MOST sides benefit when their best player fires, which was certainly the case for the Bendigo Spirit in Round 4 of the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) over the weekend, rallying behind Anneli Maley across two games.

Maley has been able to cement herself as a superstar of the competition over the past few years, emphasised by the MVP award last season thanks to some big numbers on a weekly basis. A double-double machine, Bendigo always looks like a better side when her inside scoring and rebounding feature heavily in the team’s game plan.

Across Round 4, the 24-year-old posted a pair of eye-catching performances, and helped lead Bendigo to a 2-0 record for the weekend to remain the only unbeaten side in the WNBL, surging to championship favoritism for season 2022/23.

Maley looks back to her MVP form, and with her side firing over the course of the season, could win the league’s highest individual honour in consecutive years.

Anneli Maley in Round 4 – 19 points per game, 13.5 rebounds per game

Maley’s numbers were not only considerably impactful, but also consistent across her side’s two crucial wins.

In the most anticipated match of the year to date, the Spirit took on the Townsville Fire as the competition’s two undefeated sides locked horns in what could be a grand final preview.

The Fire had clearly done their scouting, putting plenty of time into preventing Maley from getting the ball in the low block where she can use her strength to put up a high-percentage shot. Instead, she was forced into some tough attempts from the field, although she still drained five crucial buckets, including the eventual game-winning three-pointer with just over a minute left on the clock.

In that match, it was her rebounding that played a vital role in the team’s success, pulling down a game-high 16 boards. 12 of those came on the defensive end, but the four offensive rebounds were important in Bendigo’s two-point win, with the Spirit excelling in that facet of the game despite shooting at a lower clip from the field and from three.

In the Spirit’s second match of Round 4, things were slightly less tense as they cruised past the Sydney Uni Flames to the tune of 17 points.

In Bendigo’s convincing win, Maley was a dominant force both on the scoreboard and in the skies, posting a thumping double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds, which is the sort of form that saw her awarded the best individual performer of last season.

Maley was able to fight through the defence with a bit more success this time around, shooting 11 from 19 from the field (58 per cent). Thriving in the pick and roll, the forward was able to take advantage of the mismatch and score in the post or even from mid-range with her deft touch.

On the boards, Maley was again a class above her peers, and it all came down to her positioning once the shot was in the air. Constantly boxing out her opponent and getting front spot, Maley has mastered the craft of hunting down the loose ball on both ends, and the Spirit often win the rebounding battle as a result of her craft.

Maley has truly emerged as a superstar of the WNBL, and looks destined to play a vital role for the Spirit as they make a genuine charge towards the championship.