Hot shooting Lupfer embracing new Spectres home

Featured image: Ian Knight Photography

Leaving Albury Wodonga Bandits was tough for Riley Lupfer and she's missing that dynamic duo with Caitie Jones, but she already feels part of Nunawading Spectres family and is in love with the team chemistry four games into the NBL1 South season.

Having grown up in Spokane, Washington, and then attending Boise State, it's playing in the NBL1 where Lupfer has found her home in a basketball sense since and that's why she doesn't want to be playing anywhere else.

It started with the Launceston Tornadoes back in 2023 before joining the Bandits in 2025. Now she has returned to the NBL1 South in 2026 and been instrumental in the Spectres starting the season 4-0 ahead of another double-header this weekend.

Wherever she's played Lupfer has been a gun three-point shooter and while the percentages back that up with her regularly around the 40 per cent mark in her college and now professional career, it's what she can do when she gets hot that makes her lethal.

She can go on streaks like few other players which included a record setting 55-point game for Albury Wodonga with 16 three-pointers last year. She's already knocked down 19 triples in four games in 2026 for Nunawading to average 20.3 points with 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

After four games with the Spectres yet to lose ahead of playing the Knox Raiders on Saturday and Keilor Thunder this Sunday, Lupfer already couldn’t feel more at home and sees no reason they can't keep their early season momentum rolling.

"Starting 4-0 is exactly how you want to start any season. If I had to sum it up so far I’d say it’s just been fun. I love this club already and we have clicked as a group over these first four games," Lupfer said.

"I think we can have one of the best seasons they’ve had. An important part of the game is togetherness.

"If you care for one another and want to see your teammate succeed it’ll correlate to success. We have a very unselfish group and we also have a lot of chemistry. That’s why team sports are so fun.

"It’s not always the most talented team that wins, it’s the team that plays together and plays for each other that wins games. And I think that’s us this year. We have talent yes. But most importantly we play as team."

Coming to Nunawading

Lupfer has nothing but good things to say about her experience playing and living in Albury Wodonga last year, and she had some spectacular performances on court to help lead the Bandits to their playoff run.

She just had a feeling that a change might be the best thing for her and then things all fell into place when she spoke with Spectres coach Paul Flynn.

There's always some natural nerves there any time you join a new team especially with the natural pressure that comes as an import, but already Lupfer couldn’t be happier with the new home she's found.

"I was very hesitant to leave Albury. I loved it there. I loved my coaches my teammates and the community," Lupfer said.

"But I had a gut feeling that I wanted a change and I wanted to be back in the south and in a city. So I kept my options open and after I talked with Flynnie I knew Nunawading is where I wanted to go.

"And after I landed in early March it didn’t take long to figure out I made the right decision. I clicked with the team right away and it instantly felt like I've known them for a while.

"We are a very close group off the floor and it shows on court. Being an import going to a new team is always a gamble. Being a part of a team that has camaraderie and cares for one another is important to me, I want the family feel and that’s exactly what Nunawading is.

"I may not be from here but I feel pride being a Spectre. I want us to have a successful season and make playoffs because it’s what everyone who works for our club deserves and it’s what the core group that’s been here deserves."

Dynamic duo with Caitie Jones

A big reason for the success the Bandits had last year was not only what Lupfer was able to produce, but it was the back court duo she was part of with Caitie Jones.

Both of them clicked playing alongside one another and also had nights where they delivered match-winning performances with the other willing to defer to their hot teammate.

It was one of those rare times where Lupfer had a teammate alongside her she just clicked with immediately. That's a season they'll both always cherish even with her now at Nunawading and Jones currently still playing in Germany.

"I loved it," Lupfer said.

"We had such a fun year and it was hard to see it come to an end. I have so much love for Albury and it’ll go down as one of my favourite seasons.

"Me and Caitie are already having withdrawals of not playing together. But I know she’ll have a great season at Canberra."

Feeling of getting hot

Like that stunning game last year where Lupfer set the new women's NBL1 scoring record nationally with her 55 points and 16 three-pointers which stood until last Friday night thanks to Anneli Maley's exploits with the Perth Redbacks, she can get hot like few players can.

She showed that with 13 three-pointers acrost the first two games this season with the Spectres and she's done that wherever she's played her whole life.

While the reality is with every shooter you can also go equally cold, that moment when you get hot and feel like you can't miss is what Lupfer plays basketball for in a lot of ways.

"I think moments like that is sports in its purist form. There’s no thinking just instinct," she said.

"They call it the zone and as a player it’s the peak you try to get to. The rim feels huge and there’s just no overthinking or second guessing."

Loving Australia, just focused on the now

Lupfer wouldn’t keep coming back to play in the NBL1 if she didn’t love living in Australia as well as the basketball and while from the outside it might appear strange in a way she's never had a WNBL opportunity, that's not how she looks at it.

Considering most WNBL imports have plenty of WNBA and European experience, or indeed are current WNBA players who come to play in Australia in that off-season, she's not surprised a chance hasn’t presented.

She also isn’t worried about that, she just feels thankful to be getting the chance to play the game she loves in a country she's made a second home, and is solely focused on this NBL1 South season with Nunawading.

"What’s not to love? The style of basketball fits me well, the people are great and it’s a great country," Lupfer said.

"It’s a breath of fresh air to come back here every year and get away from the dark cloud that has been America recently. I always say Australia is just a better version of America.

"But if you look at the calibre of imports they get in the WNBL and they are all WNBA players. The league is so good and with only two import sports for each team it’s hard to get into as an American.

"My only goals going forward is keep enjoying the game, I’m on the backside of my career and I just want to keep playing the game I love alongside great people.

"I still get in the gym every day and work on improving my game. But my focus is where my feet are and right now that’s with Nunawading and being the best version of myself for them."