{{short description|Australian basketball player (born 1996)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2016}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Lauren Scherf | image = Lauren Scherf 77 Nesibe Aydın TKBSL 20241020 (1).jpg | caption = Scherf with Nesibe Aydın GSK in 2024 | league = NBL1 South | team = Frankston Blues | number = 77 | position = Power forward / Centre | height_cm = 196 | weight_kg = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1996|03|7}} | birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | nationality = Australian / Latvian | high_school = | career_start = 2012 | career_end = | years1 = 2012 | team1 = Melbourne Tigers | years2 = 2013–2017 | team2 = Dandenong Rangers (SEABL) | years3 = 2013–2017 | team3 = Dandenong Rangers (WNBL) | years4 = 2017–2019 | team4 = Canberra Capitals | years5 = 2018 | team5 = Diamond Valley Eagles | years6 = 2019 | team6 = Knox Raiders | years7 = 2019–2020 | team7 = Sydney Uni Flames | years8 = 2021–2022 | team8 = Kilsyth Cobras | years9 = 2021–2023 | team9 = Perth Lynx | years10 = 2023 | team10 = Campobasso | years11 = 2023 | team11 = Perth Redbacks | years12 = 2023–2024 | team12 = Flammes Carolo Basket | years13 = 2024–present | team13 = Frankston Blues | years14 = 2024–2025 | team14 = Nesibe Aydın GSK | highlights = * WNBL champion (2019) * All-WNBL Second Team (2023) * WNBL Rookie of the Year (2015) * 2× SEABL champion (2015, 2016) * NBL1 All-Star Five (2019) | wnba_profile = | bbr_wnba = | letter = | medal_templates = {{MedalSport|Women's basketball}} {{MedalCountry|{{bkw|AUS}}}} {{MedalCompetition|FIBA Asia Cup}} {{MedalBronze|2021 Jordan|}} {{MedalBronze|2023 Australia|}} {{MedalCompetition|Summer Universiade}} {{MedalGold|2017 Taiwan|Team}} {{MedalGold|2019 Italy|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|FIBA U19 World Championship}} {{MedalBronze|2013 Lithuania|Team}} {{MedalBronze|2015 Russia|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|FIBA Oceania Junior Championships}} {{MedalGold|2011 Canberra|U17 Team}} {{MedalGold|2014 Suva|U19 Team}} {{MedalCompetition|Commonwealth Games}} {{MedalBronze|2022 Birmingham|3x3}} }}
'''Lauren Marie Scherf''' (born 7 March 1996) is an Australian-Latvian professional basketball player.
==Early life== Scherf was born in Melbourne, Victoria, in the suburb of East Melbourne.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lauren Scherf |url=http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/97765/sid/7559/tid/239/_/2014_FIBA_Oceania_U18_Championship_for_Women/index.html |website=fiba.com |access-date=24 December 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118211132/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/97765/sid/7559/tid/239/_/2014_FIBA_Oceania_U18_Championship_for_Women/index.html |archive-date=18 November 2015}}</ref>
==Professional career== ===WNBL=== Scherf debuted in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) in the 2013–14 season with the Dandenong Rangers. She played four seasons with the Rangers, where she won the WNBL Rookie of the Year Award in the 2014–15 season.<ref name="wnbl">{{cite web|url=http://wnbl.com.au/lauren-scherf-re-signs-with-dandenong-rangers/|title=LAUREN SCHERF RE-SIGNS WITH DANDENONG RANGERS|work=wnbl.com.au|access-date=28 May 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614100937/http://wnbl.com.au/lauren-scherf-re-signs-with-dandenong-rangers/|archive-date=14 June 2016}}</ref>
Between 2017 and 2019, Scherf played for the Canberra Capitals.<ref name="wnbl2">{{cite news|url=https://wnbl.basketball/blog/news/uc-capitals-sign-rising-star-lauren-scherf/|title=UC CAPITALS SIGN RISING STAR LAUREN SCHERF|work=wnbl.com.au|date=3 May 2017 |access-date=5 May 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513052449/http://wnbl.com.au/uc-capitals-sign-rising-star-lauren-scherf/|archive-date=13 May 2017 |author1=Sod }}</ref> She then played two seasons with the Sydney Uni Flames in 2019–20 and the 2020 Hub season.<ref name=australiabasket>{{cite web|url=https://basketball.australiabasket.com/player/Lauren-Scherf/253401?Women=1|title=Lauren Scherf|work=australiabasket.com|access-date=11 May 2023|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
