South Spotlight | Froling, Palmer deliver Rangers crucial win

Featured image: @In2Action Photography-Jodie Rawiri

Harry Froling and Joe Palmer combined for 55 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Dandenong Rangers to a crucial 89-84 dramatic victory over the Casey Cavaliers in Friday night NBL1 South.

The two teams arrived at Casey Stadium on identical 11-9 records in eighth and ninth spot respectively to be solid in the top 10 in what was their second last games of the season so there was plenty at stake.

And both played like that all evening with Dandenong making the flying start away from home with 25 points to 11 in the first quarter and then leading by 20 at the half on the back of 38 points from Palmer and Froling.

But Casey dominated the third quarter with 27 points to six on holding the Rangers to 2/16 shooting and to have eight turnovers, but Dandenong responded and it was a late triple and huge dunk from Palmer that ended up securing the five-point win.

Froling and Palmer were ultimately the difference even with the former copping plenty all evening from all angles including the commentary booth but dishing it back as good as he got, and Dandenong improves to 12-9 as a result with Casey now 11-10.

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Take out the third quarter and it was quite the impressive showing from Dandenong in a crucial match up for both teams but precious little separated the two teams by the end of the evening including on the scoreboard.

The Rangers only ended up taking one extra shot and five more free throws, but that was enough to get the important win given everything else was so similar in terms of numbers right across the board by the final buzzer.

Harry Froling was at the forefront of everything once again for Dandenong and attracted plenty of attention, and the Cavs did their best to get under his skin and his frustration spilled over at times, but he also delivered a match winning performance at the same time.

He finished with another 31 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals with 12/18 from the field, 3/7 from deep and 4/8 at the foul line.

Joe Palmer then came up huge once more including that late three-pointer and massive dunk for 24 points, seven rebound and four assists.

Ryan Rapp added 13 points, three rebounds and three assists, and Josh Kunen 12 points, 11 boards and four assists.

Casey did have the momentum by three quarter-time but couldn’t quite go on with it with Ibrahima Diallo finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds and three blocks after going at it with Froling all evening.

Jesse Ghee added 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists, Preston Bungei 16 points, seven assists, six boards and three steals, Pat Ryan 12 points, three rebounds and three assists, and Joel Robinson nine points, four boards and three assists.

Both teams were clinging to places inside the top 10 and needed a win to stay there with eh Rangers making the flying start with 25 points to 11 in the first quarter on 59 per cent shooting to the 31 from the Cavaliers.

Harry Froling already had six points, four rebounds and four assists with Joe Palmer scoring nine points after the pair led the Rangers to their win back on Sunday against the Ballarat Miners.

That lead for Dandenong then blew out to 20 points in the second quarter and that's where it was at by half-time with the visitors leading 55-35 with Froling up to 20 points and Palmer 18 to outscore the Cavs on their own in the first 20 minutes.

The Rangers were shooting at 58 per cent to the 44 from the Cavaliers with the home team also having nine turnovers in the opening half.

While Dandenong was in complete control by half-time, that all changed in the third quarter when they managed just six points on 2/16 shooting with Froling scoring those points.

The Rangers also had eight turnovers in the quarter while Casey put up 27 points with 11/20 shooting from the floor and 4/7 from downtown to not only erase that 20-point deficit, but to be leading 62-61 themselves by three quarter-time.

That set up a big finish and again it was Palmer and Froling proving the difference. Palmer put Dandenong back in front with a huge three before he threw down a monster slam leaping over the top of Ibrahima Diallo who did his best to challenge.

Froling then capped his huge showing once more where he was in the thick of everything with a strong and-one play with 30 seconds to go and Josh Kunen sealed the win for the Rangers with a pair of free throws.

Casey will try to bounce back in their final regular season game next Saturday night against the Northern Force while Dandenong also have one game left that same evening away to the Diamond Valley Eagles.

NBL1 SOUTH 2026 SEASON | FIRST NATIONS ROUND

CASEY CAVALIERS 84 (Diallo 19, Ghee 18, Bungei 16)

DANDENONG RANGERS 89 (Froling 31, Palmer 24, Rapp 13)