Whitcomb nabs league’s Most Valuable Player award

A BRILLIANT season by Bendigo Spirit’s Sami Whitcomb has earnt the Cygnett Women’s National Basketball League’s Most Valuable Player award.

Whitcomb claimed the Suzy Batkovic Medal in a season where Spirit achieved a win-loss tally of 18-3 and finished the regular season on top of the ladder.

More importantly for Whitcomb is to claim her first WNBL championship trophy.

Spirit’s semi-finals campaign against Sydney Flames tips off this Sunday at Bendigo’s Red Energy Arena at 3.30pm.

The Kennedy Kereama-coached Spirit will be determined to make a winning start to the best-of-three series.

The league’s leading scorer on 440 points, Whitcomb averaged 21 points, 6.3 rebounds and five assists per game.

Her play earnt selection in the First All-Star team.

Awards night was not all Whitcomb as Spirit team-mates Veronica Burton, Kelsey Griffin and Casey Samuels all earnt honours.

Dynamic play and defensive intensity by Burton caught the eye of selectors and a place in the Second All Star team along with Griffin.

In her first WNBL season, Burton has averaged more than 15 points, five rebounds and four assists per game.

Sidelined for the opening six matches because of a finger injury, Griffin won 154 rebounds across the season and averaged more than 13 points per game.

A four-time WNBL championship winner, two with Bendigo and two with Canberra, Griffin will play a crucial role in the quest for the 2024-25 title.

The consistency of Abbey Wehrung to average 8.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game earnt the League’s Sixth Woman of the Year award.

Bendigo Spirit general manager Dan Jackson said the club was rapt with the team’s feats against high-quality competition.

“We are incredibly proud of Sami, Veronica, Kelsey and Abbey on their well-deserved, League-wide recognition,” Jackson said.

“The awards are also recognition of the hard work and dedication by their team-mates, coaching and high performance staff to achieve the success we have so far.”

Bendigo Spirit’s club awards night will be held this Thursday at The Sporting Globe in Bull Street.