Capitals win WNBL title

The Canberra Capitals are the 2005/06 Price Attack WNBL Champions after their 68-55 point win over the Dandenong Rangers in front of a sell out crowd in Saturday’s Grand Final at the Dandenong Basketball Stadium.

Canberra’s win ended the Rangers quest to win three straight titles, and brought the championship back to the nation’s capital for the first time since 2003/04 when the Capitals went back to back.

“We hadn’t won one for a while, and we were hungry” was coach Carrie Graf’s assessment of the win, in a day where she was recognised as a Life Member of the league after her fourth Championship win as a coach.

“I didn’t have a great 2005 (referring to her stint as Phoenix Mercury coach in the WNBA, so it’s a great start to 2006.”

The question to be answered coming into the match was could Jenny Whittle and Tully Bevilaqua grab their first ever WNBL Championship.

With a combined aggregate of 27 seasons and 490 matches in the WNBL, this was their opportunity to claim the ultimate team goal.

The first quarter was as you would expect a tight affair in front of a roaring capacity crowd, with a quite a number of opposition supporters making the trip from Canberra.

The Capitals jumped out to a 5-0 start with their starting five consisting of captain Eleanor Sharp in her last game, Jenny Whittle, Lauren Jackson, Tully Bevilaqua and Kelli Abrams. The Rangers started with Jacinta Hamilton, Emily McInerney, Emma Randall, Carly Wilson and Sam Richards.

Hamilton matched up on Jackson early in a bit of a surprise in a low scoring 1st quarter. The defences were on top, with both teams shooting below 50% from the field. Match up for match up, this was a hard physical contest.

The second quarter saw the Capitals open the floodgates, outscoring Dandenong 21-9, with Jackson the difference with Thirteen points, It forced Gary Fox to make the switch mid way through the quarter, placing McInerney on her.

Canberra’s six point lead 20-14 stretched to a ten point lead 27-17, to eleven points 34-23 and by the end of the end of the quarter the margin was 14 points, and maybe game over in a very defensive contest. It was going to be a monumental effort for the Rangers to climb off the floor to capture their third straight title.

There must have been some strong words of motivation by Gary Fox at half time, because the Rangers tempo lifted, knowing this was the time they had to make their mark. With a parochial home crowd behind them.

Dandenong went on a 11-2 scoring spree to bring the margin back to 39-34, but it was the Capitals who were able to steady the ship in the last five minutes to lead 46-38 going into the last quarter of the season, despite Jackson being kept scoreless for the quarter.

The final quarter saw the Rangers make another charge, with regular three point shooter Caitlin Ryan stepping up with 10 points, but the margin was to much to ware down. The Capitals held their noses in front as they had all day with Jackson, Whittle and Abrams able to score important baskets and seal the win.

History told us coming in, this Grand Final was going to be a close encounter, but the Capitals were clearly the better team on the day, “We wanted to keep them under 15 points a quarter” said coach Carrie Graf.

Hunger, the tall timber in the paint and a special motivation to send Sharp out on a great note all played a part in the win according to Graf.

After a very disappointing 2004/05, this result is a great reward for Canberra, who before Christmas didn’t have the regular services of Jackson due to injury.

The star Opal claimed her 5th WNBL crown and was named MVP for the finals series.

For the Rangers they have been the yardstick the last two years. They had a chance to join the record books with a three peat, but the power, talls and class of the Capitals gave them the edge.

A great exhibition for Women’s Basketball, so bring on 2006/07.