JUNIORS matched up well, against the success of the Dandenong Rangers senior program, with the under-14 boys winning the state and national basketball titles.
One-point down at half time, the Rangers outscored the Tigers 18-8 in the third quarter to blow the game apart and continued that form in the last to run out 59-44 winners in the state championship match.
The next challenge for the Rangers’ state champions would be in Darwin a week later as the boys competed for the national under-14 title.
The countries top 24 teams assembled for a week-long tournament and all teams had to contend with the extreme heat – some days two games were required to be played.
After winning its first three games, the Rangers moved into the top-12 teams and a new pool.
All 10 players continued to contribute to the wins as the Rangers advanced to the semi-final against Cairns.
When the two teams faced off Friday afternoon Cairns got out to a 12-4 lead but Rangers came back with a 12-3 run of their own to be only two points down at the first break.
The second quarter Rangers put their smallest line-up, up against giants and it was a great move as they outscored them 25 to 11 for the quarter. Cairns didn’t know what had hit them as Rangers pressured them full court and caused numerous turn overs which led to easy transition baskets for Rangers.
Cairns were never in the game from half time and Rangers ran out 66-47 winners.
The most striking stat of the game was the rebound count where Dandenong won 36-25.
The Rangers would, for the second time in two weeks, face the Melbourne Tigers in the final match of the tournament. In front of more than 1000 people, the Tigers opened the game in good form and held a three-point lead at half-time.
Once again Dandenong went to a small line up and their full-court pressure was too much for Melbourne to handle as the Rangers outscored them 19-6 in the second quarter to take a 12-point half-time lead. Extending the lead to 13 at three-quarter-time, the Rangers survived a late rally from the Tigers to hold onto for a 51-43 win.
The boys celebrated hard as the siren sounded as it capped off an amazing 12 months for the team – winning the National Classic in June, the State Title in September and the Australian Championships. The second year in a row Dandenong had won the Australian Championships.
