The Ullern coach has both a strong front five and a strong squad, a mix of experienced players and plenty of youngsters – and a team with height and speed.

It is in particular the newcomers Vilde Havnes (1.81) and Maren Mildestvedt (1.80) who guarantee this.

– We have two very good versatile players. Guards who can play at a high level, have lots of speed, can shoot, and are big enough to play defense against big players on other teams.

– They give us a lot of freedom and we can quickly start with four players over 1.80 plus Micol (Torresani) as leader, says Frey and thinks of Tori Solberg Halvorsen (1.83) and Sophia Priestley (1.83) who are two others in a top four next to the Italian Torrisani who measures 1.65.

Fourth place in series and NM

Last season ended with them in fourth place in the league (12-12 in wins and losses) before a loss to Asker Aliens in the bronze match in the NM play-offs, 64-73.

Things are now looking brighter for an Ullern team that also has plenty of good options on the bench and a strong Group U coming up. Fanny Dyngeland-Sundén (17), who is a shooter, driver, rebounder and aggressive defender, is the one who seems closest to the others’ starting spot.

– We potentially have an even stronger and better team at the top, agrees Ståle Frey.

– This actually looks very promising.

EGBL Challenge

– But last year there were 20 of us at the stable and never less than 15 in training. Today there are 13 of us and often only eight or nine in training. We are a little vulnerable, especially when six of our players are going to play at the EGBL, he specifies.

Sophia Priestley, Fanny Dyngeland-Sundén, Camilla Wold Wægger, Aurora Toyomasu, Hannah Kristoffersson and Helena Eckhoff-Eliassen will all play for the Northern Lights mixed team in the EGBL Europa League, with Ulriken trio Aurora Sørbye, Anna Hovig Pack Tindra Hillestad from Wikstrøm and Lina Blanco and Asker Aliens.

When Ullern and Ulriken Eagles meet in a potential match next weekend, Ullern’s six and Ulriken’s three will be absent.

But they will only play the EGBL three weekends in the season, and at the same time the women’s BLNO is a quadruple series (24 games) since there are only six teams.

Desirable, chose Ullern

Vilde Havnes was voted “Talent of the Year” at BLNO in the 2021/22 season, played in the Norwegian U20 national team this summer and was wanted by several clubs when she left Tromsø Storm Ungdom – who withdrew the team from the BLNO at the beginning of the summer. .

– I’m taking a year off in Oslo and working and playing basketball, says the 19-year-old.

– We have a good group here, I think we can do well and I can’t wait to play. See how I can progress at a faster pace in practice, says the guard who averaged 10.2 points and 6.1 rebounds for Tromsø last season – in addition to making 86% of his penalties (31 of 36).

– Vilde needs to find a role in which she feels comfortable, says Ståle Frey.

– She is a modest girl, but at the same time as she has good players around her, she must be able to stand out here and understand that she has incredible potential. She has a good shot, height and a lot of speed, you have to use it, underlines the Ullern coach.

Final Hero of 2019

The return of Maren Mildestvedt to basketball is also welcome. The 23-year-old has not played since helping decide for Gimle against Sandvika in the national championship final in 2019, with 20 points and the assist for Sigrid Hardie’s winning score at 75-74 with 3.5 seconds remaining.

– It was great, says the guard, who in recent years has trained at a folk school and as a social worker in Lillehammer.

– A town without a basketball team, so I haven’t touched a ball in four years. I’ve been training physically, but I notice I haven’t been training as explosively. I hope my body holds up and I feel stronger than when I stopped four years ago, says the former U16 and U18 national team player.

– Maren can also play in the 4, has not yet found his 3-point shot and is currently stronger inside than outside, explains Ståle Frey.

Gimle’s former guard agrees:

– I forgot the 3-point shot at home in Bergen.

– I missed playing

But the 23-year-old looked strong and good in training at Ørakerhallen and will undoubtedly be an important part for Ullern in the new season. She is happy to get back on the pitch and has even contacted the club and Ståle Frey to play.

– I found a job in Oslo and really wanted to play basketball again. I already noticed after a year that I missed acting, and over the last two years I missed it a lot and watched a lot of BLNO.

– It’s nice here, we have a nice and relatively young group and we push each other and can be honest and direct. It’s an exciting team with a lot of big people and a lot of speed, I hope we can race together, says Mildestvedt.

– The main challenge for me, having been away for so long, is to reintegrate into the setup and find myself and the others.

Back in January?

Malin Schneidt is on an exchange student in Canada, but is expected to return with Ullern in January and will give the team additional depth at guard.

Selma Freng Sørensen, who studies in Vietnam, may also appear in the second half of the series.

WOOL

Coach: Frey Steel.

Assistant Coach: Eirik Ljostveit.

Players IN: Vilde Havnes (Tromsø Storm Ungdom), Maren Mildestvedt (return to basketball, formerly Gimle), Marika Kromberg Underwood (returned from Ammerud), Ingrid Helgesen (Oppsal, parallel game permit), Oda Tveiten (Kjelsås, parallel game permit ), Aleksandra Eckhoff-Eliassen from her own stable U.

OUT players: Laura Martínez Basora (home in Barcelona), Malin Schneidt (studying in Toronto, returning in January), Lily Nieuwenburg Izadi (studying in the Netherlands), Selma Freng Sørensen (Vietnam, returning in January?), Hannah Ledsten-Ullersmo (popular university), Elin Kjølseth (Ullern 1K), Stina Aune.

LINEUP 2023/24:

0 Aurora Grieg Toyomasu, 5 Sabrina Bouthalja, 6 Camilla Wold Wægger, 8 Malin Bjørnsen Schneidt, 10 Fanny Dyngeland-Sunden, 12 Tori Solberg Halvorsen, 13 Vilde Havnes, 14 Marika Kromberg Underwood, 16 Aleksandra Eckhoff-Eliassen, 17 Maren Vieth Mildestved, 22 Micol Torresani, 31 Helena Eckhoff-Eliassen, 32 Sophia Priestley, 33 Hannah Tomren Kristoffersson, 38 Ingrid Margrethe Helgesen, 60 Oda Jagerstrand Tveiten.

Probably from 5: Torresani, Havnes, Mildestvedt, Priestley (Dyngeland-Sundén), Halvorsen.

Opening match: Bærum – Ullern, Nadderudhallen, Friday October 6 at 7:00 p.m.