Making a splash in top tier: Clutch shot steers Mermaids to win

The back-to-back division one premier - promoted for the 2024 season - has started its comeback in the Victorian top-tier with two wins from the opening three games.

Victorian under-20 player Dakota Crichton hit the winner against Wyndham at the Arc on Saturday, April 13.

The 75-84 victory gave the Louise Brown-coached side a memorable victory in front of its home crowd.

"They were the team to beat. It was a huge effort from the girls," she told The Standard.

"We were down by two points and we had a time-out, advanced the ball to our forward court.

"We ran a play for Julia (Nielanca). We were going to draw the game, thinking we'd go into overtime and they sent everyone to her and Dakota (Crichton) ended up being wide open on the three-point line and hit the shot which put us up by a point.

"There was another time-out, they advanced the ball, had possession and had an offensive foul with one second to go.

"We had another time-out and advanced the ball to our end and game was over."

Nielanca (20 points, 20 rebounds) and Crichton (19 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three steals) were dominant for the Mermaids while first-gamer, French import Maelys Pineau, impressed with eight points from 20 minutes on court.

Molly McLaren (11 points) and Molly McKinnon (eight) also played important roles as did "workhorse" Matilda Sewell.

"Dakota was phenomenal again. We make her defend the best player at the other end for 40 minutes and she did a great job, she guarded their import," Brown said.

"Julia had a double-double, she was huge on the boards, and our new player Mae was great. She is just a stronger body, she can finish under pressure and she's a great defender."

Brown said the Mermaids' scoring spread was imperative in the top tier and was rapt with their accuracy from long range.

They shot 66 per cent from the three-point line.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks suffered an 82-63 defeat to Coburg Giants in their first home game of the weekend.

It was their fifth straight loss to start the season. American import Kester Ofoegbu (17 points) and James Mitchell (12) led the scoring.