WHEN it comes to performances on the big stage, they don’t get much better than Megan McKay‘s effort in the NBL1 Women’s National Championship game on the weekend.

McKay’s Bendigo Braves looked to cap off a perfect season when they took on the Norths Bears in the big dance. The Braves were the only side to enter the National Finals unbeaten, and were the favourites given their stacked list and impressive form.

But Bendigo was the better side across all four quarters, winning each term and proving far too good for the Bears as the game rolled on. With a number of avenues to scoring and an exceptionally well-structured gameplan, the Braves took a thoroughly deserved trophy back home to Victoria and completed the state’s men’s/women’s double this season.

McKay was undoubtedly the best player on the court, taking home the Championship Game MVP, which will sit nicely next to her South Women’s MVP trophy from a couple of weeks ago.

Bendigo Braves (114) def. Norths Bears (87)

Megan McKay – 46 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, one steal

McKay’s potential to dominate a game came to the forefront against the Bears, completely taking over and winning the game on her own with a powerful display.

Suffice to say her 46 points were the most of any player on the court, as the West Australian showed out in her home state with an emphatic offensive performance.

She was extremely accurate from the field, making 19 shots on 24 attempts and dominating in the low block with her size and deft touch. The Bears defence simply could not stop her in the paint, as she backed down the opposition and got herself in ideal scoring position.

She also combined well with skilled playmaker Kelly Wilson (18 assists), as the pair worked in tandem during pick and rolls and McKay was often the beneficiary of her guard’s excellent passing.

The 26-year-old’s dominance inside resulted in plenty of trips to the free throw line as well, making eight shots on 13 attempts from the charity stripe, helping Bendigo’s score tick over even further.

McKay was once again a dominant force on the glass with a game-high 15 rebounds. She was getting it done on both ends of the glass, evidently a class above Norths’ frontcourt.

McKay had as good a game as you could ask for in the National Final, putting on an absolute clinic as the Braves finished 2023 in style.