Spirit soar as five teams fight for WNBL finals spot

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Spirit soar as five teams fight for WNBL finals spot

Bendigo have overcome an Adelaide scare to secure a top-two WNBL finish but there is a logjam below them as teams battle for the final post-season spot with three rounds to play.

The top-placed Spirit (16-2) were pushed by Adelaide in a gritty 65-59 home win on Friday.

Lightning star Isobel Borlase (16 points, 6 rebounds) led the visitor’s charge but Kelsey Griffin (19 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists) pulled the strings as the Spirit ensured they’ll finish the regular season no worse than second.

“They made the game really difficult for us in a number of ways,” Spirit coach Kennedy Kereama said.

“At different times they put us in two minds about a lot of things, things we’re usually pretty good at.”

The loss left Adelaide seventh, but just one win behind the fourth-placed Sydney Flames, who along with UC Capitals and Geelong own a 6-11 record with three rounds to play.

Southside (4-13) are last but still close enough to jag a finals berth with a strong regular season finish.

The top four teams will contest the post-season, with 1 v 4 and 2 v 3 in best-of-three semi-finals series before a best-of-three grand final series.

The Flames lost twice in round 13, Shaneice Swain’s 40 point-haul not enough in an 89-95 loss to Townsville (third, 12-5) before Perth (second, 14-4) swamped them in a 105-83 defeat on Saturday.

A 39-10 third quarter was the difference in an otherwise even tussle against the Lynx, who were led by Miela Sowah (23 points).

“When it goes (badly), it goes really quickly for us,” Sydney coach Guy Molloy said, lamenting a player drain that’s forced him to tinker heavily with his line-ups.

“Is it the singer or the song? The song’s a good one … we’re playing the right way, just need to do it for longer.

“I don’t know how you manufacture the experience and composure to not let it go as badly as what we do.”

Geelong’s 89-70 loss to the Fire left them level on wins with the Capitals, who notched an important 94-79 victory against the last-placed Southside.

Lauren Cox scored 26 points for the Fire while ***** Melbourne’s triple-double (15 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) and career-highs from Mon Bobongie (17 points) and Indi Bowyer (15 points) guided the Capitals home.

Round 14 begins at Geelong Arena on Wednesday, when United host Bendigo.

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