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MELBOURNE - A final quarter blitz by Mark Worthington secured South Dragons a 94-81 victory over Townsville in the opening game of the best of three Australian National Basketball League semifinal series on Tuesday night.
The Dragons appeared headed for defeat for much of the night before Worthington, with 27 points and Donta Smith, 25, saw them home.
Worthington scored 12 points in the final quarter to seal the win.
Townsville's star import Corey Williams was held to just 14 points on four of 17 shooting.
The Dragons used an 8-0 run late in the fourth quarter to break the game open.
Clinging to a two point lead, the Dragons through Smith, Worthington and Tremmell Darden scored the next four baskets to lead 83-73 and effectively end the game as a contest.
John Rillie led the Crocs with 20 and Rosell Ellis added 16.
Rillie gave the Crocs a fast start, hitting 11 points in the opening five minutes of the game as the visitors moved to an early 21-10 lead.
Dragons coach Brian Goorjian responded by resting his starters and going to his bench, and the second unit responded.
Smith answered Rillie's early burst with 10 quick points and when Nick Horvath dunked with seconds remaining the Dragons had levelled the contest 24-all at quarter time.
Rillie nailed two more three pointers in the second quarter and again the Crocs moved ahead by 11.
But a late 9-0 run by the Dragons, sparked by an unsportsmanlike foul on Smith, allowed the home side to reduce the deficit to 42-40 at the main break.
Dragons forward Joe Ingles endured a tough first half, held scoreless and picking up four fouls.
He finally netted a basket in the third term, but picked up his fifth foul soon after and was benched midway through the quarter.
The Crocs again jumped out quickly, moving to a 55-46 lead before the Dragons responded.
Smith's dunk capped a 13-2 Dragons run and gave the home team a 59-57 lead late in the third quarter, and they extended that to 63-60 to carry into the final term.
Ingles finished with just two points, but his team mates made sure that his form didn't matter in the final analysis.
The second game of the series is set for Thursday night in Townsville.
A Crocs win will send the series to a deciding third game, while a Dragons win will propel them to a first grand final appearance.
- AAP
