Bendigo passes the first finals Test

Quality teams step up when it matters. And that’s what happened at Red Energy Arena on Saturday afternoon as the Champions IGA Bendigo Braves Women juggernaut rolled on with a Qualifying Final win against the Nunawading Spectres.

Bendigo secured a home Preliminary Final win with the 91-73 sin, on the back of yet another stunning performance from Opals guard Tess Madgen.

The Braves didn’t have it all their own way early, with the Spectres double and triple teaming star Bendigo centre Meg McKay in the key.

While the Braves defense kept Nunawading’s scoring under control, Bendigo reset its offence to recover from a five point deficit early to head into quarter time 25-23 up.

An 8-0 run to start the second term, paired with some clever driving at Nunawading tall Megan Mullings saw Bendigo pile on the pressure.

Bendigo went into the main break 46-35 up, but didn’t have it all their own way in the third.

Nunawading came out with hot hands, especially guard Cassidy Mahalko who scored nine points for the term.

Bendigo’s lead was cut to four with two minutes left in the third term, before Madgen took over.

A key two, and a three-pointer on the buzzer, pushed the lead back out to 64-55 at three quarter time.  

Bendigo again came out firing at the start of the last term, hitting the first six points and snuffing out any chance of a Nunawading comeback.

Madgen finished the night with an astonishing 29 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists.

Megan McKay eventually took over the key, finishing with 23 points. Abbey Wehrung helped settle the Braves early, with 20 points in the game.

Kelly Wilson continued her amazing hear with another 15 points and six assists.

Coach Mark Alabakov said both Madgen and Wilson played huge rolls ion the game.

Kelly’s game management is great every week, and the fact she was such a big offensive threat this week was brilliant,” he said.

“For her to be able to become our fourth double-digit scorer is really important.

“And Tess is almost impossible to keep down. She was amazing yet again at both ends.

“And Abbey and Megan easily won their positions and created a heap of opportunities for us.”

Alabakov said having such a tough hit out was important.

“That’s what finals basketball is all about,” he said.

“We had to fight hard, and we did. We are expecting these sorts of tests at this time of the year.

“I never really felt we were out of control or playing outside the percentages at all. Our preparation was amazing, and it showed.

“Everything we gamed for went exactly to plan.”

Bendigo hosts a Preliminary Final on Sunday, against the winner of the Mount Gambier/Waverley Semi Final.

Photo credit - Akuna Photography