By Marcus Uhe
The seasons of both Dandenong’s National Basketball League 1 (NBL1) South sides have come to a screeching halt, following semi final losses for both the men’s and women’s programs on Saturday night.
Dandenong’s women were upset at home 96-86 by Waverley, seeing them exit the competition in straight sets at the hands of a pair of champion Southside Flyers in the Women’s National Basketball League.
Last week it was Maddison Rocci that the Rangers failed to overcome, and this week it was Rebecca Cole and Carley Ernst, who combined for 60 points for the Falcons and showed all their championship-winning experience in the big contest.
Ernst was particularly important, capitalising on an injury to Dandenong centre Ashten Prechtel.
Prechtel was seen clutching at her right wrist early in the second quarter while attempting to contain Ernst in the post, and immediately called for a substitution.
She played less than 10 minutes in the contest and Ernst immediately took control once her opponent exited the game, leaving the Rangers without one of their stars in the sudden death contest.
The Rangers were leading 19-18 when Prechtel substituted out early in the second quarter and were outscored 46-58 across the second and third quarter as the Falcons showed why they were a dangerous seed in the lower half of the competition’s top six.
Nyadiew Puoch returned to action but only played 20 minutes, grabbing 12 points and four rebounds.
Dallas Loughridge played all 40 minutes and filled the stat sheet with 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Amber Smith was a lethal 5/7 from the three-point line in her 29-point, 12-rebound night.
It was not the way the Rangers would have liked their season to end, but it will be a campaign they can reflect on with pride, having finished third in the regular season after missing finals action in 2023.
Dandenong’s men, meanwhile, were blown away in the third quarter against Ballarat and failed to recover in the fourth, going down 91-78 on the road.
The Rangers took a one-point lead into the second half but was outscored 23-12 in the third quarter, thanks in part to an 8-0 run from the Miners where the Rangers could not find the bottom of the net.
Having not played finals in 2023 and finishing as one of the lowest ranked sides in the competition, Dandenong reaching the post-season was a huge achievement under head coach Samantha Woosnam.
Jack Roberts and Ted Dufelmeier equal top-scored on the night with 20 points.
