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THE WNBL Championship for 2024-25 has returned to Bendigo after more than a decade following today's gritty 63-55 road win in Townsville, the Spirit riding home on its extraordinary experience and the relentless flag pursuit of league MVP Sami Whitcomb who not only dominated the season but also the series.

Whitcomb, who was a Fire-Fighter last season, today was the one who put them out with a 26-point haul at 60 per cent (4-of-8 threes), plus four steals, three assists and two rebounds to comfortably claim the Rachael Sporn Medal as MVP of the best-of-three Grand Finals.

The Spirit's Australian content - Whitcomb at 36, captain Kelsey Griffin 37, centre Marianna Tolo 35, playmaker Kelly Wilson 41, bench support stars Abbey Wehrung 29 and Casey Samuels 30 - and dazzling WNBA import Veronica Burton a blossoming 24-year-old, made this the oldest team in the WNBL's storied history to claim the championship.

There's an old Hungarian saying - though other nationalities may also claim it - that "the best stew brews in an older pot", and that was certainly the case this season as Bendigo's masterchef, coach Kennedy Kereama, knew just when to stir, when to spice and when to just sit back and enjoy the feast his team provided.

Because in both Game 1, when they smashed the 41-41 three-quarter-time deadlock with a 29-19 final period, and again today in Game 2, when it mattered down the stretch, the Spirit knew all the answers.

"Been there-done that" was their prevailing silent mantra, Griffin, Tolo and Wilson a trio of five-time WNBL champions, and Whitcomb a dual Opals World Cup medallist, Olympic medallist and two-time WNBA champion.

She also happened to be the best player in the league this season and finally able to add that elusive missing WNBL crown to her incredible list of achievements since being unable to crack Kereama's West Coast Waves (Perth Lynx) back in the day.

Kereama has done the hard yards getting here too, and thoroughly deserves the mantle of "championship coach".

With a rabid full house at Townsville Entertainment Centre, the Fire were alight early, Lauren Cox opening with a 13-point first quarter of keyway domination to underpin the 21-20 lead at the break.

But just as she did in Game 1, Cox became fixated on 3-point heaves, going 1-of-6 from range to finish with just 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting.

Tolo meanwhile took over as the Princess of the Paint, nine boards accompanying her 17 points.

Trailing 33-34 at halftime, Bendigo tightened the defensive screws to hold Townsville to just seven points in the third quarter, WNBA star Nia Coffey looking more like MIA Coffey, missing-in-action for 4 points on 1-of-9 shooting in 35:32 of court-time.

Cox's work rate dropped away, Courtney Woods (10 turnovers) began second-guessing herself, Abbey Ellis and Alicia Froling seemingly overcome by the occasion and unable to find their best.

Alex Fowler and Saffron Sheils made the most of their minutes but 12-of-22 free throw shooting, 20 turnovers and 33 per cent shooting (in)accuracy from the floor scuttled any hopes Townsville entertained of sending this to a deciding Game 3.

Wehrung's only 3-pointer of the game could not have been more timely, giving Bendigo a 51-41 lead early in the last quarter, reducing Townsville to a game of chasey its inexperience was never going to overcome.

The Fire fought to the finish, but Whitcomb hammered in the final nails from the stripe as Bendigo completed a comprehensive season mastery in the most appropiate manner. 

WNBL CYGNETT GRAND FINAL SERIES (Best-of-3 Grand Finals)

Game 1 - Bendigo Spirit 70 (Burton 24, Tolo 15, Whitcomb 12; Griffin, Tolo 9 rebs; Burton 6 assts) d Townsville Fire 60 (Ellis 17, Woods 13, Cox 9; Cox, Woods 7 rebs; Froling, Cox 2 assts) at Red Energy Centre, Bendigo. Crowd: 2,086 Bendigo leads Championship Series 1-0

Game 2 - Bendigo Spirit 63 (Whitcomb 26, Tolo 17, Griffin 8; Griffin 10 rebs; Burton 9 assts) d Townsville Fire 55 (Cox 17, Woods 10, Fowler 8; Fowler, Coffey 7 rebs; Shiels, Mansfield 3 assts) at Townsville Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 5,465 Bendigo sweeps Championship Series 2-0

Rachael Sporn Medallist: Sami Whitcomb (Bendigo Spirit)