By Nick Creely
THE DANDENONG Rangers have sent an ominous warning to the WNBL competition, stunning two-time champs Townsville Fire to catapult to the top of the ladder.
The match, played at Dandenong Stadium, was a treat to watch for all adoring Rangers supporters who braved the weather, watching a quality display by their team against an opponent that is revered within the competition.
The Rangers were simply outstanding, winning 92-65 in an impressive display of lockdown defense and immense shooting.
Rangers star Steph Cumming continued her strong start to the season with another standout performance, racking up 21 points.
It was a truly dominant performance from the Rangers, who shot at an elite 48 per cent from the field and a scorching 10 from 17 from the three-point line.
But defense was once again the cornerstone; with the Fire conceding 22 turnovers as a result of the immense pressure applied from the Rangers.
It’s not as if the Rangers weren’t put on the back foot, with star guard Natalie Novosel ruled out pre-game, and fellow import Ally Malott injuring her ankle in the third term and not returning to the game.
But the depth possessed by the girls in green shone when it mattered, with MVP Rosie Fadljevic putting together a stellar all-round performance, while Sara Blicavs, Aimee Clydesdale and Jacinta Kennedy all contributed strongly to the cause.
In what is set to draw discussion, the Rangers have now dismantled two quality opponents (Perth Lynx and Townsville Fire) in clinical style in the matter of just six days.
Match MVP Rosie Fadljevic spoke to Rangers TV post-game, lauding her team’s defense and the ability for the group to never stop.
“No game is going to be easy this season; but if we play hard and play like we have been, hopefully the results can pay off,” she said.
“I said to some of the girls before that we just didn’t slow down and it was really good.
“Tonight we just came off the floor and off the bench and just did not stop.”
Fadljevic says the focus is now on Bendigo, whom the side disappointingly lost too last Saturday.
“On our home court we want to win every game here,” she said.
“It’s a big game for us next Friday and we’ve got a lot to prove to the league, but also for us.
“We know we can do it; we’ve just beaten Townsville by 27 points; we just need to put our brains to it and we’ll be all good.”
The Rangers will tackle Bendigo Spirit at Dandenong Stadium next Friday night in what will be a massive clash.
In a nutshell….
Points
Dandenong Rangers: 92 (Steph Cumming 21, Sara Blicavs 15, Jacinta Kennedy 13, Aimee Clydesdale 12)
Townsville Fire: 65 (Suzy Batkovic 18, Mia Murray 17, Kayla Standish 10)
Rebounds
Dandenong Rangers (Lauren Scherf 8, Sara Blicavs 8, Jacinta Kennedy 5)
Townsville Fire (Suzy Batkovic 10)
Assists
Dandenong Rangers (Aimee Clydesdale 6, Steph Cumming 6)
Townsville Fire (Kayla Standish 5)
