By RUSSELL BENNETT
FOR the first three quarters of Penny Taylor’s return to the Dandenong Rangers’ WNBL line-up on Saturday afternoon, it was the intangibles that set her apart.
Taylor, originally out of the Belgrave South junior system, displayed her unique ability to disrupt Townsville’s passing lanes, to alter shots, box out and throw long outlet passes to team mates in transition – playing a huge role in keeping her side in the contest when it was outplayed for large parts of the first half.
But the Opals captain’s fourth quarter showed why she’s one of the world’s best basketball players.
Three huge, clutch three-pointers – the last with just 28 seconds left – were key in the Rangers turning a four-point deficit with just 3:40 left on the clock into a seven-point win, 79-72.
Taylor only had nine points to her name through the first three quarters but finished with a Rangers’ team-high 21 to go along with five rebounds and four assists in front of a strong home crowd that would no doubt have been bigger if not for the game being televised on the ABC, and in its 3pm timeslot.
Star US import Cappie Pondexter, who Taylor has won two WNBA championships with as a member of the Phoenix Mercury, also finished with 16 points, four assists and three steals.
But it was reserve big Lauren Scherf who Rangers’ coach Mark Wright named his player of the game.
With just one training session under her belt over the past two weeks – due to her Year-12 exams – the 18-year-old was vital in getting her side a massive win over the previously undefeated Townsville.
Make no mistake – this victory could be the turning point of a Rangers’ season that has started so inconsistently.
“It’s been really tough for the players who’ve been beaten up physically – they’re tired and fatigued from some pretty tough losses – so it was really important that we re-gathered,” Wright said.
“Like a good team that I’m hoping they’ll become, they rallied and played a great team game today and showed our fans and the national basketball audience what’s in store.
“Penny Taylor is just world-class and any time you bring a player like that into the team it’s going to make the team better and all the other players better.
“There was a real indication of that today in how we responded.”
But the day after defeating the previously unbeaten, top-of-the-table Townsville, Dandenong lowered its colours to the Melbourne Boomers in the local derby – losing 93-77.
The Rangers started where they left off against Townsville but conceded 31 points in the second quarter, putting them on the back foot for the rest of the game.
Taylor led Dandenong brilliantly, finishing with 26 points on a super-efficient 61 per cent shooting, but she and Pondexter were the only two Rangers to score in double figures.
Dandenong will host Bendigo this Sunday from 2pm at the Dandenong Basketball Stadium.
