Fire fail to launch in season opener
The JCU Townsville Fire’s title defence has been railroaded by a plucky Dandenong line-up on the road.
With the Fire unveiling their championship banner courtesy of Mia Murray, the home crowd were roaring early before the Rangers overcame a double-digit deficit to record a 73-68 win.
Fire captain Suzy Batkovic mounted her case for a seventh Chemist Warehouse WNBL MVP as she finished with a team-high 20 points and 16 rebounds – 13 of those points coming in the first term alone – while Casey Samuels enjoyed a memorable club debut with 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
The Chemist Warehouse @WNBL 🐐 doing 🐐 things as we take the lead 18-15. Suzy Batkovic has 9 points! #FireUpTownsville pic.twitter.com/PL9MmGhddU
— Townsville Fire (@TownsvilleFire) October 14, 2018
Bec Cole was the best for the Rangers with 18 points to help erase some of the memory of last year’s Grand Final loss when she lined-up for Melbourne.
“They’re a lot of positives to take away from the game,” Batkovic said.
“We got off to a good start but we lost our way during the second half and Dandenong capitalised.
“The ball got stuck in our hands and we couldn’t get anything to drop, but we’ve lost season openers before and still gone on to win the championship so we’ll see what happens.”
World Cup silver medallist Tess Madgen (six points, sic rebounds and two assists) opened the Fire’s scoring before the Rangers went on a run.
The opening points of the game on the board courtesy of Tess Madgen! #FireUpTownsville pic.twitter.com/4T8tSMS99N
— Townsville Fire (@TownsvilleFire) October 14, 2018
Trailing early in the opening term, Samuels hit the first of three triples for the contest before Batkovic had the hot hand.
The Fire skipper was rolling early and boasted a double-double at half-time as the Fire led by as many as 10 midway through the second quarter before entering the main break with a 42-35 advantage.
A rusty start to our title defence as Dandenong clinches a narrow win. Suzy Batkovic was the First Things First MVP with a double-double, while Casey Samuels was brilliant on debut! #FireUpTownsville pic.twitter.com/epTcNMerX7
— Townsville Fire (@TownsvilleFire) October 14, 2018
A 23-13 third quarter swung the momentum to the Rangers and while the Fire had their chances down the stretch, the reigning champions couldn’t connect on any of their final seven attempts from the field as the visitors made them pay from the line.
The Fire will need to regroup ahead of this week’s Doomsday Double against Adelaide and Perth on the road.
Click here to see full box scores between the Fire and the Rangers.