By Nick Creely
The Dandenong Rangers shocked WNBL ladder leaders Adelaide Lightning in an incredible overtime victory last Thursday night at Titanium Security Arena in Adelaide, 81-83.
After the Lightning surged out to a game high 15-point lead midway through the third quarter, the home side looked certain to secure the points on their home court – an arena they have been a force on.
But some sluggish play – combined with a lift in intensity in pressure from the Rangers – saw Dandenong slowly reel back the deficit and stun the Lightning by drawing level at the close of the fourth quarter.
With the Rangers forcing overtime, the visitors led by two points in the dying seconds, before Nicole Seekamp forced a turnover, but her pass was then intercepted by the brilliant Sara Blicavs, who held firm to give her side an incredible momentum boosting victory.
It was even performance across the board for the Rangers, with five players scoring double digits in a well-rounded team effort.
Sara Blicavs (15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists) was simply everywhere in yet another stellar performance, while Tayla Roberts (16 points), Steph Blicavs (14 points), Kayla Pedersen (12 points, nine rebounds) and Carley Mijovic (11 points, three rebounds) all lifted late.
Then, on Monday night, the Rangers faced off with arch-rivals Melbourne Boomers at the State Basketball Centre, but went down in an absolute thriller, 60-57.
In front of a record 3157 crowd, the two sides played out a belter, with Liz Cambage sealing the game in the dying moments with a turnaround jump shot.
But before that, it was all the Rangers, with the visitors surging out to a five-point quarter-time lead that eventually grew to 11 at half-time.
But in a 23-point late scoring frenzy by the home side, the Rangers fell agonisingly short.
“We fought hard, we were up all game and they obviously just got it in the end, so it was a disappointing loss,” said 200-gamer Amelia Todhunter post-match.
“We have a game on Friday, so we need to just re-connect and get it all out there and leave nothing left.
“(There’s) no better team to play against (in game 200), and it sucks that we lost but we will win in the 201st on Friday which will be great.”
The fifth-placed Rangers will face Adelaide Lighting again on Friday night – this time at home – where they will look to break into the top four for the first time this season.
