The Magic have notched up their first win of the 2012 ANZ Championship season, but it did not come without a tussle from the Tactix in Rotorua tonight.
Although the Magic dominated the second quarter in the fashion they are renowned for, the dogged Tactix were difficult to shake coming back in the third spell and shadowing the home side until the final five minutes when the Magic pulled away to a 61-52 victory.
Goal attack Julianna Naoupu stepped up her game to make a match-winning contribution of 28 from 35, providing the ideal support for her circle partner Irene van Dyk, who produced a perfect shooting game of 33 from 33.
The Tactix had a pre-match victory, getting English defender Stacey Francis on court at wing defence for her first appearance this ANZ season, after battling with a nagging calf injury.
On court, Magic and Tactix were tit for tat for the first 10 minutes, until the Tactix made the first perceptible break to leap three ahead.
Goal shoot Jo Harten took all but one of the Tactix shots in the opening quarter, as goal attack Anna Thompson assumed the role of playmaker. At the Magic end, the shooting responsibilities were equally shared between van Dyk and Naoupu to good effect - despite the best intentions of Tactix defenders Bessie Manu and Anna Galvan to disrupt Magic plans.
The Tactix reign was short-lived, as the Magic began to settle into a rhythm, edging ahead in the final gasp of the quarter to lead 16-15 at the first break.
Tactix coach Leigh Gibbs made her first change of the night, sending the play-starved Francis to the bench for regular wing defence Kiley Hikawai, but the switch wasnt enough to stop the Magics roll.
The understanding between Naoupu and van Dyk was finely honed, and goal keep Leana du Bruin was quick to snatch rebounds. A chasm of seven goals quickly opened up before the Tactix, which could not be closed by halftime when the Magic were clearly in control, 32-24.
But when promising young defender Jane Watson made her entrance into the game at goal keep to add height to the Tactix line-up, the team responded strongly to the variation, scoring the opening three goals of the half.
Unstinting centre Maree Bowden made sure the Tactix poured on the pressure, forcing the Magic into unnecessary and unsightly errors, and in turn shrinking the gap to two.
Taking a 44-41 advantage into the final spell, the Magic could not totally shake the Tactix off their tails. But it was a re-energised du Bruin who made the difference, rallying the Magic defence and its effects reverberated throughout the court.
