ANZ Championship Pre-Season Tournament - Friday 2 March - Results
The on-court action promises to gain in intensity after the 10 franchises dusted off the cobwebs on the opening day of the ANZ Championship pre-season tournament in Tauranga on Friday.
LG Mystics (48) defeat EasiYo Tactix (46)
Last year's beaten finalists LG Mystics made a winning start, after just hanging on to beat the EasiYo Tactix 48-46 in the opening game of the tournament.
Tactix established a 14-12 first quarter lead but had relinquished it by halftime. Trailing by three goals at the main break, the Tactix found themselves further behind after incredible hands from Mystics shooters Catherine Latu and Bailey Mes athletically pulled in high balls while balancing on the edge of the baseline.
Unable to capitalise on the extra possession picked up in intercepts by Anna Scarlett and Kayla Cullen, Mystics found themselves battling to hang onto their four-goal lead in the fourth quarter as the Tactix reduced the margin to just one in the shadow of fulltime. Time ran out on the Tactix comeback as the Mystics hung on for the narrow win. First Windows Waikato / Bay of Plenty Magic (40) defeat Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel (30) First Windows Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic opened their account with a comfortable 40-30 win over a plucky Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel. Both teams made numerous changes throughout the game with the home team holding the upper hand throughout. Gaining a slight edge across most phases of play, Magic edged to a 10-5 first quarter lead before stamping their mark in the second spell. The introduction of Juliana Naoupu added some spark to the Magic attacking line in the second quarter, the nippy goal attack's speed off the line and ability to create space having a telling effect. With midcourt maestro Laura Langman a standout through the centre court exchanges, Magic zipped out to 24-11 on the back of some dazzling play. Veteran shooter Jodi Brown did her best to marshal the young Steel attacking line but former team-mate Leana de Bruin was at her menacing best in thwarting many of the Steel's shooting options as the southerners were restricted to just six goals for the quarter.
Steel were given some breathing space, executing their best passages of the match as Magic made a raft of changes at both ends of the court for the third quarter.
The southerners prevailed 8-7 during this spell as Brown and Ashleigh Smith made the most of their opportunities under the hoop while defenders Demelza McCloud and Louise Thayer restricted Magic's shooting options with some effective work in the circle. However, Magic were still handily placed when holding a 31-19 lead heading into the final stanza.
West Coast Fever (40) defeated NSW Swifts (33)
West Coast Fever's reign under new coach Norma Plummer got off to an impressive start with a 40-33 victory over the NSW Swifts.
The Fever, looking a shadow of its former self with just five returning players from the 2011 season, showed signs that they're going to be a threat this coming season with their combination of youth and experience.
Catherine Cox, in her first game against her former Swifts, started in the shooter circle alongside national team mate Caitlin Bassett which paid immediate dividends as the Fever raced out to a 4-0 lead within minutes.
The Swifts, missing defender Mo'onia Gerrard for the tournament with an ankle injury, had difficulty in containing the Fever's quick ball movement through the mid court which showed on the scoreboard as the Fever took a 15-8 lead into quarter-time. Leading by nine goals at halftime, the Fever extended their margin to 12 midway through the third quarter before a late flourish from the Swifts cut the deficit to eight goals on the stroke of three-quarter time. The two sides exchanged goals in the fourth quarter to see the Fever, yet to make an ANZ Championship Final Series since the league's inception, claim a seven goal victory.
