Atwell’s clear message to Opals selectors

An Amy Atwell performance that served as the perfect reminder why the guard should suit up for the Opals at the Paris Olympics wasn’t enough to drag the Champions IGA Bendigo Braves Women to a win away at Knox on Saturday night.

Going in without reigning NBL1 South and National Championship MVP Meg McKay against the second-placed team, someone needed to stand up. And that someone was Atwell, who finished the night with an astonishing 50 points and 11 rebounds.

Atwell’s 14 first-quarter points helped Bendigo recover from a 0-7 start to be up 23-22 at quarter time.

Bendigo’s lead crept out to five at the half, and 11 in the first half of the third quarter, with Atwell deadly from both beyond the arc and in transition.

But Bendigo’s lead was back to four at the final break, on the back of big performances by Knox’s Alicia Froling and Paige Bradley.

Bendigo couldn’t close it out in the home stretch, with Atwell double teamed and some tough calls not going the Braves’ way.

The 85-87 final score was a frustrating one for coach Mark Alabakov.

“We had a really positive and productive week on the training track, and I thought we were ready for a big one,” he said.

“Knox is a very deep basketball team, so we did well, but were frustrated we didn’t get the result.

“If we had our time over, we would have played the last five minutes a bit differently in terms of shot selection and defensive options.

“But basketball can sometimes be a game of inches, and we fell just short this week.”

Alabakov said Atwell had taken her game to another level this season.

“Amy has been phenomenal. I was talking with another coach this week about what it would be like to coach someone like Caitlin Clarke, and he said to me ‘you’ve already got one – Amy Atwell’.

“She has become a star at bringing other people into the game as well, even when she’s running hot, like she was on Saturday.

“She is also a gun defensively. Against Knox she took it upon herself to match up with Froling in defense and did a really good job.”

Photo - Craig Dilks Photography