Bendigo wins heavyweight finals clash

Finals basketball is not about dominance. It’s about surviving and advancing. It’s about seizing your opportunity when you can. It’s about making sure your stars have the space and time to perform when you need them most.

And that’s what happened when the Champions IGA Bendigo Braves Women battled it out against the Waverley Falcons in the NBL1 South Qualifying Final at Red Energy Arena on Saturday night.

It was a slugfest between two heavyweights, each with a roster full of experience and star power.

Both teams spent the first quarter sizing each other up, putting defense first and not allowing the other to land an early blow.

After seven minutes the score was 7-7,  before opening up ever so slightly for the rest of the term. At quarter time it was 16-all, with Bendigo’s biggest drawcard – Amy Atwell – firing with 11.

Bendigo’s other heavy hitter this season– Meg McKay – was, remarkably, kept scoreless in the first term.

But that changed in the first minute of the second quarter, with a transition McKay two giving the vocal ring-side crowd a hint that the gloves were slowly being removed.

The middle section of the second quarter belonged to Bendigo. From 22-23 behind to 33-23 up, the 11-0 run in two-and-a-half minutes was both pivotal to Bendigo’s momentum and, as it turned out, the knockout blow.

And who was at the centre of it leading with her chin? McKay. She hit six points in that run, Atwell and Kelly Wilson the other five.

McKay finished with 14 for the quarter, and the 26-14 term had Bendigo up by 12 at the main break.

The third quarter was much like the first, a defensive battle during which Bendigo eked out the lead to a game-high 17 at one point.

But Waverly didn’t throw in the towel, a 4-10 start to the last quarter cutting Bendigo’s lead to nine.

However, 30 seconds later Bendigo’s lead was back out to 13 thanks to – you guessed it – McKay and Atwell.From there, Bendigo was able to roll with the punches, winning 75-64, McKay finishing the night with 27 points and 10 rebounds.

Atwell had 21, Cassidy McLean nine, and Kasey Burton seven points and 12 rebounds. Wilson ended the game with 11 assists.

Bendigo coach Mark Alabakov said the win showed what finals basketball was all about.

“In finals, it’s survive and advance, and that’s what we did,” he said.

“It was a slugfest and it felt like the game went slower as a result. Sixteen-all in the first quarter was indicative of the intensity of a finals game.

“We managed to settle into the game and improve our style and tempo in the second quarter. The second half was also a grind, but we did what we needed to do.”

With that in mind, Alabakov said his team had plenty to focus on, with two weeks before their next game.

“There were a few things we didn’t execute as well as we would have liked and we will work on those,” he said.

“There’s plenty we want to address to sharpen up for our next game. We have set a huge benchmark for ourselves this season and we want to stick to it.”

Bendigo squares off at home on August 5 against the winner of this weekend’s Ringwood and Mount Gambier game.

Photo - Craig Dilks Photography