Adelaide top Rangers, through to the Grand Final

3/MAR/2008 – The Adelaide LINK Lightning this afternoon set-up a mouthwatering 2007/08 ADF WNBL Grand Final match-up with the ACUVUE Sydney Uni Flames following their 74-64 win over a gallant Dandnenong Jayco Rangers at the Distinctive Homes Dome.

Outstanding performances from the dynamic Renae Camino, who tallied a game high 24 points to go with nine rebounds, gun point guard Erin Phillips who contributed 18 points, ten rebounds and six assists and captain Sam Woosnam who added 12 rebounds, nine points and nine assists were the cornerstones in Adelaide's ten-point win.

Adelaide, who were without star import Tracy Gahan, also won the rebound count 48-31 and shot at an impressive 53% from the three-point line while the Rangers could only manage 32% (25-of-79) from the field.

Former Adelaide championship winning star Michelle Brogan led the Rangers with an 18-point, 10 rebound double-double with Emily McInerny adding 11 points and 10 rebounds and Larissa Anderson contributing ten points in support.

Lightning coach Vicki Valk said that although Gahan wouldn't train in the lead-up to the Grand Final, she will definitely be lining up in the championship decider at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre

"After last week we were pretty devastated but we didn't change much this week and thankfully we came out with the win," game MVP Camino said. "It was hard losing Tracy last week but it was easier today knowing we all had to step up."

"I feel we are the underdogs now after last week's game."

A tearful Brogan all but confirmed she will retire from the WNBL in after game interview.

"More than likely I won't be playing," she said. "I'm not going to say the 'R' word retiring but its 99.9 certain I won't be playing."

The Lightning opened the game on a 7-0 run, helped by the Rangers missing their opening four field shots and with Camino and Woosnam hitting eight points and six points respectively for the term, the Lightning held a 21-12 quarter time lead.

And although there were a few uncharacteristic offensive errors from Adelaide, they gained control of the match thanks to a 12-3 first quarter rebound count win, with Camino tallying seven herself.

Adelaide scored the first four points of the second quarter through fast paced transition play to open a 25-12 lead but a dogged Rangers outfit reduced the deficit to nine 25-16 with 6:40 remaining.

But with the Rangers unable to even buy a bucket, Adelaide upped its offensive intensity, the Phillips and Camino combination regularly slicing through the Rangers interior defence, and established a 39-22 lead with 2:29 remaining

By this point the Dandenong shooting percentage had dropped to 29% (11-of-38) but boasting the most experienced line-up in the league the Rangers rallied late to trial 42-31 at halftime.

With Brogan showing her class for the Rangers and the dynamic Phillips/Camino pairing on fire for Adelaide the two sides went basket-for-basket throughout the first five minutes of the third term, the Lightning up 51-41.

With Jenny Whittle on three fouls, the Rangers regularly drove to the basket and had an immediate effect, getting within seven points but with Camino continuing her shooting blitz, Adelaide led 58-44 with 3:03 left in the third quarter.

Dandenong again rallied to get within ten points on the verge of three quarter time but back-to-back triples from Phillips and Foley saw the Lighting snatch back momentum and lead 64-50 at three quarter time.

Down by 14 points, the Rangers, who claimed a 15-point comeback win against Canberra last week, battled hard and reduced the margin to 70-64 with 43 seconds left in the game but Adelaide held on with late points from the charity stripe.

Next Saturday's (March 8) championship decider at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre tips-off at 4pm AEDT and will be broadcast LIVE on ABC TV.