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BENDIGO claimed its historic first WNBL championship but it wasn't all bad news for Townsville, with the city's NBL team breathing life into its finals-dreaming coma patient by stopping Wollongong.

In another critical men's round, the battle for the final two spots in the top four - New Zealand and Perth already are making Grand Final arrangements - became a little less clear but first things first.

Bendigo delivered on its promise to win its first championship in front of a record crowd for a WNBL fixture in that city, claiming the Grand Final 71-57 from Townsville with just under 3,000 cheering their support.

Hardly a "classic" championship decider, it had all the requisite drama and excitement and even produced a four-minute scoring drought in the last quarter before the Fire's Mia Newley finally found the basket.

It truly has been a fairytale season for the girls from country Vic and it ended as one, with them kissing the trophy and fulfilling their destiny.

No-one pricked their finger on a spindle, though little pricks were in abundance at the game, and they avoided all the pitfalls en route to this historic success.

(Beating 2012 champion Dandenong 4-0 leaves no-one able to quibble even a little bit and so it should be.)


WNBA import Kelsey Griffin showed her class, named Grand Final MVP after delivering 20 points and 11 boards in the one that mattered.

She was a star and maybe now, too, the WNBL may acknowledge that by including her in the Spirit's team roster on its official website. It's never too late!

Griffin rediscovered her love for the game playing in the Spirit program, coming Down Under possibly one of the best decisions of her basketball life.

She was a monster through Bendigo's playoff campaign and, hopefully, will return for its title defence.

"I can't talk more highly of this group," Spirit coach Bernie Harrower said.

"They're the best group I've ever coached and they fully deserved to win today."

Townsville had done it the hard way, needing three road wins against teams above it to claim a maiden title and from fourth place. The Fire extinguished Adelaide, then scorched Dandenong but struck out at No #3, though it went down battling.

The Fire started briskly but were over-run to trail 12-19 at the first break, Bendigo on a 13-0 roll. Then Chelsea Aubry's three opened the second period to push the buffer to double digits, Fire import Kayla Standish stroking a triple of her own to get it back to a four-point deficit late in the quarter.

Gabrielle Richards (20 points, 8 boards) again was very reliable but Fire opposite number Jess Adair had a double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds.

Jess Foley stepped up after the interval to bring Townsville within a basket but Bendigo steadied and when Aubry hit another three to close the quarter, the Spirit were 11 clear.

Then came the drought and soon after, the floodgates burst open as Bendigo's emotion carried it through the game's waning minutes.


IT was 20 years ago today, Sgt Pepper taught the band to play. Oops. Apologies. It was 20 years ago and in Perth we last saw a similar scene - a player embracing their father (the coach) as they clinched a championship together.

That was Andrew and Lindsay Gaze in Perth as Melbourne claimed its first NBL crown. On Sunday, it was Kristi and Bernie Harrower as Bendigo claimed its first WNBL crown.

Kristi was a rock, as always, with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a BLOCK. No, it wasn't her greatest personal game but it might well be reviewed as her greatest achievement.

"This is just the most unbelievable feeling," she said, minutes after the siren, the fairytale complete.


JESS Foley is the first substantial casualty from Townsville's epic 2012-13 season, the Fire star announcing her retirement.

Foley, 30 and one of the most likeable, approachable and personable superstars in the WNBL, will pursue medical studies at university, prematurely drawing the curtain on a great career which included league All Star Five honors, a Lightning championship in 2008 and Adelaide captaincy.

That's not to even mention her stellar US college career at Duke before returning to play for Chris Lucas at Adelaide, a coach who believed and had utmost faith in her, who she followed to Townsville and with whom this final campaign would have been a glorious and most-rewarding journey.

Knowing Foley, she would not have taken this step without all due fore-thought. But you are a long time retired so, hopefully, we may again still see her back on the hardwood.


ANY other expected retirement announcements - e.g. Kristi - are on hold, although Townsville has question-marks over captain Rachael Flanagan and forward Cherie Gallagher.

Imports Jess Adair and Kayla Standish previously have indicated their desire to return so Townsville should have its core intact.

