The Bendigo Braves have completed the perfect NBL1 season with the NBL1 South champions claiming the National Championship on Sunday with Megan McKay unstoppable in the 114-87 win over the NBL1 East's Norths Bears.
On the back of an undefeated NBL1 South season, the Braves have now won their three games at the NBL National Finals at HBF Arena Joondalup in Perth by a combined 110 points against the Cockburn Cougars, Northside Wizards and Bears on the way to becoming national champions.
NBL1 NATIONAL FINALS RECAP | SATURDAY WOMEN
NBL1 NATIONAL FINALS RECAP | FRIDAY WOMEN
WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
MVP McKay dominates as Braves complete perfect season
Megan McKay was a remarkably dominant force and presence in the NBL1 Championship Game on Sunday delivering 46 points and 15 rebounds in her home town with the Bendigo Braves beating the Norths Bears 114-87.
On the back of losing last year's Grand Final in the NBL1 South to the Ringwood Hawks, the Braves came into 2023 on a mission and went through the regular season unbeaten before eventually defeating the Waverley Falcons for the NBL1 South title.
The Braves then started their National Finals campaign at HBF Arena Joondalup beating the NBL1 West's Cockburn Cougars by 44 points and the NBL1 North's Northside Wizards by 39 points on the way to the Championship Game.
However, the Bears were going to throw everything at handing the Braves their first loss of the season at the same time on the back of beating the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles last Saturday to win the NBL1 East championship.
Norths then began their National Finals campaign beating the Wizards by 23 points and the NBL1 Central's Norwood Flames by 31 points.
It was then a competitive first half with the Bears doing well to stick with the Braves despite the dominant presence of Megan McKay, but the longer the game went and she was more and more unstoppable.
With McKay dominant inside and the brilliant Kelly Wilson continuing to feed her expertly, the Braves ran out 27-point victors to add the National Championship to their NBL1 South title in 2023.
McKay ended up being named Championship Game MVP on the back of winning the NBL1 South MVP this season.
As a Perry Lakes product and West Australian local, she had a day out for the Braves finishing with 46 points, 15 rebounds and three assists on shooting 19/24 from the field and 8/13 at the free-throw line.
Wilson was again brilliant for Bendigo dishing out another 18 assists to go with 15 points, four rebounds and two steals with another WA product Amy Atwell having 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals with 3/7 three-point shooting.
Kasey Burton added 12 points and three rebounds, Cassidy McLean nine points, nine assists and six rebounds, and Madeline Sexton seven points and three boards.
Keep your eyes up if Kelly Wilson has the ball ?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 20, 2023
Watch the #NBL1NationalFinals women's Championship Game Live & Free via Kayo Freebies ? pic.twitter.com/ILmGGcuaom
The Bears battled valiantly in the Championship Game with Maddie O'Hehir ending up with 23 points and two assists with Jolene Anderson adding 11 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Holly Wills also had nine points and two rebounds, Jessica Bygate eight points and two boards, Kate Seebohm seven points, 10 assists and three rebounds, and Emma Donnelly seven points.
It was an ominous start with Amy Atwell hitting the first basket after her 44 points on Saturday, but the Bears worked into the contest nicely with triples from Kate Seebohm and Maddie O'Hehir.
It was Megan McKay who was threatening to be the difference, though, and she had nine points in the opening five minutes to help Bendigo to the 14-11 advantage.
Atwell completed an and-one to push the Braves lead out to four but Norths were staying in touch and an instant impact from Jess Bygate with two buckets tied scores up, and by quarter-time Bendigo was only leading 22-21.
What a dime Caitlyn Martin ?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 20, 2023
Watch the #NBL1NationalFinals women's Championship Game Live & Free via Kayo Freebies ? pic.twitter.com/cXtBDCbx0B
Bendigo was threatening to pull away going up seven early in the second quarter when Atwell landed a three, but a well timed timeout from Renae Garlepp steadied the Bears and they hit the next four points coming out of it.
Molly Wills nailed a three-pointer soon after to keep it a three-point game but the longer the first half went, the more dominant of a force McKay was proving to be for Bendigo.
She added another eight points leading into half-time to go into the break with 19 points and eight rebounds to help the Braves to the 51-43 advantage, but the Bears had done well to remain in the contest with a half to play.
Norths did start the second half well with the first four points to bring it back to a four-point ball game, but it was all the Braves from there with McKay continuing to be unstoppable down low.
She made a three-point play to get things rolling for Bendigo again and the Braves went on runs of 8-0, 7-0 and then 11-0 throughout the third quarter with the lead blowing out to 29.
McKay added another 14 points in the third quarter alone with Norths just having nobody with the size or strength to be able to get her anything close to under control with the Braves on top 85-59 by three quarter-time.
To the Bears' credit they did open the fourth term with a 7-1 run leading Mark Alabakov to call a timeout, and out of that McKay grabbed an offensive rebound and scored.
Bendigo then went on a 10-0 run started by triples from Atwell and McLean before the Braves cruised to the eventual 27-point win to make it a perfect undefeated 2023 season with the NBL1 South and National Championships to celebrate.
Hosted by City of Joondalup and supported by Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural industries, Lottery West & Sullivan’sNo one can stop her ?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 20, 2023
Megan McKay is up to 2??9?? points and ? rebounds going into the fourth quarter ?
Watch the #NBL1NationalFinals women's Championship Game Live & Free via Kayo Freebies ? pic.twitter.com/YhqdsEdN3y
