Bendigo Women split weekend games

Champions IGA Bendigo Braves Women’s coach Mark Alabakov is happy with the way his team is performing, despite dropping its second game of the season on the weekend.

Bendigo split the weekend’s double header – it’s fourth in five weeks – demolishing Waverley away on Saturday night before falling to the star-studded Mount Gambier at Red Energy Arena 17 hours later.

It was vintage Bendigo on Saturday night, with brilliant defense and some of the best transition offense you will ever see.

Megan McKay and Kelly Wilson were sensational in the first half with 15 points each, and Cassidy McLean and Caitlin Richardson shut down star Waverly guard Bec Cole at the other end.

Up by 16 at the main break, Bendigo went from strength to strength, doubling its lead at three quarter time before running out winners 93-60.

McKay finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds, McLean 19 points, Wilson 15 points, and Richardson 14.

One of the highlights of the game was the performance of youngster Livinia Cox, who scored 13 points and was a livewire at both ends.

Still without international stars Amy Atwell and Alex Wilson, Bendigo backed up against a full-strength Mount Gambier on Sunday.

McKay was outstanding in transition early, with 15 points in the first term. However, Bendigo’s high-quality shooting percentage deserted it late in the second quarter and most of the third, Mount Gambier going on a 17-0 run and taking the game away.

Bendigo went down 81-99, shooting just 25 per cent from beyond the arc.

“As laymen as it sounds, they made shots today and we didn’t,” Alabakov said of the Mount Gambier game.

“When you’re playing sides like Mount Gambier, there isn’t much of a margin for error, and an even smaller margin when you have two starters missing.

“I thought we defended and contested a lot of shots, and they just shot very well. In my book, the things that led to today’s loss were outside our control, and that’s a positive.”

Alabakov said the Waverley game showed the league what Bendigo is capable of.

“Defensively, we were outstanding. We were very alert and aware, were thorough on our scout and did a really good job of executing our defense plans,” he said.

“To hold Bec Cole to 2 out of 11 shots was outstanding. She is a world-class scorer.

“And Carley Ernst has been dominating this league for a long time. We held her to seven shots in total.

“It was a good example of trying to force other teams to beat us in the way we want.

“I also thought Liv was incredible. She has such a competitive spirit, she can’t wait to get involved, and looks to have an impact straight away.”

Photo - Craig Dilks Photgraphy