NOT even a blackout at Dandenong Stadium could distract the home-town Rangers on their way to an 80-65 victory over Frankston on Saturday night.
Dandenong led 67-59 midway through the final term when a power failure plunged the Stud Road venue into darkness.
The 15-minute break that followed gave the Blues every chance to regroup, but it was the Rangers who looked more focused on resumption and swiftly closed the game out.
The result left little doubt that Dandenong has emerged from its early season slumber.
After starting the 2010 campaign with five losses, the Rangers have now beaten both of last year’s SEABL grand finalists in consecutive weeks.
The Rangers didn’t quite shoot the lights out on Saturday night, although they did connect on 52 per cent from the field.
They played some undisciplined basketball in the opening term and were flattered by the 19-14 scoreline. Frankston just couldn’t hurt them at the other end.
But the home side broke the game open in the second, with Lucas Walker and Luke Fitzgerald attacking the basket with conviction. The Blues rallied to cut a 15-point halftime deficit to eight with just five minutes gone in the third, but that was as close as they got.
Fitzgerald (18 points, 11 rebounds), Brent Hobba (16, 7) and Vince Inglima (14) piled on the points inside, allowing the Rangers to overcome a four-of-22 return from beyond the three-point arc.
Starting point guard Dwayne Campbell chipped in with 11 points and defensive workhorse Michael Watson impressed when matched up on Frankston star Andrew Harms.
Harms, who beat the Rangers with an improbable buzzer-beater in round two, had 21 points on five-of 16 from the field, while import Chaz Briggs (14, 11) provided a contest in the paint.
Earlier, Dandenong’s SEABL women registered their second straight ‘W’ in a 63-35 drubbing of Frankston.
The Rangers had too many weapons for the hapless Blues, with Hope Terdich (15), Alison Downie (13) and Amelia Tod Hunter (12) leading a cast of contributors.Jessica McCormack (10) was the only double-figure scorer for the Blues, who had just one assist for the match.
The lady Rangers now travel to Bendigo to face the Braves on Saturday night, while the men head south to face Hobart at Aurora Stadium on Friday night.
MEANWHILE, eight Rangers juniors were part of the Vic Metro under-18 teams that excelled at the National Under-18 Championships in New South Wales last week.
The victorious Vic Metro women’s team included five Dandenong products in Carley Mijovic, Rosie Fadljevic, Tenaya Phillips, Jacinta Vandenberg and Aimie Clydesdale.
– Paul Pickering
