Braves down rivals in defensive masterclass

The Champions IGA Bendigo Braves Women returned to the winners table with a comprehensive win over the Ballarat Miners at Red Energy Arena on Saturday night.

The win came on the back of a defensive masterclass, which was evident from the beginning, Bendigo holding their rivals scoreless in the first five minutes.

One key to that start, and the rest of the game, was the defensive work of stand-in centre Kasey Burton.

Up against the taller and more experienced Alex Bunton, Burton was able to hold her defensive position constantly, cutting off any easy access to the key and limiting the Miners to only four points in the paint in the first term.

Bendigo led 24-12 at quarter time and continued to slow down Ballarat’s offence in the second term.

Led by Bendigo Spirit WNBL gun Abbey Wehrung, Ballarat’s guards were doing it tough against the world-class combined defense of Kelly and Alex Wilson, Amy Atwell, and Cassidy McLean, who were stopping and slowing down the ball as early as possible.

Bendigo’s half time 47-26 lead became 65-28 in the first half of the third quarter, as the Braves’ transition offence dominated, and Atwell was on fire from beyond the arc.

The Braves took their foot off the pedal and Ballarat found their long-range shots in the last quarter, Bendigo still runningout comfortable winners 95-67.

Atwell finished the night with 28 points, Alex Wilson 19, McLean 14, and Kelly Wilson 13 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.

Perhaps the biggest cheer for the night was the return of Braves legend Michelle Fletcher. Fletcher played the final two minutes of the game, much to the large crowd’s delight, as Bendigo works to fill the hole created by Meg McKay’s absence.

Coach Mark Alabakov said the work his team had been putting in on the training track to change their sans-McKay defensive structure was paying off.

“We have been working hard on creating defensive pressure without our key big and we did that on Saturday,” he said.

“Our pressure needs to be earlier and more consistent, so we don’t have to deal with a prolonged height presence.

“We wanted to make Ballarat play uncomfortably and dictatewho could shoot the ball and where they could shoot it from.Kasey was pivotal in that.”

Alabakov said his team was relentless.

“Just look at what Cass (McLean) did at the end of the second and third quarter,” he said.

“In the final second of each term she was still competing for the ball and putting pressure on the dribble, which showed how focused we were.

“Ballarat is a very good team, coached by a WNBL coach, so we knew we had to be close to our best.

“Our defense turned into offence, and we had better clarity offensively this week.

“Eight of the 10 points after the half time break were dribble penetration and layups which is evidence things are working well.”

Photo - Craig Dilks Photography