The Bendigo Spirit will play the UC Capitals on Friday night in the team’s last away game for the regular 2018/19 WNBL season.
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Spirit have played the Capitals once this season and were defeated 94-63 in round nine.
After the game in Canberra the Spirit will then host the Perth Lynx at the Bendigo Stadium on Sunday.
“Both games will be pretty tough. Perth will be a harder match as they will be our second game of the weekend,” coach Simon Pritchard said.
“Perth are a very fast team and can move the ball quickly and shoot three-pointers early on the shot clock.
“Our aim will be to contest long shots, rebound well and not allow them to take second shots.”
Spirit have played the Lynx twice so far this season and were defeated both times, 77-72 in round three and 94-63 in round nine.
The team will be without lead scorer Nadeen Payne for the game against Perth because of a minor achilles injury.
“Nadeen won’t be coming to Canberra with us so that she can be ready for the Perth game,” Pritchard said.
“It will be a big loss, she is a big part of our team.”
The team will also celebrate several WNBL milestones this weekend with Abbey Wehrung set to play her 100th game, Cassidy McLean will reach 50 games and Spirit captain Nat Hurst is a few shots away from a total of 2000 points.
Abbey Wehrung spent four years with the UC Capitals before joining the Spirit for the 2018/19 season.
“It's great to know I’ve played that many games and really happy to reach the milestone while playing with Spirit,” Wehrung said.
Pritchard has watched Wehrung progress as a player over the years and is more than impressed with her performance.
“When I was an assistant coach with Canberra I recruited Abbey and have been coaching her since she was a teenager,” Pritchard said.
“She is a quality person and only really getting started in the league.”
Cassidy McLean is in her debut WNBL season, after spending two seasons with the Sydney Uni Flames as a development player.
“I really didn’t know it was coming up and it got me by surprise,” McLean laughed.
“The last three years have gone so quickly and I’m very happy to reach the milestone.”
Reflecting upon the season, McLean is more than happy with her progression as a player.
“Simon has helped me defensively and offensively and with my ability to play against other great quality players,” McLean said.
Pritchard said McLean was making great progress as a player and that it was only the beginning of her career.
“This is how it starts, you have to do all of the hard yards first,” Pritchard said.
“To have 50 games under her belt already is a tribute to her, she is a terrific person.”
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