Alison Downie found a way through three AIS defenders in the Rangers’ 86-49 victory over the Institute. 72491Pictures: Stewart Chambers
By Jarrod Potter
LIZ Cambage will be one of a number of Bulleen Boomers returning to the familiar trappings of Dandenong Basketball Stadium on Friday night for the WNBL match against the Dandenong Rangers.
Cambage, the WNBA number two pick for the Tulsa Shock and last season’s WNBL MVP, will front up against the Rangers – her former junior team – along with former Dandenong player Chantella Perera who left the Rangers during the off-season.
Jenna O’Hea will face off against her old team, as Cambage and O’Hea led Bulleen to last season’s grand final victory over the Canberra Capitals 103-78.
Their preparation for the Bulleen blockbuster was less than ideal, for the Rangers made easy work of the Australian Institute of Sport, thumping the young side 86-49.
Dandenong were careless with their possession early, letting the AIS get out to a 7-0 lead. The Rangers gave away seven turn-overs and made only two of seven free throws in a quarter they would like to forget.
The remainder of the match was played like an extended training session for the Rangers, as different combinations off the bench were tried with reasonable success as the Rangers ran away with the 37-point victory.
Louella Tomlinson impressed, equalling the Dandenong single-game block record with seven blocks, and also had eight points and nine rebounds.
O’Hea led the scoring with 20 points from only 25 minutes on court, with Kath MacLeod (12), Steph Cumming, Tegan Cunningham (11) and Krista Phillips (10) also in double digits.
Rangers coach Mark Wright said the match was scrappy in the first half, but Dandenong played a better standard from half-time to leave on a good note.
“Clearly our first quarter and generally our first half was very ordinary and it was good to be able to turn that around and play with a bit of fluency,” Wright said.
“We looked pretty average in the first half but looked so much better in the second half, so I’m happy that we eventually got it going.
“I think we had a solid effort across the board; in the end, it was a pretty good win but it doesn’t seem that way because we started so poorly.”
The quick turnaround before the Boomers match will test both sides, but Wright believes it will be one of the matches of the season as the two Victorian teams look to push into the top three on the WNBL ladder.
“We’ve only got five days before we play Bulleen… so we’ll focus very hard on that game. It will be a clash of the Titans and I’m looking forward to it.”
Wright said O’Hea won’t be fazed by facing her old side as she is focused only on winning matches for the Rangers against any opponent.
“I think it’s just another game for Jenna,” Wright said.
“She’s a professional and sees it as just another game.
“She’s a Dandenong girl now and I’m sure she’s not concerned about what she left behind, she’s more about what’s ahead of her, so I’m sure that will be the case this week.”