Scherf joined the Perth Lynx for the 2021–22 WNBL season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wnbl.basketball/perth/news/scherf-signs/|title=SCHERF SIGNS. PERTH LYNX GO BIG FOR THE 2021/22 SEASON.|work=wnbl.basketball/perth|date=30 April 2021|access-date=21 May 2021 |author1=Lauren }}</ref> She returned to the Lynx for the 2022–23 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wnbl.basketball/perth/news/scherf-staying-in-perth/|title=SCHERF STAYING IN PERTH|work=wnbl.basketball/perth|date=3 June 2022|access-date=7 January 2023 |author1=Lauren }}</ref> On 7 January 2023, she had 33 points and 14 rebounds in a 75–64 win over the Sydney Flames, with 27 of her points coming in the first half.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wnbl.basketball/perth/news/brilliant-scherf-leads-lynx-to-win-over-flames/|title=BRILLIANT SCHERF LEADS LYNX TO WIN OVER FLAMES|work=wnbl.basketball/perth|date=7 January 2023|access-date=7 January 2023 |author1=Lauren }}</ref> Later that month, she played her 200th WNBL game.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wnbl.basketball/perth/news/200-games-for-scherf/|title=200 GAMES FOR SCHERF|work=wnbl.basketball/perth|date=29 January 2023|access-date=29 January 2023 |author1=Lauren }}</ref>
===State Leagues=== In 2012, Scherf played for the Melbourne Tigers in the Big V.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=195990240&client=0-7930-99146-209851-16875832|title=Player statistics for Lauren Scherf|work=Big V|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511154314/https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=195990240&client=0-7930-99146-209851-16875832|archive-date=11 May 2023}}</ref> Between 2013 and 2017, she played for the Dandenong Rangers in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL). She won SEABL championships with the Rangers in 2015 and 2016.<ref name="australiabasket" /> In 2018, she played for the Diamond Valley Eagles in the SEABL.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=196090676&client=1-3363-187775-478981-26146034|title=Player statistics for Lauren Scherf|work=SEABL|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511154638/https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=196090676&client=1-3363-187775-478981-26146034|archive-date=11 May 2023}}</ref> In 2019, she played for the Knox Raiders in the NBL1<ref name="australiabasket" /> and earned All-Star Five honours.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nbl1.com.au/news/article/gatlin-and-wilson-crowned-nbl1-mvps|title=Gatlin And Wilson Crowned NBL1 MVPs|work=NBL1.com.au|date=18 August 2019|access-date=18 August 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114131058/https://nbl1.com.au/news/article/gatlin-and-wilson-crowned-nbl1-mvps|archive-date=14 January 2022}}</ref> In 2021 and 2022, she played for the Kilsyth Cobras in the NBL1 South.<ref name="australiabasket" /> In 2023, she had a four-game stint with the Perth Redbacks in the NBL1 West.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/perthredbacks/posts/pfbid0ct9YKBx4TeDafALs4qyjNAurV3XVtgz1MQgNZfkafFjpwxBAiFJLL5tdegLZ3pKYl|title=Scherf signs as a Redback|work=facebook.com/perthredbacks|date=11 May 2023|access-date=11 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nbl1.com.au/news/lauren-scherf-signs-with-redbacks/west/|title=Lauren Scherf signs with Redbacks|work=nbl1.com.au|date=11 May 2023|access-date=12 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nbl1.com.au/player/11d51644-70a7-11ed-82bd-31f2e03f0ad7/3be6e4aa-95f8-11eb-a8b3-0242ac130003/lauren-scherf/west|title=Lauren Scherf|work=nbl1.com.au|access-date=22 July 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230722053332/https://nbl1.com.au/player/11d51644-70a7-11ed-82bd-31f2e03f0ad7/3be6e4aa-95f8-11eb-a8b3-0242ac130003/lauren-scherf/west|archive-date=22 July 2023}}</ref> In 2024, she played for the Frankston Blues in the NBL1 South.<ref name="australiabasket" /> She returned to the Blues for the 2025 NBL1 South season.<ref>{{cite news |title=LAUREN SCHERF RETURNS TO FRANKSTON |url=https://fdba.com.au/2025/03/17/lauren-scherf-returns-to-frankston/ |access-date=22 May 2025 |work=Frankston & District Basketball Association |date=17 March 2025 |language=en-AU}}</ref>
