Bendigo coach Kennedy Kereama has hailed Isobel Borlase the best player in the WNBL after her career-best 42-point haul led the Spirit to a 98-88 win over the Southside Melbourne Flyers.
Bendigo (14-4) moved into second spot on the ladder with their victory at Ballarat's Selkirk Stadium on Wednesday after Borlase produced the highest individual tally by any player this season.
The Paris Olympian hit 12-of-18 from the floor, including 6-of-9 from three-point range, and 12-of-12 from the free-throw line.
"Absolutely, without doubt," Kereama responded when asked whether Borlase was the competition's No.1 player.
"That's not taking away from 'Woody' (Townsville Fire's Courtney Woods) and Anneli Maley (from Perth Lynx), who have had great seasons.
"If you look at how we've performed and her consistency - of course I'm biased ... but I'm factoring those things in with winning, and the impact she's had on our team and our program."
Abbey Wehrung scored 16 - all in the second half - and knocked down 4-of-7 from long range. Bendigo hit 15-of-28 threes.
Cayla George led the fourth-placed Flyers (8-10) with 20 points, aided by Nya Lok (19), Isabelle Bourne (18) and Maddy Rocci (17).
The Victorian derby, originally scheduled for January 9 before being postponed due to bushfires in the Ballarat region, was dominated by Borlase from the opening tip.
"I was not expecting that," said Borlase, who is averaging a league-best 23.6 points. "I guess it was one of those nights - it's always nice to see the first one go in.
Borlase poured in 12 points in the opening term to edge Bendigo in front 20-18.
The Spirit's lead blew out to 40-26, with Borlase adding 10 more in the second stanza, before the Flyers fought back.
Southside went 6-of-9 from three-point territory in the second frame, capped by Rocci's long bomb on the halftime bell to slash the deficit to 46-45.
It was Bendigo's turn to catch fire in the third, Borlase and Abbey Wehrung headlining a 7-of-10 quarter from deep by the home side.
That earned the ire of Flyers coach Kristi Harrower, who delivered a paint-stripping spray during one time-out, infuriated by her team's porous defence.
Southside heeded Harrower's harsh words, closing to 71-65 at three-quarter-time and 84-79 on George's triple midway through the fourth, before Borlase and Wehrung, fittingly, guided the Spirit home.
