Rangers ignite against Fire’s heat

Glen Atwell
THE Dandenong Rangers grabbed top spot on the Women’s National Basketball League ladder with an extinguishing 31-point win over the Townsville Fire at the Dandenong Basketball Stadium on Saturday night.
Townsville was anything but on fire for most of the match, as the Rangers combined to pile on the points with an even spread of scoring ability.
Every player on the Rangers roster went to the hoop, led by top-scorer Jacinta Hamilton, who contributed 17 points.
The Fire lacked thrust and energy after playing Bullen on Friday night, leaving the team less than 24 hours to recover and get back on court to face the competition’s most formidable opposition.
After a close opening quarter the Rangers finished the first half with a 10-2 scoring run, skipping away to a handy 10-point lead.
To close out the game and bury the Fire by 31 points was a courageous effort considering the Rangers had only touched down in Melbourne two nights before match after returning from the World Club Championships in Russia.
Emma Randall (11 points, 10 rebounds) and Alison Downie (12 points, 6 rebounds) were stand-out performers for the Rangers.
After three consecutive wins, the Rangers have a well-earned six-day break before heading to South Australia to play the Adelaide Fellas.