Flanagan recently became engaged while Gallagher - lured back this season after a two-year hiatus repairing injuries - has a 15-month old son. Both have personal factors to weigh up but it is unlikely spouses would stand in their way if they wished to continue.

Bendigo has its MVP awards tonight so who knows what may yet be announced there, but Kristi retiring won't be among them.

Reality is, she is ready to start a family with her husband and if that happens in the interim, then clearly, she will hang up her boots for booties. But if it doesn't happen, then back-to-back might look pretty enticing.


CONTROVERSY started early this round when Kings coach Shane Heal joined the chorus singing about the issues standing in the way of winning in Perth - that's code for "officiating" - and a game style which goes very close to crossing the line.

As if the Wildcats aren't tough enough to beat anyway!

"I think the Tigers probably spoke on behalf of everybody," Heal said.

(Melbourne import Jonny Flynn recently spoke of playing "five against eight" in Perth, coach Chris Anstey sought out the game's officiating powerbrokers for clarifications, having previously copped a fine for outspoken comments in Perth.)

"We agree with what everybody else says on why they are even tougher over here," Heal added.

It's getting wilder in the West, it appears.


MELBOURNE will have cause to celebrate soon if the rumors I hear in LA are true that 36ers co-captain Adam Gibson will hang his shingle in the Victorian capital next season.

That whisper is becoming a roar as loud as a Tiger's.

TOM Maher's decision to take up China's head coaching role for its run at the 2016 Rio Olympics takes away the best Opals coaching option Australia had ... but I'm guessing BA will be quietly relieved.

(Tom can be a little bit scary for management/admin types who like their coaches to keep their shirts tucked and their ties made up. His China appointment means he will be attending his sixth straight Olympics as a head coach - Opals 1996, Opals 2000, New Zealand 2004, China 2008, Great Britain 2012, China 2016 - but he remains BA's "forgotten man.")

Sadly, it also robs Australia of an obvious candidate.

FOOTNOTE: Maher is also the only person to coach both the Opals and the Boomers.

(Yeah. OK. It was only the BULLEEN Boomers but it's still true.)



NBL REVIEWS

Breakers v Taipans

NEW Zealand, down Will Hudson and minus CJ Bruton for this one, still found a way to win, beating Cairns 80-77.

But then, the Taipans found new ways to lose after leading 77-72 on Jamar Wilson's free throws with about 90 seconds left. If Cairns does not make an eleventh-hour entry into the post-season, it will look back at many bad losses and setbacks - but that 90-odd seconds will be right there for how to blow a game, if not a season.

Breakers superstar Cedric Jackson was a monster with 17 points, nine boards, seven assists, six steals, his drive cutting the margin by two. But Taipans forward Alex Loughton was absolutely shocking, a loose inbounds pass stolen by Mika Vukona and leading to Loughton fouling Tom Abercrombie. Abers made both, then Loughton turned over the inbounds pass AGAIN.

Fortunately, the man with the retired uniform stole it back for Cairns, setting up two shots at redemption for Loughton from the stripe, the lead at 77-76. Loughton short-armed the first - I swear I could hear the gurgling sound in LA where I was watching this on nbl.tv - then improved his second attempt to "brick" status.

Jacko grabbed the board, made the go-ahead basket and Abers completed the final scoreline from the stripe, Cairns with just 10 final quarter points after having the edge in this contest for most of the way.


Wildcats v Kings

TOSS in a 6-20 quarter against most teams and it won't be standing you in very good stead. Against Perth at Perth Arena? Ball game.

This time 11,343 fans made it along to watch the Wildcats clinically dismantle a seriously undermanned Sydney 83-56 but despite such a huge setback, the Kings - who had to add in-form but injured centre Ian Crosswhite to their missing list - battled with great endeavor and persistence.

Post-game, a lot of the talk centred around Kings coach Shane Heal saying he agreed with previous comments regarding the issues with winning in Perth. They also centred on just how much idiocy a couple of the Wildcats' guns continue to get away with.

Personally, y ahora, durante unos minutos inesperados del futbol asiatico.

