Invincible Braves women crowned NBL1 national champions

In what was a season of redemption following last year's heartbreaking south conference grand final loss the Braves have taken all before them in 2023, winning all 28 of their games played and proving to be the NBL1's version of the Invincibles.

The Braves showed themselves to be a clear class above the other five conference champions at the National Finals played in Joondalup, winning their three games by a combined 110 points.

Sunday's 114-87 championship game victory over the east conference's Norths Bears was spearheaded by a brutal game from star forward Megan McKay.

Playing back in her home state of Western Australia McKay poured in 46 points to go with 15 rebounds to earn the NBL1 Finals most valuable player award.

McKay's commanding NBL1 Finals performance came on the back of her also winning the NBL1 south conference women's most valuable player award earlier this month.

The Bears certainly made a game of it for much of the first half and with 4:21 remaining in the second quarter were within three as Bendigo led 36-33.

However, the Braves closed the quarter out with a 15-10 run to take a handy 51-43 advantage into half-time.

The Braves then busted the game wide open in the decisive third quarter.

After the Bears had scored the first four points of the third quarter to close within four the Braves outscored Norths 34-12 for the remainder of the term to put the national title in their grasp.

McKay scored 14 of her 46 points during the third quarter onslaught.

McKay's 46 were the most points scored by a Braves' player this season, pipping the 44 points team-mate Amy Atwell scored against the Northside Wizards in Bendigo's second game of the NBL1 Finals on Saturday.

McKay shot a brilliant 19-of-24 from the field and went 8-of-13 on free throws.

She scored nine points in the first quarter, 10 in the second, 14 in the third and 13 in the last, while her 15 rebounds included five offensive.

As well as McKay's 46 points the Braves also had Atwell (20), captain Kelly Wilson (15) and Kasey Burton (12) score in double figures.

Wilson showed across the NBL1 Finals series why the south conference women's Golden Hands Award was this year re-named in her honour.

Wilson dished out 18 assists in the championship game, while in the Braves' tournament opener on Friday night against the Cockburn Cougars she had 16 assists.

"I'm extremely proud. Coming here this weekend we were extremely proud just to represent NBL1 south," Wilson said during the post-match presentation.

"This is a special group; a lot of work has gone into this season and this was the weekend to top it off."

The victorious coach for the Braves was Mark Alabakov, who in three years at the helm of the side now has a 62-6 record from 68 games.

"The support we have in Bendigo... they get around the Braves and it's such a pillar of the community," Alabakov said post-match.

"It was only a couple of weeks ago we had 1500 people come to a preliminary final and support women's sport.

"We're so proud to represent the club and the legacy that has come before us and we're really proud to have been able to achieve this today and put a banner up in the stadium."

The Braves defeated the Cockburn Cougars 101-57 and Northside Wizards 112-73 in their first two games of the NBL1 Finals to qualify for the championship game.

McKay and Atwell, also playing back home in Western Australia, were both named in the NBL1 Finals All-Star Five, a team that also included Bendigo Spirit player Alex Wilson who was playing for Norwood

The Braves' national championship team - Kasey Burton, Cassidy McLean, Amy Atwell, Kelly Wilson, Megan McKay, Caitlin Richardson, Poppy Blanch, Meg McCarthy, Millicent Wicks, Jessie Rennie, Madeline Sexton, Jessica Mangan.

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