Sport

WNBL brings basketball Spirit to Shepparton

By Callum Farquhar

Oct 12, 2026

Bendigo Spirit's Jade Melbourne shoots from the charity stripe. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Shepparton basketball fans were treated to a clinical performance by a WNBA-player boasting Bendigo Spirit side on Friday night as the club geared up for its WNBL campaign with a pre-season test.

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The Spirit faced fellow WNBL team Southside Melbourne Flyers at Shepparton Sports Stadium, with Australian stars Jade Melbourne and Isobel Borlase featuring in Bendigo yellow.

It was a comprehensive demolition job employed by the Spirit, with the supreme talent in its squad too much for the Flyers to handle on the night.

The Flyers were combatted at either end of the floor, defensively bested by the Spirit while also conceding plenty of buckets on the opposing end of the hardwood.

Ultimately, the Spirit prevailed 88-51 at the final buzzer, with Bendigo set to dribble into WNBL season 2026-27 with the momentum of a fast break.

News photographer Rechelle Zammit sat courtside at the WNBL pre-season blockbuster to capture all the crossovers, dimes, and buckets.