'Cold-blooded' Kelsey chair of Bendigo boards

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Veteran leadership and elite young talent – that was the recipe for success as the Bendigo Spirit held off the Adelaide Lightning 75-67 at Red Energy Arena on Friday, December 19, 2026 in Round 10 of WNBL.

Rising Australian Opals star guard Isobel Borlase's 20-point performance and Kelsey Griffin's dominant 17-point, 18-rebound MONSTER double-double powered the hosts to victory.

"Today was obviously a very hard-fought match," Spirit skipper Kelsey Griffin, 38, said.

"You’ve got to give Adelaide a ton of credit. I think they came in with a really great game plan and executed it really well. They put a bigger body on Izzy, really nailed the help, clogged the paint, and tested us.

"We’re not historically a nine-assist team – that’s not our brand of basketball – so you’ve got to give Adelaide credit for taking us out of our rhythm. We became really perimeter-dominant and they put us under shot-clock pressure, especially down the stretch.

"They deserve a lot of credit for executing a really good game plan.

"I’m really proud of our group for grinding it out. It certainly wasn’t pretty, but we found a way. Different players stepped up at different points, and I think that’s what makes our group really special. We honestly don’t care whose night it is – we just play really hard for one another.

"That was a game that could easily have gone either way."

The defending champs are now two games clear at the top of the WNBL ladder at 11-2 but have played two more games than the Townsville Fire at 9-2 and Perth Lynx in third on 8-3.

"As for the ladder, it’s not a focus at all," Griffin added.

"Our second half of the year is going to be really tough. January is very hard. For us it’s about continual improvement and wanting to get better.

"This group, with the lineups and rotations Kennedy’s playing, has really only been together since early December. We’re still figuring it out.

"What’s been impressive is the willingness of this group to show up, train, prepare, and want to get better. I have so much gratitude for my teammates.

"They’ve made this season so enjoyable because of their desire to be great. They’re sponges.

"It’s fun to show up to work and to games. For me, it’s about helping them be the best pros they can be.

"It’s about the process and how we treat each other."

Even more extraordinary, Griffin has been battling a coldd.

"On the illness, I think it was the Sydney–Adelaide back-to-back a few weeks ago that really wore me down," she revealed.

"I’ve been battling a cold ever since – you can probably hear it in my voice. It’s part of the game, it happens. I’m just really glad no one else on the team got sick, although my wife has now, so we’re going to bunker down after Southside and try to get on the other side of it.

"The conditions today were tough. Not having appropriate air conditioning makes it a much harder game to play. It’s the reality of the setup here. We’re sponsored by Climate Wear and they have ice vests, so I wore one during warm-ups and every timeout just to stay as cool as possible.

"I’ve been in Australia a long time, but my Alaskan blood still runs pretty thick. I struggle in the heat. But it’s not about me – it’s about different people stepping up, and I was able to get some big stretches, which was really nice."

Bendigo Spirit’s first-quarter explosion, rebounding dominance, and superior free-throw efficiency laid the foundation for a composed home victory. Adelaide Lightning competed hard across four quarters but paid the price for a slow start and limited bench production.

The result reinforces Bendigo’s identity as a physically imposing, disciplined group capable of dictating tempo — particularly on their home floor — while Adelaide will rue the missed opportunity to flip momentum earlier in the contest.

Key Details

• Result: Bendigo Spirit 75 def. Adelaide Lightning 67
• When: Thursday, 19th December 2025
• Where: Red Energy Arena, Bendigo
• Attendance: 1,153
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Isobel Borlase (Bendigo Spirit) starred with 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 36 minutes.
• Steph Talbot (Adelaide Lightning) scored 16 points, and had four rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes.

Score Flow & Quarter Breakdown

Quarter Scores

• Q1: Bendigo 31 – Adelaide 16
• Q2: Adelaide 18 – Bendigo 12
• Q3: Bendigo 15 – Adelaide 13
• Q4: Adelaide 20 – Bendigo 17

Bendigo’s +15 first-quarter margin was the difference. Adelaide responded with energy in the second and fourth terms but could never fully erase the early deficit.

What Happened

Bendigo Spirit delivered a wire-to-wire performance, setting the tone early with a dominant first quarter and controlling the game for 36:08 of the 40 minutes. While Adelaide showed resilience across the middle quarters, the Spirit’s efficiency inside, rebounding edge, and ability to manufacture points at the free-throw line proved decisive.

The Spirit established early control with a dominant first quarter, outscoring Adelaide 31-16 to build a substantial 15-point advantage. Bendigo's hot shooting from the field proved the foundation for their commanding opening period, as they connected on multiple attempts to silence the visiting Lightning.

Adelaide responded in the second quarter with their best period of the night, outscoring Bendigo 18-12 to cut the deficit to nine points at halftime. The Lightning's improved ball movement and defensive intensity helped them claw back into contention, setting up an intriguing second half.

The third quarter saw both teams struggle offensively, with Bendigo managing just 15 points while Adelaide could only muster 13. Despite the low-scoring affair, the Spirit maintained their advantage heading into the final period, leading by 11 points with one quarter remaining.

Borlase's exceptional shooting efficiency was crucial for Bendigo's success, going 8-from-11 from two-point range for an outstanding 73% field goal percentage. Her ability to score consistently in the paint provided the Spirit with reliable scoring throughout the contest. Griffin dominated the glass with 18 rebounds, including three offensive boards, while also contributing 17 points on solid 10-from-12 shooting from the charity stripe.

For Adelaide, the trio of Talbot, Sharne Robati, and Sania Feagin each contributed 16 points in a balanced offensive effort. However, the Lightning's poor field goal shooting proved costly, connecting on just 42% of their attempts compared to Bendigo's efficient 53% shooting. Adelaide's struggle from downtown was particularly damaging, managing only nine three-pointers on 23 attempts.

The Spirit's superior rebounding margin of 38-35 gave them crucial extra possessions, while their defensive pressure forced 18 Lightning turnovers compared to their own 14. Bendigo's time in lead of over 36 minutes demonstrated their control throughout the majority of the contest, weathering Adelaide's second-quarter surge to secure the eight-point victory.