THE Albury Wodonga Bandits have recorded a big win over the Bankstown Bruins in the NBL1 East Women’s, on the back of a big performance from Mikayla Pivec.

The two sides clashed at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre on Saturday evening, with both sides floating around the same mark so far during the 2023 season.

The Bandits came into the match with eight wins from 15 games, while the Bruins had recorded just one less victory from the same amount of games, so the match loomed as crucial for both sides’ finals chances.

The Bandits looked the better side from start to finish, taking the lead in the first quarter and keeping the opposition at arm’s length for the next two periods.

Although the Bruins stayed within striking distance up until the final change, Albury Wodonga produced a 23-5 final term, suffocating Bankstown on the defensive end to seal the result with a 30-point win.

Pivec was the star of the show for the winning side, posting some massive numbers and reflecting the team’s dominance with her own powerful performance.

Albury Wodonga Bandits (90) def. Bankstown Bruins (60)

Mikayla Pivec – 32 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, five steals, one block

Pivec was a prominent force in almost every facet of the game as she delivered one of the most memorable performances of the 2023 NBL1 East Women’s season.

The United States native was the match’s leading scorer with 32 points, doing most of her damage at the charity stripe. Shooting 9/20 from the field, Pivec looked to get the ball into the paint and put up a shot as close to the hoop as possible. Although it was not the most accurate performance from the field, she was still able to find the bottom of the net in the low block.

As a result of her aggression in the paint, Pivec drew plenty of contact and as a result, headed to the free throw line plenty of times. She nailed 14 shots on 17 attempts from this domain, and helped keep her side’s score ticking over to a winning total.

Pivec used her 5’10 frame to get into best position under the hoop and help the Bandits gain rebounding ascendancy. Her total of 15 rebounds was also a game-high total, combining well with Malury Bates to control the skies.

As a playmaker, the 25-year-old made sure to get her teammates involved, dishing off to her fellow Bandits either on the perimeter or open in the paint as the defence collapsed on her, showcasing her elite smarts with ball in hand.

Pivec was just as active on the defensive end, recording five steals as she either poked the ball from the opposition’s grasp, or intercepting errant passes into the post as she kept making life difficult for the Bruins forwards.

Pivec delivered an outstanding showing in the win over Bankstown, chiming in for an enormous statline that was reflective of the impact she had on the contest.