FIBA Basketball

    AUS - Townsville and Dandenong remain within reach of the top...

    MELBOURNE (WNBL) - Both the Townsville Fire (7-8) and the Dandenong Rangers (8-8) remain within reach of the top four teams in the defencejobs Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) following their crucial wins in Round 11 last weekend. Townsville were too hot for Perth on Friday night at SeaFM Stadium in Townsville, posting an 83-62 victory that positions them just two wins shy of the Bulleen Melbourne Boomers (9-6) in fourth place on the ladder

    MELBOURNE (WNBL) - Both the Townsville Fire (7-8) and the Dandenong Rangers (8-8) remain within reach of the top four teams in the defencejobs Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) following their crucial wins in Round 11 last weekend.

    Townsville were too hot for Perth on Friday night at SeaFM Stadium in Townsville, posting an 83-62 victory that positions them just two wins shy of the Bulleen Melbourne Boomers (9-6) in fourth place on the ladder.

    US import Jennifer Crouse led all scorers with 17 points in addition to 10 rebounds. She was well supported by Rohanee Cox (16 points and 5 rebounds) and Renae Camino (15 points and 7 rebounds).

    For Perth (2-15), guard Melissa Marsh starred with 16 points and 4 assists while Kiwi international Angela Marino added 15 points. Scoring machine Carly Wilson posted just three points on 1-of-10 shooting.

    The backbone of Townsville’s win came courtesy of their dominant defence, with the Fire out-rebounding the Lynx 44-27.

    The Rangers claimed the 2006 Michele Timms Cup and moved within one win of the top four after a spirited come-from behind win over Victorian rival Bulleen at the Dandenong Basketball stadium on Friday night, 70-62.

    The Rangers trailed 51-44 at three quarter time but a 26-11 final term, during which inspirational co-captain Caitlin Ryan and Kathleen McLeod netted 10 and 8 points respectively, reduced the Boomers fourth placed lead to just one win.

    Sam Richards and Ryan both netted 15 points apiece and Jenna O’Hea and McLeod scored 12 points each. defencejobs Opal Emily McInerny turned in a brilliant defensive effort, posting 11 rebounds with 9 points and 3 assists while restricting Boomers gun Hollie Grima to 7 points and 7 rebounds.

    Karen Ashby led all scorers with 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting while Tall Fern Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe tallied 13 points and 5 rebounds.

    The Canberra Capitals turned around last weekend’s horror road trip by notching a scrappy 81-54 win over league leader Adelaide at the AIS Arena on Saturday night.

    The win was set up in the opening half when Canberra outscored Adelaide 53-31, after which the Caps held the undermanned Lightning, who were missing Erin Phillips (hamstring) and Kristen Rasmussen (ankle), at bay.

    Jess Bibby and Captain Kellie Abrams led all scorers with 15 points each while tall timber Tracey Beatty and Kiwi Donna Loffhagen posted 13 points and 5 rebounds and 7 points and 10 rebounds respectively.

    Tracey Gahan and Jess Foley tallied 14 points each, with Gahan adding 9 rebounds.

    The Lightning shot a poor 29 per cent from the field with a miserly 2-of-19 from 3-point range – a performance that had head coach Chris Lucas labeling the loss as the team’s “worst performance of the year.”

    A 25-10 mid game scoring blitz that included a 19-0 run set-up Sydney Uni’s massive 81-46 win over the Perth Lynx at the Sydney Uni Sports and Aquatic Centre on Saturday night.

    Four Sydney Uni players posted double figures, led by a brilliant performance from point guard Kristen Veal who tallied 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 assists in just 24 minutes on court. Trish Fallon and Mikaela Dombkins added 13 points each while Nat Porter contributed 12 points and 8 rebounds.

    Sydney Uni, who claimed a 3-game clean sweep over Perth with the win, easily out-muscled the Lynx 53-32 in the rebound count and displayed fine team cohesion to post 19 assists to Perth’s 8.

    All Sydney Uni players received double figure minutes on court.

    Carly Wilson top scored for Perth with 11 points while Crista Hays added 10 points and Angela Marino 9 points.

    Missing two of their starting five, the Adelaide Lightning managed a comprehensive victory over the AIS in Canberra on Sunday afternoon, 91-60.

    A 23 point, 5 assist and 5 steal performance from Narelle Lindsay inspired the Lightning to their second win over the AIS in three rounds.

    Tracey Gahan posted a solid 17 point, 13 rebound double-double in support while Captain Sam Woosnam (13 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists), Jess Foley (13 points) and Lauren King (10 points) all contributed to the 31-point win.

    For the AIS, Rebecca Schatz top scored with 11 points to go with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal, while Katie Ebzery and Molly Lewis added 10 points and 9 points respectively.

    The win keeps Adelaide in first place on the ladder, equal with Sydney Uni on 11 wins and 3 losses.

    AT A GLANCE:
    Townsville 83 - Crouse 17, Cox 16, Camino 15
    Perth 62 - Marsh 16, Marino 15, Hays 10
    Dandenong 70 – Ryan 15, Richards 15, McLeod 12, O’Hea 12
    Bulleen 62 – Ashby 23, McMeeken-Rusco 13, Milner 9
    Canberra 81 – Bibby 15, Abrams 15, Beatty 13
    Adelaide 54 – Foley 14, Gahan 14, Woosnam 8
    Sydney Uni 81 – Veal 15, Fallon 13, Dombkins 13,
    Perth 46 – Wilson 11, Hays 10, Marino 9
    Adelaide 91 – Lindsay 23, Gahan 17, Foley 13, Woosnam 13
    AIS 60 – Schatz 11, Ebzery 10, Lewis 9

    THE LADDER, with 5 rounds remaining:
    1. Sydney Uni (11-3)
    2. Adelaide (11-3)
    3. Canberra (10-4)
    4. Bulleen Melbourne (9-6)
    5. Dandenong (8-8)
    6. Townsville (7-8)
    7. Perth (2-15)
    8. AIS (1-12)

    Five Rounds remain before the first semi final is played on February 2nd.

    Basketball Australia