Rookie Bec Abel produced a career breakout game in the absence of star captain Lauren Mansfield to all but single-handedly guide Launceston Tornadoes out of trouble over cellar-dwellers Albury-Wodonga.
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The 18-year-old scored 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds on Saturday night to hand her side a 67-55 win.
Abel had been averaging 4.9 points this season and just 2.6 in 38 SEABL matches.
Coach Richard Dickel delivered a stinging rebuke to the bench regular’s game since his arrival in May that he credits to changing the Penguin recruit’s fortunes.
“Bec can definitely score – she can hit the three and she can hit the three from deep. She’s always been capable to do that,” Dickel said.
“But what I am most proud of is the way she’s stepping up and now taking up the responsibility defensively.
“She was one of the players I was very critical of.
“She took it on the chin and we’ve come out tonight to see what she’s done.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the young girl. I’ll take the 20 points, but it’s what she gave us with how many rebounds, the five defensive rebounds in the second half by hustling her butt off.
“She’s accepted responsibility and some of these girls have had it hard from me since I started here.”
Launceston had struggled early on, behind 22-10 until Lauren Nicholson nailed a vital three-point shot on the quarter-time buzzer.
It also took until there was four and half minutes left in the third quarter before the Tornadoes hit the front for the first time.
The home team scored 25-14 on the final stretch and 54-33 in a dominant last three terms to victory.
Dickel said the turnaround was all about attitude.
“It comes down to us playing defence and executing on offense,” he said.
“If you had said to me before the game that Tayla [Roberts] would only have 13 [points] and we’d win quite comfortably, I would’ve been very happy.
“I’m really happy with those young girls stepping up and playing well.
“It wasn’t just Bec Abel’s 20 points – it was Paige French coming on well, Olivia [Chugg] continuing to do her little bit and also Jayde [Brazendale] doing her little bit.
“At the end of the day, that’s what we’re all about.
“We’re about creating opportunities for these young ones and giving them the stage to step up.”
Nicholson proved another unsung hero with 21 points, while a quiet Roberts still pulled down 20 rebounds at both ends.
Dickel felt it was the best all-around team performance the credentialed coach has seen at the helm.
“We proved that we probably have girls that can handle the pressure,” he said.
“We proved in the first half that we can play without Tayla and Lauren [Mansfield] on the court at the same time.
“Lauren Nicholson has just been absolutely outstanding in the last four or five games, and she was again tonight.
“I just can’t sing the praises of the way that she and the girls come out, listen to what I say and try and do.
“I had to coach a little harder than I normally do – that’s without having that leadership that I had to step up and fill in that void a bit.
“But that’s what we do as a team.”