A STARRING performance from Nyadiew Puoch has helped the Dandenong Rangers emerge five-point winners in their clash against the Frankston Blues in the National Basketball League (NBL)1 South Women’s on Wednesday night.

The match kicked off the action for Round 4 of the 2024 season, with both sides in very different form. Dandenong had hit its stride of late, winning three on the trot coming into the clash, while Frankston was looking to avoid a three-game losing streak.

It was a hard-fought affair, with neither side able to truly break away as the lead changed hands several times. Heading into the last term, the Blues looked a big chance of pulling off the boilover, leading by a point with 10 minutes to play. However, the Rangers’ class shone through when it mattered most, outscoring the hosts 20-14 in the fourth to claim a 68-63 win.

The performance of Puoch was crucial in the context of the match, with her offence proving telling when the result was still up in the air.

Frankston Blues (63) def. by Dandenong Rangers (68)

Nyadiew Puoch – 24 points, two rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block

Fresh off a selection in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Atlanta Dream, Puoch showed what she can bring to the table with a match-winning performance.

Her 24 points were the most of anyone on the court, and 13 of them came in the decisive final period where the Rangers ultimately took home the chocolates.

With her team in dire need of some offence, the team’s superstar stood up with several clutch buckets. Whether it was driving lay-ups, three-pointers or drawing contact and finishing at the free throw line, Puoch just found the bottom of the net when it mattered most.

She shot 7/18 from the field, but an accurate 8/10 from the free throw line, where she generated a lot of the points that got her team to victory.

Now cemented as one of the biggest names in Australian basketball, Puoch lived up to her star status with a clutch performance against the Blues.