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<\/a><\/p>\nTune in to Locked On Women\u2019s Basketball<\/p>\n
Here at The IX Basketball, in addition to the 24\/7\/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women\u2019s Basketball<\/a> podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.<\/p>\n Of the Spirit\u2019s three All-WNBL selections, only Griffin remained, signing in Bendigo alongside Tolo. Kereama shared, \u201cWe were able to re-sign Tolo and that was announced pretty early and KG was fairly similar. Once we had those two, well we knew were pretty good in the forward departments.\u201d<\/p>\n The two are reliable defenders, combining for four-and-a-half stocks (steals plus blocks) and 16.5 rebounds per game. Griffin averaged 12.7 points per game on 45% shooting and Tolo was an elite play finisher with 14.3 points on 57% from the the field. The pair work in perfect symbiosis with an eager back court and laid out Bendigo\u2019s blueprint when they each decided to re-sign.<\/p>\n Told told The Next, \u201cOnce I saw Kelsey was in, it definitely makes it more enticing to come to a team when you have such a great leader and amazing person to be around. You know, every time that you go to practice and games and it makes life a lot easier and more enjoyable to have someone like a really good friend that Kelsey is for me. I think that is a big part of why I play basketball is because I love connections, and I love team sport in that sense.\u201d<\/p>\n Griffin then interjected, \u201cShe\u2019s just saying that because she dominated me at one-on-one the other day.\u201d The two shared a laugh before Griffin continued, \u201cI very much tried to not leverage my friendships in the recruiting process. I want people to join a team because they want to be a part of the team and it\u2019s in their best interest. But as soon as I found out she was going to go around, I was ecstatic.\u201d<\/p>\n Tolo added, \u201cI don\u2019t think we even really chatted about it.\u201d This would be an indictment on most teams, yet Bendigo is easily able to trust in what they are building, such that the players don\u2019t actively have to canvass each others interest.<\/p>\n The Spirit were also able to retain Wehrung and Samuels, who shot 39% and 34% from 3-point range, respectively, and both on high volume. The two have been solid contributors as Bendigo has navigated a heap of roster turnover at their top end over the past three seasons.<\/p>\n Wehrung spoke on her decision to stay with Bendigo, telling The Next: \u201cIt was a bit of a no-brainer for me. Especially at the point in my career that I\u2019m at \u2014 Bendigo just feels like home and like the right fit for me. I really value the friendships and the connections that I have with people at the club there and in the team. And obviously, you win the championship, you don\u2019t really want to go anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecoming Caitlin Clark\u201d is out now!<\/p>\n Howard Megdal\u2019s newest book is here! \u201cBecoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar\u201d captures both the historic nature of Clark\u2019s rise and the critical context over the previous century that helped make it possible, including interviews with Clark, Lisa Bluder (who also wrote the foreword), C. Vivian Stringer, Jan Jensen, Molly Kazmer and many others.<\/p>\n Wehrung\u2019s decision was perhaps the most emphatic, as the 3-point specialist has also turned herself into one of the league\u2019s best defenders. Her selflessness allowed her to shine in a role off the bench, although she\u2019s clearly capable and worthy of a starting role in the league. The idea of the team being larger than the individual isn\u2019t just something said by members of the Spirit. In fact, you\u2019ll barely hear anyone say it \u2014 they\u2019ll just show it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe kept in touch [over the offseason],\u201d Wehrung shared, \u201cNot so much about basketball, but just life in general. I do really value the friendships and the connections that I have with those people. That\u2019s what made last year so special. We just really, really appreciated everyone as human beings away from basketball as well.\u201d<\/p>\n The Spirit have a healthy balance of life and basketball, with life always coming first. This focus also led to Bendigo domination on-court even if that wasn\u2019t an explicit priority, which has led to a dominant free agency.<\/p>\n Kereama circled back to elaborate on his replacements for Whitcomb and Burton, saying, \u201cThat process was a fairly thorough one. Obviously Sami being Australian, it was about finding a comparable Australian player that could effectively fill that position. So [general manager] Dan [Jackson] and I spent a good amount of time trying to put the best pitch we possibly could to [Izzy] Borlase.\u201d<\/p>\n Left unsaid in this quote was that the same process was being undertaken for Burton, and the Spirit were able to land Megan McConnell<\/a>. McConnell wrapped up an impressive college career at Duquesne with an exceptional senior year this past NCAA season. She led the Atlantic 10 in points, assists and steals per game, at 18.4, 5.0 and 4.1, respectively. She also led the conference in minutes per game in each of her last two seasons, graduated with three All A-10 and two All A-10 Defensive team selections, as well as the title of Defensive Player of the Year.<\/p>\n McConnell, who played for the Phoenix Mercury until she was waived on June 26, spoke on her decision to sign in the WNBL with The Next, sharing, \u201cWhen I re-signed with Phoenix, and I went back out there, obviously, I got injured, unfortunately. But I think that\u2019s kind of what helped me because, when I was in training camp I had some offers from Sweden and other places. But, once I got re-signed to Phoenix, I think that\u2019s really what made it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy agent was in contact with a bunch of people and he said this was probably my best option. And then he texted me and said they wanted to sign me. And I was like, \u2018Oh my God, that\u2019s so exciting!’\u201d<\/p>\n McConnell played with Whitcomb in Phoenix and credited her guidance during her time in the WNBA as a catalyst to make the move to the WNBL. McConnell joins the Spirit with a similar play style as Veronica Burton<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cI think having that high level IQ as a point guard is something that I\u2019m hoping to bring to the team,\u201d McConnell said. \u201cThen obviously my defense, just being able to get steals and more possessions for our team, I think, is going to be huge. And then, just creating open shots for other girls coming off of, dribble hand-offs or pick-and-rolls, I play really well out of those two. I\u2019ve already talked to coach [Kereama] and we\u2019re going to be running a lot of that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n Want even more women\u2019s sports in your inbox?<\/p>\n![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1756081628_103_Untitled-design-13.png\")
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