series 2–1 to the Melbourne Boomers despite winning game one in Melbourne.^[29]

In the 2023–24 season, the Lynx finished in fourth place with an 11–10 record and defeated the first-placed Townsville Fire in the semi-finals to reach their second grand final series in three years.^[30][31][32] The Lynx won 101–79 in game one of the grand final series against the Southside Flyers. They became only the second team to ever score 100 points in a WNBL grand final and finished the game with 22 three-pointers.^[33][34][35] They went on to finish runners-up after losing game two 97–95^[36][37] and game three 115–81.^[38][39][40]

In May 2024, Perth business couple Christian Hauff and Jodi Millhahn were revealed as the front runners to take over ownership of the Perth Lynx from Basketball WA.^[41][42][43] On 13 June 2024, the Lynx's WNBL licence was transferred to Perth Lynx Pty Ltd, owned by Hauff and Millhahn, with management and operational support from Sports Entertainment Group's sporting teams business, SEN Teams.^{[44][45][46][47]}

In the 2024–25 WNBL season, the Lynx will host three games at HBF Stadium, a 4,000-capacity venue.^[48][49][50] During the 2024 pre-season, the Lynx played two games as part of HoopsFest at RAC Arena.^[51][52]

Source: Year By Year

Perth Lynx roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. G 1 Sowah, Miela 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) G 2 Gorman, Stephanie 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) F/C 3 Morrell, Teige 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) G 5 Wilson, Alex 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) G 8 Ciabattoni, Alex 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) C 9 Waite, Kiara 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) F 12 Clinch Hoycard, Mackenzie 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) F 15 Amihere, Laeticia (I) 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) G 21 Scafidi, Jaya (DP) 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) F 24 Maley, Anneli (C) 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) G 25 Atwell, Amy (C) 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) G 42 Fotu, Alira (DP) 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)	Head coach Ryan Petrik Assistant coach(es) Mike Malat Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Development player (I) Import player Injured Roster Updated: 2 November 2024

• Ariel Atkins
• Natasha Bargeus
• Tully Bevilaqua
• Rohanee Cox
• Antonia Farnworth
• Betnijah Laney
• Tessa Lavey
• Angela Marino
• Melissa Marsh
• Fiona Robinson
• Asia Taylor
• Michele Timms
• Sami Whitcomb
• Courtney Williams
• Carly Wilson

Source: Perth Lynx Achievements

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Perth Lynx.

• Perth Lynx official website
• "Former greats offer thoughts on 2023/24 Lynx team" at wnbl.basketball
• "Perth Lynx are closing in on new ownership as WNBL guarantees their place in the league for next season" at thewest.com.au
• "New Perth Lynx owners Christian Hauff and Jodi Millhahn having immediate financial impact on WNBL team" at thewest.com.au