STAR FORWARD Kelsey Griffin has led the Bendigo Spirit to yet another win as they took down the improving Sydney Uni Flames at Red Energy Arena on Wednesday night.

Griffin produced the performance of the round last weekend against the Lightning, and was once again the best player on the court as her side broke away in the fourth quarter to claim a 10-point triumph at home in front of their fans.

After a tightly contested first term, the Spirit got on a roll on the eve of half time to put themselves in the driver’s seat. However, thanks to some strong play from Joceyln Willoughby in the third quarter, it was just a four-point game at the final change, before Bendigo’s class emerged in the last 10 minutes of the game to keep its unbeaten record rolling into Round 6.

Bendigo Spirit (85) def. Sydney Uni Flames (75)

Kelsey Griffin – 24 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals

After posting the best statline of the week in Round 5, Griffin backed it up with yet another immense performance, showcasing her value to this Spirit side which has emerged as the championship favourite.

After a strong showing shooting from the field last week, Griffin was defended much more tightly by the Flames, and had to put up some tougher shots. Although her field goal percentage was not as accurate, the veteran was still able to hurt the opposition, scoring the ball at all three levels.

From two-point territory, she shot 5-12, with her best success coming inside the paint. A dangerous player rolling after a screen, Griffin was able to hurt the opposition as she cut to the basket, although Sydney’s talls did their best to defend the paint. Often, if Griffin did not score, she was able to draw contact and head to the charity stripe to boost her score even further.

Although the defence had to watch her when scoring in the paint, the 35-year-old was also able to inflict pain on the opposition from behind the arc. Not afraid to push out to the perimeter and forcing her defender to choose between defending inside or guarding her, Griffin chimed in for a trio of three-pointers (including a crucial one in the final term), a facet of her game that often measures how damaging she can be on the offensive end.

As a rebounder, Griffin has not missed a step as the years have gone on, pulling down a game-high 11 boards. Six came on the offensive end, generating second-chance points for the Spirit that proved to be vital down the final stretch.

Griffin has suddenly shot into MVP contention with two strong performances, and has been a key cog in Bendigo’s success. The 35-year-old continues to defy age and produce some of the most eye-catching showings of the past fortnight.