By Jarrod Potter
DANDENONG Rangers women are celebrating after winning the SEABL D-League grand final, beating the Knox Raiders 71-61 at Knox Stadium.
Dandenong went into the grand final as underdogs, with the Raiders beating the Rangers in their three regular season matches.
The Raiders struck the iron first, shooting out to a 15-10 lead at quarter time, with the Rangers missing too many shots by hitting only three of 21 field goal attempts.
Dandenong coach Paul Flynn said he asked the girls for some composure and to use the ball effectively to generate the baskets, after taking a timeout at the seven-minute mark, with the team down 11-1.
“It was all about settling some pre-game nerves,” Flynn said.
“We’d been out there for six or seven minutes for only one point. We said to the girls to work the ball around which would make Knox’s defence adjust, so we attacked the basket from there.”
Dandenong started chipping away at the lead in the second quarter, with good shooting from Bridget Deery and Karina Martin making inroads to reduce the margin to 34-30 at half-time.
Flynn said the strategy at half-time was to restrict Knox as much as possible, as they had been ladder leaders all season and known to smash out big wins with their quick offence.
“Knox had gone through the season on a 20-game win streak; the focus was to sensibly keep it tight and grind it out a bit, so the cracks would start to appear,” he said.
“Knox wasn’t used to being in a tight game, so things would open up from there and the girls responded beautifully from that point on.”
The third quarter was a middling affair, with neither team gaining much ascendancy as the gap was reduced to one-point; 47-46 to the Raiders.
The run on started in the fourth quarter, as the Rangers and Raiders traded the lead throughout the first half of the quarter.
Deery hit a big three-pointer to push Dandenong out to a 59-55 lead with five minutes remaining and the Rangers never looked back, making the most of their defensive dominance and hitting the big shots when needed.
Flynn said the turnaround win was a vindication for losing the D-League championship the last two years.
“It was a big relief,” he said.
“A lot of the girls, four of the starting five, had been involved in those losses, primarily as support players. So it was a relief they finally won.”
Flynn highlighted the efforts of all the girls who stepped up against the quality opposition.
“Karina Martin was fantastic all game,” he said.
“Bridget Deery and Leah Olsen hit some solid shots when we needed them. Georgie Lovelace played brilliantly.
“Kiara’s defensive role on Billy Lucas was fantastic.
“Gemma Walter played one of her biggest games of the year.
“Can’t pinpoint anyone in particular. Everyone played well and that is reflected with five players getting to double figures.”
