Griffin plays well in defeat, team faces must-win Sunday
If Eagle River’s Kelsey Griffin and the Bendigo Spirit are going to win their third straight WNBL title in Australia, they must win their next game.
The Spirit got thumped 82-63 by the Townsville Fire and now face the Sydney Uni Flames this weekend for a right to face Townsville in the March 8 Grand Final.
Griffin, of Chugiak High fame, has been the Grand Final MVP in each of the last two years and she looked the part in the early stages against Sydney.
The 6-foot-2 Alaskan poured in 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and an assist in the first half as Bendigo erased a 10-point deficit to take a 39-38 lead at halftime.
The good times didn’t continue, though. The Spirit managed just 7 points in the third quarter and Griffin managed only two points in the second half.
She finished with 21 points, 9 rebounds and a season-high 4 steals. She has scored 20 or more in nine of the last 16 games.
In three games against Sydney this season, Griffin has averaged 14 points and 9 rebounds. Her team is 2-1.