Left: Dandenong Rangers cocaptain Carly Wilson registered her 1000th point for the club during her side’s match against the Perth Lynx on Sunday.Emily McInerney blocks out an opposition opponent in a recent match. McInerney was part of the team which defeated the Perth Lynx by 52 points on Sunday.By Glen Atwell
THE Dandenong Rangers have cemented their top spot on the Women’s National Basketball League ladder with two strong wins on their doubleheader road trip last week.
Warning lights will be flashing in opposition camps as the Rangers made it clear they will be hard to stop as they aim for a championship threepeat this season.
On Friday night the Rangers took on the Adelaide Fellas away at Wayville Stadium, and turned a slow start into a convincing win.
The Fellas were on fire in the opening quarter with eight points to Tami Willey and seven from powerhouse Jennifer Screen leading their team to a ninepoint lead at the first change.
The Rangers were shooting well with 47 per cent, but the Fellas were on the charge with 61 per cent accuracy from the field.
Dandenong reversed the trend in the second term as Adelaide’s shooting percentage dropped to a lowly 25 per cent while the Rangers sank six of their eight field attempts.
With some undisciplined play the home side sent the Rangers to the free throw line 12 times, and Dandenong managed to convert 11 to lead 4140 at the main break.
The Fellas changed tactics and bolstered their defence in the third quarter, holding the backtoback champions to just 13 points in the third term and scoring 17 of their own to take a threepoint lead with one quarter remaining.
But the Fellas could not hold out the surging Rangers, who proved too strong in the last quarter scoring 2716 to win the match 8173.
Rangers Jacinta Hamilton, Caitlin Ryan and Emma Randall provided the winning drive and sank the important baskets when required.
Cocaptain Emily McInerny was inspirational again with eight points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the game.
The Rangers crossed the Nullarbor to take on the Perth Lynx at Eaton Recreation Centre, and luckily for the weary Rangers the Sunday game was more a midafternoon training drill.
A 4116 opening quarter, in which Rangers cocaptain Carly Wilson registered her 1000th point for the team, was the knockout blow for the Lynx, which failed to offer any real challenge as the Rangers sent Perth packing with a 10351 victory. Wilson and Randall starred for the Rangers, sinking 10 baskets each.
Dandenong will enjoy a few days’ break before tackling another doubleheader away trip this weekend.
On Friday night the Rangers play the Canberra Capitals, before taking on the Australian Institute of Sport team at the AIS training hall on Saturday night.
