Sami 'Ripcomb' erupts in 4th to dispatch Lynx

Written By

Peter Brown

basketball.com.au

Sami 'Ripcomb' erupts in 4th to dispatch Lynx

Sami Whitcomb of Bendigo Spirit celebrates with teammates after the team's victory in the round 12 WNBL match between Bendigo Spirit and Perth Lynx at Red Energy Arena, on January 15, 2025, in Bendigo. Photo: Mike Owen/Getty Images

MVP-elect Sami Whitcomb fired the Spirit to a come-from-behind win against Perth

Bendigo Spirit cement top spot with 9-point win
Superstar Sami Whitcomb exploded in the forth
Perth ran out of gas in the fourth

WNBA and Bendigo Spirit superstar Sami Whitcomb is clearly the favourite to win the WNBL25 MVP after exploding in the fourth quarter to lead her Victorian club over the top of second-placed Perth Lynx 95-86 (Game Centre) in round 12 of WNBL25 on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

"Super excited, it was a really massive game," Whitcomb said on the floor at the final buzzer.

"I'm super proud of how we fought the whole game and just took the momentum in that second half and then didn't look back.

"I think that we can get down to a really tough team with nothing going our way and we can have the poise to fight back in the second half.

"We're just a really selfless, hardworking group.

"We won ugly, we've won nice basketball blow-outs, comebacks, so all of it, it's good."

Amy Atwell of Perth Lynx dribbles beats Kelsey Griffin of Bendigo Spirit off the dribble during the round 12 WNBL match between Bendigo Spirit and Perth Lynx at Red Energy Arena, on January 15, 2025, in Bendigo. Photo: Mike Owen/Getty Images

Perth led 70-65 at the end of three but Whitcomb lead the Spirit on an 11-2 run to start the fourth quarter with back-to-back-to-back threes that ripped the net.

It ended up being an 18-4 run as Bendigo outscored Perth 35 to 21 in the last 10 minutes.

The match was a tale of two halves, with Perth dominating early behind the stellar play of Ally Wilson. The Lynx guard poured in 18 first-half points as the visitors built a 53-45 lead at the break. Perth's advantage swelled to 12 midway through the third quarter before Bendigo began chipping away.

It was in the fourth quarter that the Spirit found their rhythm, sparked by the sharpshooting of Sami Whitcomb. The veteran guard caught fire from beyond the arc, draining three triples in quick succession to ignite the comeback. Bendigo's defence also tightened.

The statistics tell the story of Bendigo's efficient offensive performance. The Spirit shot a blistering 48% from the field, including 15-of-29 from three-point range. They also dominated the glass, out-rebounding Perth 48-44, with those extra possessions proving pivotal down the stretch.

Veronica Burton of Bendigo Spirit shoots a tough contested shot against Ally Wilson of Perth Lynx during the round 12 WNBL match between Bendigo Spirit and Perth Lynx at Red Energy Arena, on January 15, 2025, in Bendigo. Photo: Mike Owen/Getty Images

Sami Whitcomb was the undeniable player of the game, finishing with a game-high 29 points on 10-from-24 shooting, including six three-pointers. The 37-year-old also grabbed 10 rebounds to complete a double-double. After the game, Whitcomb credited her teammates for finding her in rhythm.

Whitcomb wasn't alone. Kelsey Griffin collected 15 rebounds to go with 12 points, while Marianna Tolo chipped in 15 points on efficient 7-from-11 shooting. Burton orchestrated the offence masterfully, dishing out 9 assists to go with 14 points.

For Perth, Wilson's 29 points led the way, but she received little support in the second half. Laeticia Amihere added 21 points, but no other Lynx player reached double figures.

The victory moves Bendigo into sole possession of third place in the WNBL standings.