By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE Dandenong Rangers SEABL women are within striking distance of East conference division-leader Bendigo after a stifling 19-point triumph over Frankston on Sunday.
Both sides struggled in the early going, scoring a combined 22 points in the first quarter, but the Rangers scored 14 of them and kept the Blues to just 21 per cent from the floor.
Rangers coach Paul Flynn acknowledged his side’s slow start, and spoke of the importance of defence at half-time with his side clinging to just a one-point lead, 31-30.
The Blues had a vastly improved second quarter, scoring 22 points on an impressive 56 per cent from the field – including three of six made shots from downtown.
Whatever Flynn told his charges at the break clearly worked, with Dandenong choking the life out of Frankston – conceding just 16 points over the final two quarters, including just five in the last.
“Frankston missed some shots but we played really well on the defensive end,” Flynn said.
Clare Papavs (13 points and 10 rebounds) and Faith Probst (12 points and 10 rebounds) were the stars of the Rangers show – each recording double-doubles.
Flynn noted the second-chance points opportunities his side received from their 14 offensive boards – six of which came from Probst.
He also raved about Amelia Todhunter’s passing ability and offensive awareness – dishing off five assists.
“She’s really doing a great job of getting her team mates involved, which really helps out our younger girls,” he said.
But the key for the Rangers now is maintaining that effort against Hobart at Aurora Stadium this Friday night.
“We need to bring that same defensive intensity against Hobart,” Flynn said.
“There is a travel factor but we need that same intensity and the young girls need to embrace the nervous energy they might have from playing there for the first time.”
The situation was reversed for the Rangers men on Sunday afternoon, going down to Frankston 88-69.
Andrew Harms (22 points and 5 assists) and Tony Lewis (20 points, 5 steals, and 5 rebounds) led the way for Dandenong but they weren’t enough to counteract the influence of Frankston’s Charleston Long, who recorded 21 points (on 8-12 from the field) and 9 rebounds.
