THE Bendigo Spirit recovered from a last-quarter comeback by Adelaide to record an overtime win in their WNBL clash on Saturday night.
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Not for the first time this season the Spirit saw a double-digit lead at three quarter-time evaporate in the final term, but after surrendering the momentum Bendigo was able to regain it late in overtime to win 70-65 in Adelaide.
Having started the season 0-4 the Spirit has now strung together back-to-back wins.
Scores were locked together 60-60 at the end of regulation time following Adelaide's revival in the fourth quarter.
The Spirit had entered the final quarter ahead by 12, 50-38, following a strong defensive performance.
However, having been well contained by the Spirit over the first three quarters Adelaide was able to get some offensive flow into its game in the closing stages of the final term.
With just under six minutes to play the Spirit lead was still at 12, 55-43, before the Lightning made its move.
A 13-3 run by Adelaide had the game all tied up at 58-58 with 1:05 to play.
Bendigo's Mehryn Kraker had the chance to put the visitors up by two when she was fouled, but she went one-of-two at the free-throw line with 39 seconds remaining.
The Lighting in reply had a stroke of luck when Isabel Borlase's three-point shot was blocked by the Spirit's Kelsey Griffin.
However, Borlase was able to regain possession and sink a two-point floater to put Adelaide up by one with 24 seconds remaining.
With 13 seconds left the Spirit's Alex Wilson drew a foul and stepped to the line with the chance to put Bendigo in front against her former side.
She nailed her first free-throw, but her second missed - the Spirit shot 13-of-22 from the foul line for the night - leaving the scores locked up at 60 apiece.
The Lightning had the last chance to win the game, but Borlase's shot at the buzzer from just inside the free throw line hit the front of the rim, sending the game into overtime.
The Lightning led 65-64 with 3:30 left in overtime, but wouldn't score for the rest of the match as the Spirit closed the game out with six unanswered points sparked by an Alex Wilson three-pointer to pull away for the victory.
The Bendigo trio of Griffin (11), Alicia Froling (10) and Ruth Davis (7) had 28 rebounds between them, while the scoring was led by the duo of Alex Wilson and Mehryn Kraker.
Both Wilson and Kraker had 16 points for the Spirit, who defensively held the Lightning to just 23-of-81 shooting from the field for the night.
Kraker's 16 points included three three-pointers, while Abbey Wehrung also scored in double figures with 10 points.
The Spirit's next game will be in Melbourne next Saturday night when they play the Southside Flyers at the State Basketball Centre from 7pm.
