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READ MORE – Gutsy Spirit upstage Melbourne Boomers in WNBL
“PLAY hard and with energy”.
It’s the way Nat Hurst has gone about her basketball since she first played in the WNBL in the late ’90s and it’s why she has been quick to make her mark with her new club, the Bendigo Spirit.
The experienced Hurst – a seven-time championship player with Canberra – is captain of the Spirit this season, with the tenacious point guard having earned her first WNBL Player of the Week accolade for her new club.
The 35-year-old star earned the latest Player of the Week for her performances in the Spirit’s pair of wins over Adelaide on Saturday night and Melbourne on Monday night.
“I assumed that if I came here and played hard that people would like that,” Hurst said following the victory over Adelaide.
“If I can bring energy and the rest of the team jumps on my back… I’m happy to be that energy girl that we need for the season.”
Hurst had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds in the Spirit’s 70-52 victory over Adelaide.
Despite suffering a corkie during the final quarter of the win against the Lightning, Hurst backed up two nights later with 25 points and five rebounds in the Spirit’s gritty 60-58 Melbourne Cup eve win over the Boomers that improved Bendigo to 4-2.
Hurst’s 25 points against the Boomers were a season-high for the Spirit so far.
After just six games the new-look Spirit have already equalled their total tally of wins from last season.
The Spirit have split their four road games 2-2 so far – both wins coming against Melbourne – in what is also a major positive on the back of last season when Bendigo went 1-10 away from home.
The Spirit are back on their homecourt at the Bendigo Stadium this Sunday to take on the winless Sydney Uni from 2pm.
• WNBL ladder:
1. Perth – 5-1
2. Canberra – 4-1
3. Bendigo – 4-2
4. Melbourne – 3-3
5. Adelaide – 2-3
6. Townsville – 2-3
7. Dandenong – 2-3
8. Sydney Uni – 0-6
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