By Nick Creely
THE fast starting Dandenong Rangers defeated cross-town rivals the Melbourne Boomers 78-69 in an important WNBL clash on Sunday afternoon.
Off the back of another strong Steph Cumming performance, the Rangers jumped out to an early 24-9 lead midway through the first quarter, running the Boomers ragged and playing a stellar defensive game.
The Boomers were off their game early, failing to shoot accurately despite plenty of chances.
Cumming once again led the Rangers in scoring, putting up 22 points, while also doing a stellar job on Boomers guard Alice Kunek.
Despite the strong final-quarter by the Boomers, they were never really in the game and the scoreline flattered them at the end.
Aimee Clydesdale was also fantastic for the Rangers, while Sara Blicavs and Ally Malott were strong contributors.
Rangers coach Larissa Anderson was happy with the win, but disappointed at the last half fadeout.
“I’m exceptionally proud of the first-half, I think the girls did everything that was asked of them, they were great with their energy and conviction, and both ends were really impressive,” she said.
“To the Boomers’ credit, they came out after half-time and were really good, but there was a real shift in our energy and that’s something we have to look at.
“We weren’t executing our early talk, and we fell asleep in the first two plays, and didn’t do what we were meant to do.
“But we set up a good win in the first-half so I’ll focus on that mainly.”
The win leaves the Rangers with a 6-3 record and second on the WNBL table. They will battle it out with the winless Adelaide Lightning at home on Saturday night.
Key Stats
Points
Dandenong Rangers 78 (S. Cumming 22, S. Blicavs 14, A. Clydesdale 12, A. Malott 11)
Melbourne Boomers 69 (B. Smart 16, R. Cole 12, C. Black 12, O. Thompson 11)
Rebounds
Dandenong Rangers (A. Malott 8, L. Scherf 6, J. Kennedy 6)
Melbourne Boomers (C. Black 12, K. Bowen 6)
Assists
Dandenong Rangers (A. Todhunter 5, A. Clydesdale 4)
Melbourne Boomers (R. Cole 9)
