By Jonty Ralphsmith
A stunning 22-4 third quarter helped lift Pakenham to a three-point win at Warrnambool on Saturday.
After trailing for much of the first half, Pakenham kept the hosts scoreless for a 7:03-minute patch in the third quarter, scoring 16 points in that period themselves to take the lead.
“We got nine stops in a row so it was a lot of fun,” coach Rob Dielemans said.
“We were very intent and really active in trying to create poor decision and they went through a phase where they couldn’t make a basket and we weren’t helping them.
“It was incredible.”
Haille Nickerson scored 10 points to go with two assists and two rebounds in that quarter, and was clutch from the freethrow line late in the fourth quarter.
With Pakenham up by two points with nine seconds on the clock, Nickerson made both her freethrows to extend the margin to four, before Warrnambool’s Dakota Crichton made a three, trimming the margin to one.
Nickerson again made both of her freethrows as the Warriors won 75-72.
Pakenham also got five offensive rebounds in the last four minutes of the game which was critical in the result, with the visitors’ intensity helping them hold on.
The match was recruit Breanna McKenzie’s second for the club and she’s building into strong form as she finished with a game-high four steals, and is set to be a crucial player as the Warriors look to improve their defence.
She spent time on Dakota Crichton who averages 22 points per game and while she still managed 20 points, her field goal percentage was down by 10 per cent.
“Defence,” Dielemans said simply when asked what she adds to the team.
“In the time she was guarding Dakota, she kept her to a lesser (field goal) percentage and only got beaten a couple of times by her but not without it being heavily contested.”
The coach also praised the role of bench player Beth Quadara who also spent time on Crichton.
“Defensively she’s up and about and we want to give her a role in the group and on the weekend we got her to help manage Dakota and she was really good,” he said.
“It was nice for her to play a role and relish that role.
“She really enjoyed it and her 10 minutes was really impactful for us so hopefully we can find regular stuff like that for her to do.”
