Bendigo Spirit have claimed their third WNBL championship after defeating Townsville Fireplace 63–55 in sport two of the grand remaining sequence.
The very best staff all season, the Spirit seized management after half-time to finish a sequence sweep at a sold-out Townsville Leisure Centre on Sunday.
League MVP Sami Whitcomb added a Rachael Sporn grand remaining MVP award to her rising trophy cupboard after scoring 26 factors, whereas Mariana Tolo mixed 17 factors with 9 rebounds.
“Actually, there is no such thing as a different staff I’d slightly have received with,” Whitcomb mentioned.
“It felt inevitable with this group; it felt like we had been constructing one thing from the start.
“This was arduous and so, so robust, however we earned it, and I am so proud.”
Veterans Tolo, Kelsey Griffin, and Kelly Wilson celebrated their fifth championship.
It was Bendigo’s first title since successful back-to-back pennants in 2013–14 in opposition to Townsville.
Lauren Cox posted 17 factors for the Fireplace, whereas captain Courtney Woods’ 10 factors had been offset by 10 turnovers.
It was bodily and defence-dominated early, with greater than three minutes passing earlier than the competition’s first subject aim as either side missed their opening 5 pictures.
Bendigo settled first and moved forward 11–5 earlier than Townsville recovered to steer 21–20 at quarter-time, with Cox scoring 13 factors.
With the Spirit’s bigs discovering foul bother, the Fireplace went on an 11–0 run both facet of the primary break to motor forward 29–20.
Townsville dominated the offensive rebounds 11–2 within the first half, however their poor perimeter capturing saved Bendigo within the hunt.
Whitcomb and Tolo mixed to shut Townsville’s buffer to 34–33 at half-time earlier than the Spirit, as in Sport One, bought on prime courtesy of a third-quarter defensive masterclass.
The Fireplace had extra turnovers (10) than factors (seven) for the time period, and Bendigo, piloted by Whitcomb, took benefit to maneuver forward 46–41 at three-quarter time.
Townsville went greater than seven minutes with no subject aim because the Spirit’s lead swelled to double digits on an Abbey Wehrung trey.
The Fireplace diligently chipped away on the deficit and closed the margin to 2 factors when rookie Abbey Ellis drained a 3, however the house facet can be left to rue extra turnovers and missed free throws down the stretch.
AAP
