THE Bendigo IGA Lady Braves moved a step closer to securing a top-two finish after surviving a late scare from fellow title contender Nunawading on Saturday night.
In a battle of two of the likely South East Australian Basketball League’s women’s finalists at the Schweppes Centre, the Lady Braves looked headed for a relatively comfortable victory midway through the final quarter.
With six minutes remaining in the last quarter, the Lady Braves were in control as they led by 13 points, 61-48.
However, the Spectres, led by centre Caitlin Cunningham, made a late charge towards an unlikely win as Bendigo fell apart offensively over the final five minutes.
With 18 seconds remaining in the game, Nunawading had reduced the deficit to just one point after Jenna O’Hea banked a three-pointer off the backboard.
From the resultant throw-in, the Spectres then fouled Bendigo’s Louise McLean with 9.3 seconds remaining.
With Bendigo leading 64-63, McLean, who had a quiet game, made the first of her foul shots.
However, she missed the second of her shots, but Bendigo regained possession with a rebound to Anna Teague and the Lady Braves ran the clock down to post a 65-63 victory.
It was a crucial win for the Lady Braves, who had entered the last quarter leading 55-43.
The win leaves the Lady Braves in second position on the ladder with a 14-3 record, and just as important, they have now secured the head-to-head advantage over the Spectres, who hadn’t been beaten on the road this season before Saturday night.
The Spectres (13-4) remain in third position on the ladder.
While pleased to win such an important game, Lady Braves coach Bernie Harrower was disappointed at his side’s inability to close the game out in the last quarter.
‘‘Nunawading hit their shots down the stretch, whereas we weren’t hitting ours,’’ a frustrated Harrower said.
‘‘We had people reluctant to shoot the ball in that last quarter, and all we can really say is this was a hard-fought win that now gives us the impetus to finish in the top two.’’ The Lady Braves led 15-11 after what had been a lacklustre first quarter by both sides, before Bendigo broke away from the Spectres in the second term.
The Lady Braves went on a 13-5 scoring run midway through the second term that gave them the upper hand.
Bendigo remained in control of the contest until the Spectres’ late surge that should serve as a warning that no matter what the score, against quality opposition Bendigo must play the full 40 minutes out.
Teague, who helped to inspire the second-term burst, was the Lady Braves’ leading scorer with just 13 points.
Lauren King, Jaclyn Smith and Jasmine Finnigan each scored 10 points, while Gabe Richards, who had been ill during the week, finished with nine.