Borlase dazzles to overshadow fellow star’s return
Sebastian Tan |
Human highlights reel Izzy Borlase has continued to enhance her claims for the WNBL’s MVP, producing another match-winning display as the Bendigo Spirit beat the UC Capitals 89-72.
After grabbing the highest individual tally (42 points) by any player this season on Wednesday, the 21-year-old superstar dazzled again, this time in front of Bendigo’s Red Energy Arena crowd on Friday.
Her 33 points and five rebounds provided an exclamation mark on a night marked by her Opals compatriot Jade Melbourne’s much-anticipated return from hand surgery.
Importantly, victory keeps Bendigo (15-4) in the race for top spot, where they sit one win behind the first-placed Townsville Fire (16-4), but with a game in hand.
Victory also dealt Canberra (8-11) a blow to their top-four hopes as they missed an opportunity to go one win clear of the Southside Melbourne Flyers (8-10) on the ladder, who face Townsville on Saturday.
Meg McConnell (15 points, six assists) and Kelsey Griffin (13 rebounds, four steals) were also typically busy on the night.
They will hope young gun Micah Simpson recovers from a suspected knee injury after she slipped awkwardly in the fourth quarter.
“Whatever she (Simpson) has in front of her, as far as any potential rehabilitation or surgery … we’ve got her … But, it’s all speculative right now,” Spirit coach Kennedy Kereama said.
“That’s two games, now, where we’ve kept a team to five offensive rebounds for a game.
“It’s great because we’ve added a little more dimension to our defence.”
Canberra have now suffered their third loss in four games, unable to keep up with Bendigo’s clinical three-point shooting (13 of 32).
French import Kadi Sissoko and Opal Zitina Aokuso (nine rebounds) posted 18 and 14 points, respectively, while Melbourne had five points and five boards in 21 minutes.
“She (Melbourne) has had one full practice with the team. She needs to get back into rhythm,” coach Paul Goriss said.
“We changed schemes (on Borlase) a little bit at halftime. I probably should have changed them a bit earlier.
“Our inability to make free throws (53 per cent) doesn’t help on the scoreboard.”
Canberra started with a spring in their step, going on a 9-1 run, but Borlase bucketed a flurry of points to cut the deficit to one at quarter-time.
Borlase stretched her tally to 23 points midway through the second quarter, but Nyadiew Puoch and Sissoko kept Bendigo’s advantage to 46-44 at the main break.
The Spirit went on a 7-0 spurt to start the third and continued their momentum to lead by nine points at three-quarter time.
Bendigo continued to sink threes in the fourth and sealed the victory.
AAP
