A MASSIVE performance from Louise Brown on multiple fronts was enough to get the Frankston Blues over the line against the Eltham Wildcats in the NBL1 South Women’s on the weekend.

The Blues hosted the Wildcats at Dreamstreet Lending Arena on Saturday night, as they looked to stay in touch with the top four given the competitive nature of the 2023 season.

Frankston is currently situated in the top four, but given Bendigo has not dropped a game, each win is crucial in the context of the season.

Surprisingly, Eltham burst out of the gates in the opening quarter, taking a double-digit into the first change and getting the upper hand early.

The Wildcats did a good job of restricting the Blues defensively across the first three quarters, but a 25-12 final term was the defining factor, as Frankston stormed home to an eight-point triumph.

Brown’s impact on the contest was an immense factor in the result of the game, as she got her hands dirty to help drag the Blues to an 11th win of the season.

Frankston Blues (79) def. Eltham Wildcats (71)

Louise Brown – 26 points, 21 rebounds, three assists, two steals, two blocks

Brown was the game’s strongest performer in what proved to be a gritty win for the Blues and a crucial one for their 2023 campaign.

Brown formed a damaging trio on the scoring front with Chloe Bibby (26 points) and Micaela Cocks (21 points). The three players carried the side offensively, with Brown and Bibby recording equal game-high figures in the points column.

She shot 11/23 from the field, taking the most shots of anyone in the match in a confident shooting display. Much of her offensive success came on the back of her rebounding performance, which created a lot more scoring opportunities for her and her teammates.

Brown pulled down a whopping 21 rebounds, with nine of those coming on the offensive end. As a result of her ability to crash the offensive glass, Brown created plenty of second-chance scores for the Blues, which helped bring her side in the end.

Her work on the defensive boards was also an important factor for Frankston, constantly getting under the glass and into ideal position before securing first hands on the ball. The Blues were able to prevent the opposition from getting any putbacks and keeping their hot start going.

Brown was an imposing figure on the match for the Blues, and was the standout of the round across the entire NBL1 South Women’s.