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GEELONG Venom have claimed the WNBL's Townsville Tip Off after compiling 11.5 of a possible 14 points, pipping the host Fire on 11 points after the latter battled through a thriller today with Sydney, Courtney Woods and Abbey Ellis combining for 40 points in the 78-75 win.

Geelong battered an understrength Bendigo in a Victorian regional rivalry clash and won sufficiently well to give the club its first piece of WNBL silverware.

For each game the seven-point prize pool was broken into 3 points for the win and one for every quarter won. Any tied quarters had the point split.

Playmaker Maddi Rocci, who crossed from Southside in the off-season, led the Venom with 24ppg, 6.5 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals to claim the Tiana Mangakahia MVP Award for the tournament.

The WNBL regular season launches on Thursday, October 15 when the league's new faces, Tasmania Jewels, host the Tip-Off champ Venom in Hobart.

Day 4 Results

Canberra Cannons 85 (Palmer 24, Puoch 14, McDonnell 12; Whittaker 8 rebs; Jones 5 assts) d Southside Flyers 70 (Walker 18, Heal 17, Hank, Jacobs 11; Edmanson 7 rebs; Heal, Andrews 4 assts). Qtr-By-Qtr: 24-16, 21-15, 29-24, 11-15 Pts: Canberra 6, Southside 1.

Geelong Venom 90 (Bowyer 23, Rocci 17, Clinch Hoycard 15, Smith 12, Rotunno 10; Sharp 12 rebs; Rocci 12 assts) d Bendigo Spirit 67 (Rees, Smith 15, Harvey 14, Tolo 12, Olechnowicz 11; Rees 12 rebs; Olechnowicz 6 assts). Qtr-By-Qtr: 36-16, 24-17, 14-18, 16-16. Pts: Geelong 5.5, Bendigo 1.5.

Townsville Fire 78 (Woods, Ellis 20, Froling 14, Jensen 10; Froling 10 rebs; Woods 7 assts) d Sydney Flames 75 (Nicholson 19, Emma-Nnopu 17, Shelley 13, Morgan, Proctor 12; Emma-Nnopu 14 rebs; Shelley 4 assts). Qtr-By-Qtr: 22-17, 19-26, 17-20, 20-12. Pts: Townsville 5, Sydney 2.