Braves motoring along before big clash

Champions IGA Bendigo Braves Women’s coach Mark Alabakov is confident his team’s attack is in a great place heading into a tough interstate NBL1 South double header this weekend.

The Braves head to Tasmania after a clinical performance against the visiting Diamond Valley Eagles at Red Energy Arena on Saturday night.

Leading 20-19 at quarter time, Bendigo held the Eagles to only 10 in the second quarter, to go in to the first half leading 43-29 on the back of Tess Madgen’s 17 points.

More than half of Bendigo’s points came from deep inside the key in the first half, a trend that continued throughout the game.

A dominant third quarter (28-20) saw Bendigo lead 71-49 at three-quarter time. And the pain only got worse for Diamond Valley in the last quarter, with Bendigo scoring 18 of the first 19 points of the final term.

The Braves ran out easy winners 91-55. Madgen finished the night with 30 points and 11 rebounds to remain the league’s leading scorer and highest-ranked player.

Megan McKay had 19 points and 10 rebounds in another strong display under the basket. Abbey Wehrung (13) and Cassidy McLean (10) were the other top scorers for the night.

With a high shooting percentage across the night, Alabakov praised his team’s professionalism.

“When you play against a young team with one win on the board you can worry a bit about the competitive stimulation of your group, and whether you may have slippage of standards or diligence,” he said.

“But apart from a being a bit loose on a couple of small things in the first quarter, we were good.

“We shot 50 per cent from the field, including 40 per cent three-point territory, so that was pleasing.”

Alabakov said his team offense is working well.

“It’s a credit to the group that they’re able to routinely create these close-to-the-basket shots. And we got another 44 points from deep tonight. We’ve been averaging 40s and 50s all year,” he said.

“That forces defenses to collapse, and then we shoot well late in the shot clock for three.

“And I love it when we share the ball. We had 26 assists, which is great. There’s a saying in basketball that you give up good shots to get great shots, and that’s what we’re doing.

Bendigo travels to Tasmania this weekend to take on Hobart on Friday night and Launceston on Saturday night, in what will be the Braves’ biggest match of the year to date.

Photo: Akuna Photography