Rangers off in style in Apple Isle

By Paul Pickering
DANDENONG launched its 2008-09 Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) campaign without two of its boom recruits on Saturday night, but coach Dale Waters could hardly have been happier with the result.
The Rangers crushed first-year team Logan Thunder 63-48 at Elphin Sports Centre in Launceston, despite the absence of new American import Jenni Benningfield (strained calf) and dynamic guard Katie Ebzery (illness).
The Tasmanian crowd could have been excused for thinking it was Logan – and not Dandenong – which had come off the first-round bye, because the Rangers showed no sign of rust in surging to a 20-9 quarter-time lead.
That margin blew out to 29 points at the last break, prompting Waters to clear his bench in a bid to get some valuable early-season minutes into his back-ups.
The pre-game setbacks were long forgotten by the time Waters returned home from the Apple Isle.
“We didn’t have two of our stars playing, so to get the lead out to 30 and play some of the younger, emerging players in the fourth quarter was great,” he said.
“It’s always good to share the load, and we had some good contributions coming off the bench.”
Skipper Caitlin Ryan led Dandenong with 17 points on 5-of-12 shooting from behind the arc, while reserves Faith Probst (10 points) and Clare Papavs (10) revelled in the extra minutes.
The one-sided scoreline gave Waters the green light to put Tasmanian teenager – and Rangers development player – Catherine Guest into the game for her WNBL debut.
It was a popular introduction, with the locals finding full voice during Guest’s six minutes of action in the last quarter.
The Rangers had extended hot streaks in the first and third quarters – shooting 56 and 75 per cent respectively – and connected on 12-of-15 free-throw attempts for the night.
Those statistics were music to Waters’ ears after consistent offensive struggles last season.
“Our execution in offence was good and we shot the ball at a pretty good clip, so there’s certainly some good signs there,” he said. “I think we’ve definitely got more firepower than last year.”
To Waters’ delight, Dandenong was as stingy as ever at the defensive end. Alison Downie (9) kept Thunder star Kristen Veal to just two points for the game, while Emily McInerny switched onto Brittany Davis (10) after a fast start and quickly locked down on the American forward.
McInerny also had nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a typically imposing performance.
Dandenong will now meet Bendigo (0-3) in Geelong on Friday night, and Waters expects the Spirit to be “tougher than their record suggests.”
The Rangers will get Benningfield and Ebzery back for the clash, while Bendigo is hoping to have Opals star Kristy Harrower cleared to play.
The game will be televised live on ABC2 from 8pm.