Respect this!

By Paul Pickering
THE Dandenong Rangers’ reign of supremacy in the Big V League was confirmed with an imperial 116-88 grand final win over Sandringham on Saturday night.
The Rangers completed a 2-0 series sweep of the Sabres to claim back-to-back Big V championships.
Dandenong coach Warren Dawson last week said the 2007 campaign had been a season-long quest to gain the respect the team felt was not forthcoming after last year’s victory.
Saturday night’s sparkling season climax demanded more than respect.
It left all present at Dandenong Basketball Stadium in awe – not least of all Sabres captain Craig White, who provided the most concise assessment of the Rangers’ dominance.
“You’re just too good,” he told the Dandenong players after the match.
Having grafted out a gutsy win at the Sabredome in game one, the Rangers returned to their run and gun best in their triumphant homecoming.
After a rusty first game, a determined Vince Inglima (27 points) buried a three-point bomb in the opening minutes to stamp out any nerves the Rangers may have had.
In a foul-plagued first term, the Sabres whittled back an early deficit to draw within one point at the first break on the back of a George Williams (27 points) buzzer-beater.
Inglima was unstoppable in the second term, pulling the trigger from downtown and slashing to the basket on his way to a 20-point first half.
Dandenong’s much-vaunted depth also emerged in the second term, with key contributions from a number of role players.
Matt Witherden’s desperate tip-in on the stroke of half-time was just reward for the relentless efforts of Dandenong’s bench brigade.
Up by 10 points at the break, it was Brent Hobba (21 points) who wrenched the game from the Sabres’ grasp in the third term.
The versatile big man stepped outside the arc to hit back-to-back threes, extending the Rangers’ lead to 20 before picking up his fourth foul.
With Hobba and Ash Cannan (13 points) in foul trouble, the Sabres made one last push at the start of the final term, drawing within 11 points after a jumper from Sam Hurren.
Fittingly, it was a steal and lay-up from Rangers skipper Mick Wheeler that steadied the Dandenong ship.
Minutes later, Ash Cannan let out a celebratory roar after converting a three-point play to put the result beyond doubt.
The bench was cleared in the dying moments as popular cameos from substitutes Daniel Dukes and James DeNeefe put the finishing touches on the Rangers’ fairytale.
The champagne flowed throughout the post-match presentations, with Hobba named the most valuable player for the grand final series.
Amid the celebrations, Wheeler was quick to note the Rangers’ 2007 mission was not yet complete, with Dandenong set to host the Bendigo Braves in the Australian Basketball Association (ABA) National Finals this Saturday night.
“We’re going to enjoy tonight and then look ahead pretty quickly, because we’ve still got work to do,” Wheeler said after the Championship Division win.
Dawson echoed his captain’s sentiments, urging his team to refocus for a tilt at the ABA championship.
“We want to take the national title to give the Big V the recognition that it deserves,” he said.
The quarter-final match against the South East Australian Basketball League champions will tip off at 7.30pm on Saturday at Dandenong Basketball Stadium.