By JARROD POTTER
ALL that could be seen was green and gold in the Australian Opals 76-33 win over the Dandenong Rangers but the SEABL team can hold its head high despite the one-sided scoreboard.
Squaring off against the best Australian female basketball players, the Rangers held firm in the first quarter – with battles raging across the court as Dandenong held in for a 11-19 term.
The Opals flexed their muscles in the second term, with future WNBL Dandenong Ranger Alice Kunek hitting her long-shots to push the gap out to 43-20 at the main break.
The return of SEABL and WNBL mainstay Alison Downie helped bolster the short-statured Dandenong side, with Downie giving her football priority over winter basketball.
The Opals tall youngsters Cayla Francis, Marianna Tolo and Natalie Burton tested the Rangers vertically, with the hard tasks going to Faith Probst, Downie and Amanda Meiking to contain them.
The experienced Opals eventually pulled away to secure the 43-point win but the Rangers can be content with their performance.
“Considering they were playing against one of the best women’s team in the world I think we did pretty well,” Dandenong coach Paul Flynn said.
“For six or seven minutes of each quarter we were quite competitive – but their extra size and strength and experience really just helps build that margin.
“I think it gives us a bit of an insight into where we want to be – we’ve got some experienced girls in the line-up, but for some of the younger girls who are potentially on the national programs radar – Aimie (Clydesdale), Rosie (Fadljevic) and Amanda (Meinking) – it gives them some perspective that ‘I have achieved the highest level at juniors and for me to now get to that same height at seniors I need to step up this much’.”
Flynn praised the efforts of Amelia Todhunter, Downie and especially Clydesdale – who pushed the experienced Opals guards with blistering speed.
“Aimie came out and was pretty focused on doing a job,” Flynn said. “She really exposed some defensive gaps in the Opals – I know it is early days but they really struggled with her speed.”
“I think Amelia Todhunter did exceptionally well, she proved she belonged in the WNBL and good to get some contributions back from Alison Downie who we pulled in for that game to help us out on rebounds and gave us that spark, energy and leadership so that was a bonus for us.”
For the Dandenong Basketball Association, seeing players of this calibre – with Opals legends Lauren Jackson and Kristi Harrower courtside to watch the match as well – is a boon for the area.
“From an association perspective that’s invaluable – it’s about being able to give something back to our members,” Flynn said.
“It wasn’t a ticketed event so if you were in the stadium you could go and watch it.
“We consider ourselves to have the best facilities in the country so we need to bring teams like the Opals in – it’s what the drawcard for Dandenong is.”
