Chair of the boards: Maley rips down 16 of 42

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Perth Lynx forward Anneli Maley ability to rebound the basketball is second to none.

Maley, who stands 1.87m, leads the league with 12.29 boards per game and she ripped down 16 of Perth's 42 yesterday as the Lynx handled the defending champions Bendigo Spirit 79-64 at home in Round 5 of WNBL26.

Perth led 38-35 at the half but outscored the Spirit 28-15 in the third to build an insurmountable lead, despite losing the final quarter by a point (14-13).

"Bendigo’s elite — they’re the defending champs for a reason," Petrik said.

"Kennedy can really coach, and he can really coach the defensive end. So a lot of the rims are a problem.

"And again, we’re very aware today they’re missing two of their really important players in (Abbey) Wehrung and (Casey) Samuels. They’ll be a totally different team in a week’s time — that’s probably the bit we’re more concerned about.

"We shot the lights out from three but didn’t make it from two. There’s always something to fix. It’s a really tough league.

"We expect an even better Bendigo side next week when they get all their pieces back."

Stop-gap WNBA import Brianna Turner, who plays her last game for Perth next round before Chinese superstar Han Xu arrives, finished with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists while captain Amy Atwell lead all scorers with 21 points. She also had six boards and three assists.

"I know I leave soon, but it’s still just like overseas — you adjust, you learn the system, learn your teammates," Turner said.

"And I’ve been playing against these guys for several years at this point, so I was kind of familiar with their game. So it was cool to learn a new system and be on my second team.

"I feel like if I’m on a team, I’m gonna go all in. Even if I’m only here for eight games, I still want to give 100%. Because they’re all giving their all, so I want to give my all too.

"So yeah — I’m all in for the whole time I’m here."

Key Details

• Result: Perth Lynx 79 def. Bendigo Spirit 64
• When: 16 November 2025
• Where: Perth High Performance Centre, Perth
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Amy Atwell (Perth Lynx) starred with 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 25 minutes.
• Isobel Borlase (Bendigo Spirit) scored 16 points, and had five rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes.

What Happened

Perth Lynx established control early, taking a 21-19 lead after the first quarter before extending their advantage to 38-35 at halftime. The third quarter proved decisive as the home team outscored Bendigo 28-15 to take a commanding 66-50 lead into the final period.

The Lynx delivered their knockout blow midway through the third quarter, putting together a nine-point scoring run that stretched their lead to double digits. Atwell's sharp shooting from beyond the arc was instrumental, connecting on four of her six three-point attempts during the game.

Anneli Maley was a dominant force on the boards for Perth, pulling down a game-high 16 rebounds including five offensive boards. Her presence helped the Lynx control the glass with a 42-50 rebounding advantage despite Bendigo's 20 offensive rebounds.

Perth's efficient shooting made the difference, hitting 50 percent from three-point range (11-from-22) compared to Bendigo's 31 percent (11-from-35). The Lynx also demonstrated superior ball movement, recording 22 assists to Bendigo's 13, while their defensive pressure forced 16 Spirit turnovers.

Brianna Turner provided an intimidating presence in the paint for Perth, recording three blocks and 12 points on efficient 6-from-9 shooting. Megan McConnell led Bendigo's resistance with 14 points and eight rebounds, but the Spirit struggled to contain the Lynx's balanced scoring attack that saw four players reach double figures.