Bendigo women get home in a thriller

Without stars Meg McKay and Amy Atwell, and with only four points on the board, Champions IGA Bendigo Braves Women’s coach Mark Alabakov should have had reason to worry at quarter time against Frankston at Red Energy Arena on Saturday night.

The Blues scored the first nine points of the game, and Bendigo didn’t hit the scoreboard until over half way into the quarter.

Despite that, Alabakov said he was confident his team would bounce back.

“I never felt the game was out of our control,” he said.

“We knew with Meg and Amy out we either had to find 50 points or lock in defensively with a heap of changeups, and we did.”

That resolve was tested straight out of the quarter time huddle with a big three to Blues international Micaela Cocks. But Bendigo turned it around to go into the main break 24-all.

The Braves skipped out to a four-point lead at three quarter time, and it wasn’t until almost three minutes later the scoreboard changed.

From there, Cass McLean took control, with nine points for the quarter, at one stage having more than half her team’s total.

A three-pointer on the buzzer from Kasey Burton gave Bendigo momentum, and the lead was pushed out to seven early in the last.

The Blues rallied and a Cocks three with 33 seconds to go gave them the lead.

It was no surprise to see legend Kelly Wilson take the game on the dying seconds, scoring with seven seconds left to put the Braves up by one.

Strong defense from Caitlin Richardson, Burton, and Maddie Sexton saw Bendigo get the turnover on the last play of the game and hold on 57-56.

McLean ended the night with 22 points, six rebounds and two steals.

Burton was also a standout in her first game for the club, with 12 point and nine rebounds, four of them offensive.

Wilson was the other top scorer of the night, with nine points and eight assists.

Pleasingly, Bendigo won the points-in-the-paint contest 32-18 despite McKay’s absence.

“I was really proud of the team defensively,” Alabakov said.

“We defended the ball really well and that allowed me to control the game a lot more. It was nice to have the flexibility to be able to influence the game at both ends, tactically.

“I thought Kasey was really good and Cass just goes from strength to strength.”

McKay will return on Thursday night for the cross-city rivalry game against Ballarat in the snow city.

Photo - Craig Dilks Photography