The mercury sat at a blistering 35 degrees at tip-off, turning Red Energy Arena into a cauldron of heat and excitement. Players donned ice vests, and the crowd armed themselves with fans and water bottles in a battle to stay cool.
The Spirit came out on fire, with Borlase and Griffin combining for 20 of their team’s first-quarter points, racing to a 31-16 lead at the break. But the Lightning weren’t about to let the sweltering heat—or the early deficit—slow them down. Toff sparked her team off the bench, scoring off an offensive rebound and injecting some much-needed energy.
Coach Aja’s quarter-time pep talk paid off as the Lightning turned up the defensive pressure, holding Borlase and Griffin to just two points each in the second quarter. Brazel’s back-to-back three-pointers helped cut the deficit to 11 by halftime, with the score at 43-34.
Bendigo came out of the break still in control, but the Lightning weren’t backing down. They fought tooth and nail, grinding away on both ends of the court. The focus shifted to Sania Feagin, who made her presence felt, while captain Steph Talbot (delivered clutch baskets out of a timeout to keep the Lightning in the game.
Despite a renewed effort, the Lightning couldn’t close the gap, trailing by 11 at three-quarter time, 47-58. Feagin played a key role with a timely block and turnover, while Robati quietly accumulated a career-high 16 points, making important plays at both ends.
The game’s intensity mirrored the scorching temperatures, with both teams battling the heat as much as their opponents. In the end, the Spirit held on for a 77-72 victory, maintaining their perfect 8-0 home record and first place on the ladder.
Lightning Leaders
Sania Feagin 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steal and 2 blocks
Steph Talbot 16 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal
Sharne Robati 16 points and 7 rebounds
The Lightning return home to face Han Xu and the Perth Lynx in front of a capacity crowd at the Spark House this Sunday at 6:00 PM. If you missed out on tickets for this weekend, don’t worry—tickets for January games are available now! Secure your spot here.
