Rangers set for blockbuster

By Paul Pickering
BATTLE-weary and bruised, but still unbeaten, the Dandenong Rangers will limp into tomorrow night’s Anzac Day blockbuster at Stud Road.
In what is shaping as the biggest game of the regular season, the reigning Big V champions will resume hostilities with the Sandringham Sabres in the league’s first-ever Anzac Day fixture from 7.30pm.
It has the makings of an epic encounter, with an ever-growing rivalry between the teams that have contested the last three grand finals.
Almost inconceivably, the Rangers may go into the game as underdogs, having been decimated by injuries over the last fortnight.
But as Dandenong coach Warren Dawson declared after Saturday’s gutsy 119-84 win over Hume City, the Rangers may never have been better equipped to overcome adversity.
Against the Broncos, Dandenong lost star forward Ash Cannan and in-form centre Matt Witherden to ankle injuries in the first half.
Witherden had scored 16 points in nine minutes on court before being rushed to hospital, where he was later cleared of any bone damage.
Still, the losses of Witherden and Cannan compounded existing injuries to veteran point-guard Mick Wheeler (split webbing on hand) and American swingman Vince Inglima (back/hamstring).
And while Wheeler, Cannan and Witherden are all in doubt for tomorrow night’s game, Inglima will be asked to battle on as he did on Saturday night.
Inglima (26 points) was expected to share much of the scoring load with Brent Hobba (19 points, 20 rebounds), but the pair received vital support from unsung guards Adrian Campbell (13), Dwayne Campbell (13) and David Godfrey (11).
In a consummate team performance, the undermanned Rangers held strong to finish with a 30-11 final quarter and blow the Broncos away.
Dawson, who marks his team harder than most, had only praise for his charges.
“I said to the guys after the game that it was one of our best wins in many years,” Dawson said.
“As a group, we did a terrific job of staying together.
“We had guys playing out of position all over the place, and we showed a level of discipline that I don’t know whether we had 12 months ago.”
In a response to Dandenong’s depleted front-line, Mehmed Bektas will return to the senior roster after stepping back to the Rangers’ Youth League team this season.
But as Dawson noted, Bektas will not be the only Ranger with a point to prove.
“The strength of a good team is that when it faces adversity and it’s got injuries, it’s able to suck it up and get it done,” he explained.
“We’ll lick our wounds and do all the right things, because we know Sandringham will be ready to go.”
And if Dawson’s enthusiasm for the Anzac Day fixture is any indication, the Rangers will not be lacking in motivation tomorrow night.
“I would give almost anything to be playing on such a significant occasion,” he said.
“As an Australian sporting honour, to play a game that recognises the Anzac spirit…I don’t think there is any greater accolade.”
It is an honour that will be shared by Dandenong’s Championship Women, who will square off against the Sabres from 5.30pm tomorrow night.
The Rangers were outclassed by Hume City 80-60 on Saturday, with Broncos guard Sharin Milner (30) proving unstoppable.
With Melissa Colcott (18) firing, Dandenong trailed by just one point at halftime and five at the last break, but shot 2-17 from the field in a disastrous final quarter.
The Rangers (3-2) have now slipped to fifth on the ladder, one game ahead of the Sabres.