Klara Wischer

Klara Wischer (born 9 April 1991) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Joondalup Wolves of the State Basketball League (SBL). She spent four years playing college basketball in the United States before returning to Australia and having a two-year stint with the Hobart Chargers of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL). Her form in the SEABL earned her a contract with the WNBL's Perth Lynx for the 2015–16 season.

College career

Born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria, Wischer attended Methodist Ladies' College and played as a junior for the Nunawading Spectres.^[1] In 2009, she moved to the United States to play basketball for Cloud County Community College. As a freshman at Could County in 2009–10, she averaged 4.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. As a sophomore in 2010–11, she averaged 12.1 points per game to go with her team-leading 8.6 rebounding average as she helped lead the Thunderbirds to a 27–9 overall record. Competing in all 36 contests, she also led the team in blocks (64) and steals (128) while dishing off a respectable 130 assists. She helped the Thunderbirds win the 2011 Region VI Championship, subsequently earning first-team NJCAA All-Region VI honours, as well as being named to the NJCAA D1 All-America third team. She also earned Region VI All-Tournament Team honours, and was named to the league's All-Academic Team.^[2]

Following her sophomore season at Could County, Wischer transferred to the University of San Diego, where as a junior in 2011–12, she played in all 35 games for the Toreros and made two starts at the forward position.^[2] She helped the team record a program-best 24–9 overall record with her 3.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.^[3]

As a senior at San Diego in 2012–13, Wischer averaged 7.7 points, a team-high 6.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals in 32 games (all starts).^[4]

Professional career

Hobart Chargers (2014–2015)

On 28 November 2013, Wischer signed with the Hobart Chargers for the 2014 SEABL season.^[5][6] She helped the Chargers reach the Grand Final in her first season, but despite her 10-point effort in the title game, the Chargers were defeated 75–59 by the Brisbane Spartans.^[7] In 26 games for the Chargers in 2014, Wischer averaged 9.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.^[8]

On 18 December 2014, Wischer re-signed with the Chargers for the 2015 SEABL season.^[9] On 13 June 2015, she recorded a career-high 32 points and 12 rebounds in a win over the Canberra Capitals.^[10][11] In 23 games for the Chargers in 2015, Wischer averaged 15.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.^[8]

Perth Lynx (2015–2016)

On 3 June 2015, Wischer signed with the Perth Lynx for the 2015–16 WNBL season, joining Chargers teammate Izzy Chilcott at the re-vamped club.^[12] On 17 October, in just the second game of the season, she had a season-best outing with 5 points and 7 rebounds in a 78–68 win over the Melbourne Boomers.^[13] She appeared in all nine games to begin the season before missing a two-game Queensland road trip in late November due to sickness.^[14] She missed a third straight game on 4 December after earning no court time in a two-point loss to the Dandenong Rangers.^[15] She went on to receive court time in the team's next two games, both wins, helping the Lynx finish Round 10 with a 10–4 win/loss record, good for first place on the ladder.^[16] She played in three of the team's next four games, where on 9 January 2016, she recorded a season-high 10 points and 4 rebounds in a 89–63 road win over the Canberra Capitals.^[17] She then played in five of the team's final six games of the regular season, helping the Lynx finish second on the ladder with a 16–8 win/loss record. The Lynx went on to defeat the first-seeded Townsville Fire in the semi-finals, thus advancing to the WNBL grand final for the first time since 1999.^[18] In the best-of-three Grand Final series, the Lynx were outclassed by the Fire despite having home court advantage, losing the series 2–0. Wischer saw court time in the Lynx's semi-final game, and in Game 1 of the grand final series. She appeared in 21 of the team's 27 games in 2015–16, averaging 2.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.

Joondalup Wolves (2016–present)

Following the conclusion of the 2015–16 WNBL season, Wischer joined the Joondalup Wolves for the 2016 State Basketball League season.^[19] In her debut for the Wolves on 24 March, she recorded team highs of 29 points and 14 rebounds in a losing effort to the Rockingham Flames, a team led by Wischer's Lynx teammate Sami Whitcomb.^[20] In her third game for the club on 16 April, Wischer recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds in a 68–67 win over the Perry Lakes Hawks.^[21] She subsequently earned SBL Team of the Week honours for Round 5.^[22] She earned Team of the Week honours for a second time following Round 7 after recording 28 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks against the South West Slammers on 30 April.^[23] This performance also earned her Player of the Week honours.^[24] She earned Team of the Week honours for a third time following Round 9 after leading the Wolves to two wins.^[25] On 19 May, she was named a starter on the SBL North All-Stars team.^[26] She earned Team of the Week honours for a fourth time following Round 11 after recording 23 points and 12 rebounds against the Lakeside Lightning on 27 May. On 6 June, she recorded 17 points and 8 rebounds for the North All-Stars in a 93–70 win over the South. She subsequently earned All-Star Game MVP honours.^[27] On 6 July, she was named Player of the Week for Round 16 after averaging 18.5 points over two games, resulting in two wins.^[28] Wischer helped lead the Wolves to the minor premiership with a 19–3 record.^[29] The Wolves went on to reach the Grand Final, where they were defeated 60–58 by the Willetton Tigers despite a 20-point, 13-rebound effort from Wischer.^[30] She appeared in 27 of the team's 28 games in 2016, totalling 490 points at 18.1 per game. She subsequently earned SBL All-Star Five honours.^[31]

On 24 October 2016, Wischer re-signed with the Wolves for the 2017 season.^[32]

References

External links

• Hobart Chargers player profile
• Wischer settling into Perth Lynx life
• WNBL stats