Sabres star Madi Ryan backs herself in first WNBL start

Just months after a standout NBL1 South campaign with the Sandringham Sabres, 17-year-old Madi Ryan is making her mark on the national stage.

Ryan earned her first WNBL start against the Tasmania Jewels on Thursday night, playing 26 minutes and finishing with 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal.

Adding to the occasion, Ryan found herself up against a familiar face in Sandringham Sabres teammate Steph Reid, who lined up for the Tasmania Jewels.

The milestone comes less than a month after making her WNBL debut, with the talented youngster already establishing herself as a regular contributor for the Flyers.

Across her opening 5 appearances, Ryan is averaging 10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, including a season-high 16 points against Adelaide.

Despite still being in Year 11, Ryan has embraced the challenge of competing against more experienced players.

Speaking to basketball.com.au earlier this month, Ryan credited the support of her teammates and coaches for helping her make the step up to the WNBL.

"I have that confidence in myself that I can take the older girls on and just lean on the girls in my team for experience," Ryan said.

Flyers head coach Sam Mackinnon also praised the youngster's versatility and basketball IQ.

"Her IQ is very good. She understands basketball. She can play one through five," Mackinnon said.

"You can see the impact she has on the game. It's really positive."

Ryan's impressive transition to the WNBL follows a breakout 2026 NBL1 South season with Sandringham, where she established herself as one of the competition's brightest young talents.

She averaged 17.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game for the Sabres, earning the 2026 NBL1 South Women's Youth Player of the Year award and selection in the All-NBL1 South Second Team.

Her campaign included 2 27-point performances, while she closed out the season with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals in August.

Ryan's outstanding 2026 has also included success on the international stage, representing Australia at 2 major FIBA tournaments.

She helped the Australian Sapphires claim bronze at the FIBA Under-17 Women's Basketball World Cup, averaging 14.1 points, 6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while earning selection in the tournament's All-Star Five.

Ryan then played a starring role in Australia's gold medal campaign at the FIBA Under-18 Women's Asia Cup, averaging 17 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

The Sandringham star delivered the game-winning basket with less than a second remaining in the gold medal clash against Japan, securing a thrilling 83-82 victory and another All-Star Five selection.

From a breakout NBL1 South season with Sandringham to representing Australia and now earning a starting role in the WNBL, Ryan's remarkable 2026 highlights the pathway from NBL1 South to the highest levels of Australian basketball.

And at just 17 years of age, the Sabres young gun is only getting started.