===Italy, France and Turkey=== In March 2023, Scherf joined Magnolia La Molisana Campobasso of the Italian Lega Basket Femminile.<ref name=Campobasso>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketinside.com/siamo-donne/mercato-siamo-donne/a1-ufficiale-campobasso-ingaggia-lauren-scherf/|title=A1 UFFICIALE – Campobasso ingaggia Lauren Scherf|work=basketinside.com|date=17 March 2023|access-date=9 May 2023|language=Italian}}</ref>
For the 2023–24 season, Scherf joined Flammes Carolo Basket of the Ligue Féminine.<ref name="australiabasket" />
For the 2024–25 season, Scherf joined Nesibe Aydın GSK of the Turkish Super League.<ref name=tbf>{{cite web |title=Lorena Marija Serfa |url=https://www.tbf.org.tr/ligler/kbsl-2024-2025/basketbolcu-detay/667531 |website=tbf.org.tr |access-date=23 December 2024 |language=Turkish}}</ref>
==National team career== Scherf has represented Australia at the 2011 FIBA Oceania Under-16 Championship, 2012 FIBA Under-17 World Championship, 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship (winning bronze), 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival (winning gold),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://australia.basketball/blog/ba_player/lauren-scherf/|title=Lauren Scherf|work=australia.basketball|access-date=21 May 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521144702/https://australia.basketball/blog/ba_player/lauren-scherf/|archive-date=21 May 2021}}</ref> 2014 FIBA Oceania Under-18 Championship, 2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship, 2021 FIBA Women's Asia Cup, and the 2023 FIBA Women's Asia Cup.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lauren Scherf |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/en/players/194495-lauren-scherf |website=fiba.basketball |access-date=24 December 2024}}</ref>
In April 2025, Scherf was named in the Opals squad for a trans-Tasman series against New Zealand in May.<ref>{{cite news |title=Opals and Boomers bring fire to the AUS v NZL Trans-Tasman Throwdown |url=https://www.australia.basketball/news/4249992/opals-and-boomers-bring-fire-to-the-aus-v-nzl-trans-tasman-throwdown |access-date=17 April 2025 |work=www.australia.basketball |date=17 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== Scherf holds a Latvian passport thanks to her paternal grandmother.<ref name="Campobasso" /> She played under her Latvian name, '''Lorena Marija Serfa''', in Turkey during the 2024–25 season.<ref name="tbf" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *{{FIBA|new_id=194495}} *{{FIBA 3x3|e1dbdc78-c590-4d27-92d8-c56c69a442a5}} *[https://www.australia.basketball/players/3587845 Lauren Scherf] at Basketball Australia *{{Commonwealth Games Australia|lauren-scherf}} *{{2022 Commonwealth Games profile|53742}} *{{InterSportStats|3000382262}} *[https://thewest.com.au/sport/basketball/its-not-a-bird-or-a-plane-its-super-scherf-rescuing-perth-lauren-scherf-dominating-wnbl-season-for-lynx-c-9397738 "It's not a bird or a plane, it's Super Scherf rescuing Perth! Lauren Scherf dominating WNBL season for Lynx"] at thewest.com.au *[https://wnbl.basketball/blog/news/how-lauren-scherf-evolved-into-a-do-it-all-star/ "How Lauren Scherf evolved into a do-it-all star"] at WNBL
{{Australia Under-19 Women Basketball Squad 2013}} {{Australia Under-19 Women Basketball Squad 2015}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scherf, Lauren}} Category:1996 births Category:Living people Category:Australian women's basketball players Category:Canberra Capitals players Category:Centers (basketball) Category:Dandenong Rangers players Category:Medalists at the 2017 Summer Universiade Category:Medalists at the 2019 Summer Universiade Category:Perth Lynx players Category:Power forwards Category:Sydney Uni Flames players Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for Australia Category:Summer World University Games medalists in basketball Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen Category:People from East Melbourne Category:Sportswomen from Victoria (state) Category:Basketball players from Melbourne Category:Basketball players at the 2022 Commonwealth Games