Bendigo learns valuable lessons

No matter what level you play, basketball can be a great teacher. And the Champions IGA Bendigo Braves Women had the benefit of two invaluable lessons on the weekend as they extended their unbeaten 2023 season to 20.

An away double header at Nunawading and Sandringham was always going to be a good test for a Bendigo outfit preparing for finals, and it wasn’t long before they realised how big a test it was.

Bendigo was down  9-16 in the first six minutes against the Spectres, failing to hit a three from eight first-quarter attempts.

But it didn’t take long for the 21-26 quarter time deficit to be wiped out. An Amy Atwell four-point play put Bendigo up 31-28 in the first two minutes of the second term. And it was all Bendigo from there.

Atwell hit 15 points and Bendigo piled on 31-14 in second quarter to go into half time 52-40 up and threatening to blow the game apart.

A strong start to the second half from Kasey Burton, Cassidy McLean, Kelly Wilson, and Caitlin Richardson kept Bendigo’s foot on the Spectres’ throats, extending the lead by five at the last break.

As is coach Mark Alabakov’s focus this season, the Braves didn’t ease up in the last quarter, piling on another 30 to win 105 to 72.

Atwell finished with an incredible 39 points and 12 rebounds, with Meg McKay doing her MVP claims no damage with 23 points, 15 rebounds, and three assists.

If Alabakov was looking for a fast start against Sandringham the next day, his chargers delivered, Bendigo jumping out of the blocks with a 25-10 first quarter.

McKay hit foul trouble early in the second, and the Sabres’zone defense was making life tough for Bendigo, who still led comfortably by 12 at the main break.

McLean started doing amazing McLean things at both ends in the third quarter, driving to the basket with phenomenal strength and blocking shots with amazing athleticism.

That resulted in Bendigo going into the final break leading 67-47 and seemingly coasting. The Braves had kept Sandringham to only one successful three-pointer in three quarters.

But that all changed, and quickly. Burton made an early jumper to extend Bendigo’s lead, before WNBL star Brittany Smart hit a three 20 seconds later to open the floodgates for the Sabres. A 0-14 run saw Sandringham get back to within six with less than three minutes to play.

But two key threes from Atwell in a minute helped Bendigo settle and win 80-74. Atwell and McKay both hit 23 points, McLean finishing on 15.

Alabakov said both games showed what could happen when you let your guard down at any stage in the NBL1 Southcompetition.

“On Saturday night, Nunawading started like a house on fire, and were shooting that same house down,” he said.

“Against Sandringham we are up 20 and we took our foot of the pedal, which is human nature.

“Sometimes it’s mental, sometimes it’s physical, but we need to be careful.”

Alabakov said with finals just around the corner, it was important to focus on things his team can improve on.

“We’re going to play against some quality teams in the next few weeks and it will be dangerous if we let our guard downagain,” he said.

“But overall it was good weekend for our development. We were pleased with the results but not happy with the way we started on Saturday night and finished on Sunday.

“We were great for six out of eight quarters.”  

Photo - Craig Dilks Photography