# 2017–18 Bendigo Spirit season

The 2017–18 Bendigo Spirit season is the 11th season for the franchise in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL).

## Standings

| # | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GP |
| 1 | Perth Lynx | 15 | 6 | 71.4 | 21 |
| 2 | Sydney Uni Flames | 14 | 7 | 66.6 | 21 |
| 3 | Townsville Fire | 14 | 7 | 66.6 | 21 |
| 4 | Melbourne Boomers | 12 | 9 | 57.1 | 21 |
| 5 | Adelaide Lightning | 11 | 10 | 52.3 | 21 |
| 6 | Canberra Capitals | 7 | 14 | 33.3 | 21 |
| 7 | Dandenong Rangers | 7 | 14 | 33.3 | 21 |
| 8 | Bendigo Spirit | 4 | 17 | 19.1 | 21 |

## Results
### Pre-season

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location | Record |
| 1 | September 16 | Adelaide | 74–76 | – | – | – | Boardman Stadium | 0–1 |
| 2 | September 17 | Dandenong | 68–62 | – | – | – | Eagle Stadium | 1–1 |
| 3 | September 22 | Melbourne | 73–72 | Banham (22) | Laney (11) | Karaitiana (4) | MARS Minerdome | 2–1 |

### Regular season

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location | Record |
| 1 | October 6 | @ Canberra | 80–93 | Griffin (22) | Oliver (8) | Banham (4) | National Convention Centre | 0–1 |
| 2 | October 13 | @ Melbourne | 63–90 | Payne (16) | Laney (7) | Karaitiana, Laney, Rolph (2) | Geelong Arena | 0–2 |
| 3 | October 14 | Perth | 123–65 | Laney (27) | Griffin (8) | Laney (9) | Bendigo Stadium | 1–2 |
| 4 | October 19 | @ Perth | 79–106 | Griffin (22) | Griffin (11) | Banham, Rolph (3) | Bendat Basketball Centre | 1–3 |
| 5 | October 21 | @ Adelaide | 75–79 | Richards (22) | Griffin (16) | Karaitiana (6) | Titanium Security Arena | 1–4 |
| 6 | October 27 | Adelaide | 66–79 | Payne (17) | Griffin (8) | Banham (4) | Bendigo Stadium | 1–5 |
| 7 | November 4 | Melbourne | 71–66 | Banham (17) | Griffin (8) | Banham, Laney (4) | Bendigo Stadium | 2–5 |
| 8 | November 9 | Sydney | 75–105 | Banham (21) | Oliver (7) | Laney (8) | Bendigo Stadium | 2–6 |
| 9 | November 11 | @ Townsville | 59–94 | Laney (17) | Laney (10) | Laney, Spencer (2) | Townsville RSL Stadium | 2–7 |
| 10 | November 17 | Perth | 59–83 | Richards (14) | Richards (13) | Richards (3) | Bendigo Stadium | 2–8 |
| 11 | November 19 | @ Dandenong | 70–80 | Laney (17) | Richards (11) | Payne (5) | Traralgon Sports Stadium | 2–9 |
| 12 | November 25 | Canberra | 83–80 | Laney (23) | Richards (7) | Laney (6) | State Basketball Centre | 3–9 |
| 13 | December 2 | Dandenong | 67–75 | Laney (18) | Richards (8) | Oliver (5) | Bendigo Stadium | 3–10 |
| 14 | December 7 | @ Melbourne | 42–86 | Laney (16) | Payne (12) | Laney (5) | State Basketball Centre | 3–11 |
| 15 | December 10 | Townsville | 62–99 | Hurst (15) | Laney (7) | Laney, Richards (3) | Bendigo Stadium | 3–12 |
| 16 | December 14 | Canberra | 80–91 | Banham (20) | Richards (10) | Banham (6) | Bendigo Stadium | 3–13 |
| 17 | December 16 | @ Sydney | 57–90 | Laney (15) | Richards (7) | Laney, Payne (4) | Brydens Stadium | 3–14 |
| 18 | December 21 | Dandenong | 64–47 | Banham, Payne (16) | Richards (10) | Karaitiana, Laney, Payne (4) | Bendigo Stadium | 4–14 |
| 19 | December 23 | @ Townsville | 62–120 | Banham (16) | Banham, Karaitiana, Spencer (4) | Richards (3) | Townsville RSL Stadium | 4–15 |
| 20 | December 29 | @ Adelaide | 74–87 | Laney (20) | Richards (10) | Payne (4) | Titanium Security Arena | 4–16 |
| 21 | December 31 | Sydney | 63–75 | Banham (17) | Laney (10) | Laney (4) | Bendigo Stadium | 4–17 |

## Signings
### Returning

| Player | Signed | Contract |
| Nadeen Payne | 28 April 2017 | 1-year contract |
| Kelsey Griffin | 18 May 2017 | 1-year contract |
| Gabrielle Richards | 21 June 2017 | 1-year contract |
| Kara Tessari | 28 June 2017 | 1-year contract |
| Ashleigh Spencer | 5 July 2017 | 1-year contract |
| Heather Oliver | 12 July 2017 | 1-year contract |
| Ashleigh Karaitiana | 19 July 2017 | 1-year contract |
| Ebony Rolph | 26 July 2017 | 1-year contract |

### Incoming

| Player | Signed | Contract |
| Betnijah Laney | 27 April 2017 | 1-year contract |
| Rachel Banham | 8 May 2017 | 1-year contract |
| Ahlise Hurst | 9 August 2017 | 1-year development player contract |
| Jessie Rennie | 9 August 2017 | 1-year development player contract |
| Maddison Wild | 9 August 2017 | 1-year development player contract |

## Awards
### In-season

| Award | Recipient | Round(s) / Date |
| Team of the Week | Nadeen Payne | Round 2 |
| Team of the Week | Rachel Banham | Round 5 |
| Team of the Week | Betnijah Laney | Round 8 |