By Justin Schwarze
As the NBL1 South season opened on the weekend, Dandenong Rangers Women wasted no time sending a message to the league, smashing local rivals Casey on the road.
After a close first quarter had Dandenong in front 25-18, the Rangers had one of the most dominant frames anyone will have this season, allowing just four Cavaliers points for the entire period.
The visitors held their opponents to 2/13 shooting and forced 10 turnovers in a defensive masterclass.
On the other end, Dandenong was able to capitalise, scoring 27 of its own, blowing out the halftime margin to 52-22.
The second half was much closer but the Rangers continued to widen the margin, outscoring Casey in both second half quarters.
At the end of the third term, the visitors held a 76-39 advantage.
The Cavaliers shot a dismal 28 percent as a team on the night, including going 8/39 from deep.
When the final buzzer sounded, the visiting team had demolished Casey, 98-56.
Dallas Loughridge was fantastic for Dandenong, notching 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Manuela Puoch was also a solid contributor, scoring 17 points on 8/14 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds.
Amber Smith provided quality minutes off the bench, posting an efficient 18 points, connecting on seven of her 13 shots.
The Rangers shot 46 percent as a collective, including knocking down 12 threes at a near 43 percent clip.
They were also careful with the basketball, dishing out 16 team assists to just nine turnovers.
Dandenong also won the rebound battle, hauling in 50 boards compared to Casey’s 42.
Imogen Rock was a standout on the defensive end, finishing with nine boards, two steals and two blocks.
The final double-digit scorer for the visitors was Georgia Booth with 11, but the Rangers had seven players reach seven points or more, marking a brilliant and cohesive performance on both ends of the floor.
In round 2, the Cavaliers will take their season interstate, making a long journey to visit Mount Gambier, while Dandenong will host its first game of the season when it welcomes Eltham.
