This was published 7 years ago
WNBL: Outsiders Adelaide Lightning end 15-game losing streak against Dandenong Rangers
By Roy Ward
Adelaide Lightning had a 0-15 season record and few people expecting them to break their streak in two Victorian road games this weekend.
Instead they won both, causing shock as many expected the WNBL's youngest and lowest paid side to go without a win this season.
Ranger Aimee Clydesdale races downcourt against Adelaide's Sarah Elsworthy. Credit: Mick Connolly
Centre Tayla Roberts scored 22 points in the win over the Melbourne Boomers then backed up with 21 points as the Lightning shocked top-team Dandenong Rangers at Dandenong on Sunday.
"No one would have believed this," Roberts said after Sunday's win.
Sara Blicavs reaches for goalfor Dandenong pressed by from Adelaide's Coleen Planetta. Credit: Mick Connolly
"The adrenaline was rushing after the game, we were just so pumped to win this game, we were on such a high from last night and we were able to bring that in.
"At half time today we were like "oh my gosh - we are up".
"Even though everyone was super excited we kept our calm and played incredible."
At 5am on Saturday the Lightning left for Melbourne and by 8am they were in Geelong where they played the Boomers on Saturday night.
They won 71-67 but had little time to celebrate as they drove from Geelong to Dandenong during a sweaty summer night getting to bed at around 1am on Sunday morning.
"Most of us didn't have aircon in our rooms last night so we were all a bit annoyed about that," Roberts said post game.
"But we pulled it together and got another win on the board."
During the offseason there was uncertainty about whether the Lightning would stay in the WNBL but NBL club Adelaide 36ers who took over the team for at least this season and next while South Australia's Motor Accident Commission continued a vital sponsorship.
Two-time championship winning coach Chris Lucas, a South Australian native, took charge of a team filled with local teenagers keen to try the national league, Opals star Laura Hodges and a few skilled recruits wanting to prove themselves like Roberts, a Launceston local, and import forward Colleen Planeta who spent the winter playing for Hume City Broncos in the Big V.
Hodges has only played 10 of their 17 games due to injury but is likely to return in the next two weeks while Victorian teenage Anneli Maley fell into their lap at midseason as she was looking for chance to play WNBL before deciding what to do with her playing future.
"This is great reward for our team," Lucas said.
"I can assure you they work as hard if not harder than any team in the league and I've been pressing their buttons - their hard work has paid off this weekend.
"These girls see this as an opportunity, I've given that to them, and now we find out who wants to stay around next year."