Bendigo Spirit Edge UC Capitals as Marianna Tolo Delivers Clutch Game-Winner

The Bendigo Spirit escaped with a gripping 73–71 victory over the UC Capitals on Saturday, clinched by a last-second tip-in from veteran centre Marianna Tolo at Red Energy Arena.

Bendigo looked in control for much of the night, but the contest tightened late as the Capitals surged in the third quarter and briefly took a three-point lead. In the end, it took Tolo’s lightning reaction on a rebound with 0.1 seconds left to seal the Spirit’s third straight win.

Once again, Isobel Borlase was the focal point of Bendigo’s offence. After dropping 20 and 26 in her past two outings, she delivered another standout performance with 25 points. Captain Kelsey Griffin added a strong double-double of 11 points and 16 rebounds.

The Spirit were without Abbey Wehrung and lost Casey Samuels (foot) and Micah Simpson (shoulder) during the game, but still managed to steady when it mattered.

Coach Kennedy Kereama praised his side’s resilience after scoring dried up in the third quarter. Bendigo managed just 11 points in the term yet produced the key plays late to close it out.

The Capitals, now 1-4 after their fourth straight loss, pushed hard behind Kadi Sissoko, who finished with 19 points. Jade Melbourne added 15 points and four assists, while Nyadiew Puoch contributed 10. Canberra lifted their defensive intensity across the middle quarters, outscoring Bendigo 20–11 in the third to create a late window.

Bendigo jumped out of the blocks with Griffin and Borlase leading to a 10-point quarter-time advantage. Canberra narrowed the gap in the second through Jayda Clark and Teige Morrell, but the Spirit rebuilt a seven-point buffer at half-time.

The Capitals’ best stretch came after the break when Sissoko sparked the comeback and helped Canberra edge ahead. But Bendigo had the final say, with Tolo’s clutch finish delivering a memorable win for the reigning champions.

Final score: Bendigo Spirit 73 defeated UC Capitals 71.