Downie on a high

By Paul Pickering
HOMETOWN hero and 200th-gamer Alison Downie stole the show from international superstar Lauren Jackson at Dandenong Stadium on Saturday, but her Rangers couldn’t pinch a win from the reigning champion Canberra Capitals.
Downie scored a career-high 27 points in her milestone game, but it still wasn’t enough to offset a professional performance from Jackson (33 points, eight rebounds) and the Caps enroute to a 79-65 victory.
The match-up, which marked Jackson’s first Melbourne appearance since returning to the league, exceeded the expectations of most fans, with Downie’s hot shooting keeping the home side in the contest until the last two minutes.
A packed house erupted when Downie connected on her fifth three-pointer of the afternoon to bring the Rangers within seven with four minutes to play, but the fairytale finish wasn’t to be. Still, the 26-year-old forward, who made her WNBL with Dandenong in 2000, said she was proud of the efforts of her undersized and outmatched Rangers.
“We competed well, especially after last week’s poor performances (in losses to Townsville and Logan), because they are such a good team,” an exhausted Downie reflected after the game.
“And I think it needs to be my 200th game every week if I play like that.”
Downie revealed that Dandenong skipper Caitlin Ryan – her only remaining team-mate from the 2003/04 and 2004/05 championship sides – had encouraged her to be more aggressive on offence against the Caps.
After nine seasons at Stud Road, Downie said she had remained loyal because of the friendships she has made.
“It’s a club that cares about its players,” she said.
“I had thoughts in the back of mind to leave when I wasn’t getting much court time, but then I had the support of players, some of the board members and all the fans and it kept me here.
“And I’m happy I stayed.”