That said I suspect that the most likely time to pitch the average tin can into a spin is around the base/final turn which is gonna result in a smoking hole no matter what the hands and feet do
Spot on, which is why training focussing on accurate real world scenarios (especially including variations on the above) is so pertinent. Being aware of the high danger situations in the first place gives our studes a fighting chance.
Far too many FIs put the stall/spin awareness into a theoretical/academic package rather than work hard to apply it to the real world, resulting in occassional horrific cries like "I can't possibly have stalled, I haven't done my HASELL checks"....