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KELLY Wilson has led Bendigo into its third straight WNBL Grand Final showdown against Townsville with a 32-point, five-assist tour de force in the preliminary final win over Sydney.

Shannon Seebohm's gutsy Flames had the game locked up at 75-75 with four minutes left after Paris Johnson's basket, but dual-championship coach Bernie Harrower gambled and won when he sent in back-up back-up playmaker Jane Chalmers with 3:18 left.

Chalmers forced a turnover, fed an assist to Gabe Richards and blocked a three-point shot attempt by Leilani Mitchell to preserve victory and make it Fire-Spirit III next Sunday in Townsville.

Richards (16 points, 15 rebounds) and Kelsey Griffin (14 points, six assists, five boards) led Bendigo out of the blocks with a 33-24 first period but the Flames did not flicker.

By halftime they had it back to 50-53 and we were having a cracker of the prelim.

Flames imports Johnson and Mikaela Ruef had 17 points apiece and Mitchell added 12.

Wilson hit 5-of-8 triples in her 32-point haul.

The Fire, meanwhile, enjoyed a hit-out against a men's group which included Crocodiles Todd Blanchfield and Steve Markovic, Sunday's decider sure to be a sell-out at Townsville RSL Stadium.