Spirit breaks free of Lightning

AN 18-1 blitz in the final quarter sealed a 14-point victory as Bendigo Spirit tipped off the Cygnett Women’s National Basketball League season on Saturday night.

Playing on the showcourt at Red Energy Arena, Spirit surged away in the last seven minutes of the match to mark an 84-70 victory against Adelaide Lightning.

Pressure was high on the Kennedy Kereama-coached Spirit after Adelaide led 69-66 by the three-minute mark of the final quarter.

From there the experience of Opals and now Spirit team-mates Sami Whitcomb and Marianna Tolo, along with WNBL games record-holder Kelly Wilson and Casey Samuels was to the fore.

Consecutive three-pointers by Abbey Wehrung provided a much-needed spark for Spirit which now has Powercor as a major backer.

As Spirit poured in the points through Wehrung (6), Whitcomb (5), Samuels (5) and Tolo (2) the Lightning was held to just a point.

“To keep Adelaide to seven points in the final quarter was exceptional,” Kereama said.

A line-up which has plenty of scoring punch also showed its defensive prowess, especially in the opening five minutes and the last five minutes.

“We can measure defence in so many ways. A goal is to get three defensive stops in a row. The team locked in to doing that incredibly well in the last quarter.”

It did not take long for Whitcomb to have an impact as she brought up Spirit’s and the first points of the contest with a three-point shot in the 24^th second.

Bendigo charged to a 16-7 lead, but the Nat Hurst-coached Adelaide hit back strongly through the play of Japreece Dean, Isobel Borlase, Brooke Basham and Breanna Turner.

A two-point jumper by Asha Nightingale with her first shot in her WNBL debut brought the Spirit bench to its feet and loud cheers from the crowd.

Unity of the team was shown by celebrating a team-mate’s memorable feat.

By quarter-time Spirit led 28-23.

Adelaide capitalised on consecutive turnovers in Bendigo’s attack to take a five-point lead nearing the 4 ½ minute mark of the second quarter.

A Samuels three-pointer and then another two from a Tolo assist put Spirit back in front.

It was basket-for-basket before a Whitcomb two and then another three gave Bendigo a 48-45 lead at the main break.

A closely-fought third quarter ended with Bendigo in front, 65-63.

After Turner and Dean put Lightning up 69-66 it was time for Spirit to respond and it did.