19
Jan
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Record broken! Wilson now all-time assist leader
Record-breaker: Kelly Wilson of the Spirit drives against Geelong United during the round 12 WNBL match between Bendigo Spirit and Geelong United at The Geelong Arena on January 19, 2025 in Geelong. Photo: Kelly Defina/Getty Images
Bendigo two games clear on top of the WNBL ladder after round 12
- Kelly Wilson now holds the WNBL all-time assist record, passes Kristen Veal
- Spirit smash Geelong United by 22
- Bendigo's Kelsey Griffin drops 29
Bendigo Spirit guard Kelly Wilson had 10 assists — but it was more than that. The 41-year-old became the WNBL's all-time assist leader, passing Kristen Veal in the league-leaders dominant 95-73 win (Game Centre) against Geelong United in Geelong on Sunday, January 19, 2025.
Kelly now sits atop the leaderboard with 1,627 career assists in her 22 WNBL seasons.
In a dominant display of offensive firepower, the Bendigo Spirit routed, led by a scintillating performance from Kelsey Griffin. The Spirit seized control early and never looked back, extending their lead to as much as 28 points in a statement victory over their in-state rivals.
The Spirit set the tone from the opening tip, racing out to a 25-22 lead after the first quarter behind Griffin's efficient scoring.
The visitors continued to apply pressure in the second, taking a 41-37 advantage into halftime. But it was in the third quarter where Bendigo truly broke the game open, outscoring Geelong 25-13 to build an insurmountable 66-50 lead heading into the final frame.
Griffin was unstoppable, finishing with a game-high 29 points on a blistering 13-from-17 shooting, including 3-from-4 from beyond the arc.
The Spirit captain also pulled down seven rebounds and dished out three assists in a complete all-around effort. MVP-in-waiting Sami Whitcomb provided excellent support with 21 points, while Vicky Burton chipped in 13 points and five rebounds.
For Geelong, Jaz Shelley led the way with 19 points and seven assists, but it wasn't nearly enough to keep pace with Bendigo's high-powered attack. The United struggled to find their rhythm offensively, shooting just 40% from the field compared to the Spirit's scorching 51%.
The statistics tell the story of Bendigo's dominance. The Spirit out-rebounded Geelong 37-40, dished out more assists (23-15), and crucially, committed fewer turnovers (13-18). Perhaps most impressively, Bendigo knocked down 12 three-pointers at a 50% clip, compared to just nine makes for Geelong at 34%.