Adelaide Thunderbirds (41) Haier Pulse (32)
A dominant first half set the tone for the Adelaide Thunderbirds' 41-32 win over Haier Pulse. Pulse rallied to deliver an exciting second half fight-back but a 12-goal halftime buffer and a superior edge to their finishing was enough to get the Thunderbirds comfortably home. Willowy goal shoot Carla Borrego found her range under the hoop for Thunderbirds while the defensive trio of Georgia Beaton, Rebecca Bulley and Sharni Layton had the Pulse attackers struggling for accuracy. Seven straight goals pushed the Thunderbirds into a dominant position as they headed in to the first break with a 12-7 lead. Minus their inspiring captain Natalie von Bertouch, who is still coming back from injury, the Thunderbirds remained a potent force without her. A telling second quarter propelled the Adelaide team into a position of dominance, their superior accuracy proving the difference. Thunderbirds were quick to pounce on anything loose as they continued to exert pressure in all facets, outscoring their opponents two goals to one as they headed to a healthy 27-15 halftime advantage. Shooter Amber Bellringer provided some starch under the hoop while Camilla Lees added thrust on attack as the Pulse turned in their best return for the match. There was a slight reduction in the deficit but the Thunderbirds were still handily placed at 34-24 heading down the home straight. Vixens (48) defeat Mystics (40)
The Melbourne Vixens prevailed 48-40 over the LG Mystics on the back of a powerful third quarter. Very little separated the teams in the first half but it was Vixens who stole a march in the all-important third stanza, the impact being enough to win the game after normal service resumed with an even final quarter.
A tight contest was mirrored in the score when the teams headed into the first break locked at 10 goals apiece. Each side had their moments of ascendancy with passages of brilliance only to be let down by inconsistency with neither able to find complete control.
It was a similar story in the second stanza, the scores remaining close as the two evenly-matched teams tussled to get the upper hand. Goal attack Grace Rasmussen made a successful and long awaited return from a serious knee injury with a polished performance for Mystics while England import Jade Clarke made an impressive contribution at centre. The top class defensive trio of Bianca Chatfield, Geva Mentor and Julie Corletto proved a tough line to breech for the Mystics attackers as Vixens squeezed out to a narrow 20-19 halftime lead.
The introduction of Temepara George and Maria Tutaia for Mystics could not detract from the Vixens slowly gaining the edge throughout the third quarter. Superior control on attack with the polish applied by shooters Kate Beveridge and Tegan Caldwell pushed the Vixens out to an eight-goal advantage. Vixens repelled a late quarter fight-back by the Mystics, who were often thwarted by the athletic brilliance of Corletto as the Melbourne team skipped into the final break with a 35-26 advantage. Queensland Firebirds (53) defeated Ascot Park Hotel Steel (36)
Defending champions Queensland Firebirds continued their winning ways by defeating the Ascot Park Hotel Steel 53-36.
The Steel were quickest out of the blocks and had the Firebirds on the back foot early to hold a slight advantage throughout the first quarter to lead 12-9 at the first break.
The second quarter showed signs that the arm wrestle would continue until the Firebirds demonstrated why they're reigning premiers as they went on to notch five consecutive goals to outscore the Steel 16-8 in the second quarter.
Firebirds goal shooter Romelda Aiken was at her athletic best as she controlled the shooting circle.
Leading 39-26 at three-quarter time the Firebirds opted for a youth policy in the final quarter brining some relief to the Steel defenders as Aiken made her way for understudies Ameliaranne Wells and Candice Adams in the circle.
Despite the wholesale changes across the court, the Firebirds didn't miss a beat as they extended their 15 goal advantage to 19 by the final whistle. First Windows Waikato / Bay of Plenty Magic (43) defeat NSW Swifts (41)
Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic pipped a resurgent NSW Swifts 43-41 to notch their second win on the opening day. Magic came back from a second quarter lapse to hold out a fast-finishing Swift in an exciting finale to the first day's play. The creativity of Julianna Naoupu helped Magic keep their noses in front during a combative opening stanza against the new-look Swifts.
The mercurial Naoupu's subtle changes of pace, sleight of hand and accuracy on the shot combined with captain Laura Langman's quality through court play was enough to steer Magic to a narrow 12-10 advantage at the first break.
The centre-goal attack combination of Kimberlee Green and Susan Pratley kept the Swifts in the hunt, the experienced attacking combination ensuring a competitive second stanza.
While the Magic dazzled at times, their lack of consistency and high turnover rate proved costly. Feeding off their opponents' mistakes, Swifts kept their errors to a minimum while making sure of their goals as they headed to a 27-23 halftime lead.
Magic regained their composure on the resumption, their control and reduced error rate helping erase the deficit while also regaining the lead.