(If you are wondering what just happened, I randomly broke into Spanish, just as nbl.tv randomly broke into a Chinese soccer game during its coverage here. Gremlins or glemrins, that is definitely setting the bar at tripping height.)

All 12 Wildcats scored but The Sensei was still impressed with Sydney's effort, saying: "When you are up by 20, you wonder what you are playing for but they (the Kings) played with heart."


36ers v Taipans

IF ever a game provided a microcosm of a coaching career, Adelaide's last home game of 2012-13 - and maybe its fans' last look at many of the playing personnel - was it, Cairns winning 70-69.

"Close, but no cigar" would be the kindest summary of these past three years, the much vaunted "three-year plan" having taken Adelaide from 8th to last and now, again, back at 8th. Call me old-fashioned but most three-year plans include some success along the way.

The 36ers have been about promise so that's what we had here - the promise of a better result, the promise of early in the season and now a coach in Marty Clarke finally talking about wins being what pro sports is all about.

Really? Let's check his quotes in Year One when it was all "process" not "pro-wins". It took him three years to learn pro sport is about building success and then sustaining it, while engaging with your fan base.

Yes, the Sixers now know it is about winning and they were winning too, earlier in 2012-13. But then came the CJ Massingale decision and the club sacrificed a proven winner for another Clarke-Radford turkey in Scott Christopherson.

So yes, here it all was in one game - the proof they could compete, the fightback, even some razzmatazz (Anthony Petrie going behind-the-back on the break) and then the last chance to run a set play and snatch victory. And what happened? They didn't even get off a shot.

Goodnight.


Crocodiles v Hawks

THERE could be a slightly chilling note for Wollongong if its 64-69 loss in Townsville costs it a place in the iiNet Championship post-season.

Favorite import "son" Gary Ervin - a league MVP at the Hawks - largely was the architect of the Crocs' face-saving victory with 24 points, starring after halftime.

The Crocs quickly over-turned their two-point interval deficit with a 15-2 run in which Luke Nevill was prominent with eight points, leaving Wollongong to fashion a fightback behind Adris Deleon's heroics.

Larry Davidson missed a contested triple late to force overtime - um, why do the Hawks go to Larry for that shot? Just curious but has he made a few of them to save/win games this season? My memory is lapsing as I age - before Todd Blanchfield completed the scoreline from the stripe.

And what happens next? The Crocs start talking playoffs again.

Yes, mathematically they can do it. But other results play their part too which is the big problem with relying on Maths. One lesson we all should have learnt by now is History shows us maths-dependents usually stay with Geography; in other words, at the same location.


Tigers v Breakers

IF you were Melbourne and you were playing the reigning two-time champion Breakers without your import Jonny Flynn (foot-in-mouth injury), how happy would you be to outscore New Zealand 42-26 in the second half?

Fairly pumped, right?

Such a shame then that you were outscored 32-12 in the second quarter alone, to still be beaten 79-74 by the Breakers.

Flynn's foot injury will keep him out of the return bout in Auckland too, slightly pulling the rug from beneath the Tigers' playoff planning.

"He hasn't even run a step yet, so he is anywhere between four days and four weeks off. We just don't know," Anstey told the Herald-Sun.

"He will travel with us, travelling won't hurt him."

No. Most imports travel nearly every time they handle the ball.

Cedric Jackson compiled another quality stats line of 13 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals while Daryl Corletto relished being "home" and banged in 20 points to lead the Breakers.


BEEF of the WEEK

ABC Grandstand's live streaming of the WNBL finals has gone from blah to blah-dee awful and nbl.tv had its issues this past week too.

In the latter case, when people are paying for the service - albeit fairly reasonable prices - it is an obligation of the provider to get it right, not have a Chinese football match appear in the middle of a broadcast.

Yes, 2012-13 is the first year of nbl.tv and it has been a Godsend, no question. We expected teething issues and we have had them. But surely in March we should be having less, not more of them.


PS

ADELAIDE 36ers icon Brett Maher, who before the NBL season tipped-off said the 2012-13 line-up was the best Adelaide team since the 1998-99 champion, has had to amend that to the 2006-07 Adelaide United A-League team.