Shooters power Waikato-BOP Magic to first win of the season over Northern Stars
Lenize Potgieter of the Magic was a force to be reckoned with as they beat the Stars on Sunday.
The Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic are on the board in the national netball premiership, thanks to an impressive attacking performance.
They took home two points for the first time season on Sunday, beating the Northern Stars 64-53 at Pulman Arena in south Auckland, and moving above their hosts into fifth on the ladder as a result.
The Stars attracted a noisy crowd for their first outing in their new home, but they weren't able to end their own winless run, as they shot 80 per cent to the Magic's 89.
On Wednesday, when they lost to the Mainland Tactix in Christchurch, the Stars trailed only in the final 11 seconds, this time around, they only led for a total of 43 seconds, all of them very early on, when the game was a scrappy affair.
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Perhaps it was a factor that they were playing for the second time in four days, while the Magic were last in action when they lost to the Central Pulse at home a week ago.
The visitors found plenty of success looking for their South African shooter Lenize Potgieter deep in the shooting circle, where she had a 7cm advantage over her Stars defender, Kate Burley, and made 42 of her 46 attempts.
Paula Griffin of the Stars competes with Casey Kopua of the Magic.
Goal attack Monica Falkner was also busy, finishing with 22 goals from 26 attempts, while wing attack Ariana Cable-Dixon was at her athletic best.
The Magic took a 14-8 lead into the break at the end of the first quarter, the first time they had led at the end of a period all season.
A six-goal margin after the opening period was plenty to shout about, but it could have been larger still.
Their defensive effort, starting in midcourt with centre Sam Sinclair and wing defence Hayley Saunders, was winning them plenty of ball, but they were guilty of over-extending themselves at the other end of the court.
Still, they did put up five extra shots in the first period, which was where the difference was, and the Magic's lead only shrunk by one in the second quarter.
Stars shooter Maia Wilson was replaced by Ellen Halpenny six minutes before halftime, with Paula Griffin moving to goal shoot and Halpenny slotting in at goal attack.
The Magic led 30-25 as the third quarter began, and were looking sharper and sharper at the attacking end the longer the game went on, while the Stars were always rather unsure of themselves at that end, and not doing much to deter the Magic shooters at the other.
With captain Casey Kopua imploring them to be patient and look for the right opportunity, they grew their lead to 10 midway through the quarter, but saw it eaten into slightly by the final break, where it was seven, 46-39, with Wilson back on court.
It only grew in the final period, however, and the Magic won by 11 in the end, a result that will give them a much-needed boost.
Round four of the ANZ Premiership continues on Monday, when the Tactix host the Northern Mystics, and is wrapped up on Wednesday, when the Central Pulse host the Southern Steel.
Waikato-BOP Magic 64 (Lenize Potgieter 42/46, Monica Falkner 22/26) Northern Stars 53 (Maia Wilson 28/32, Paula Griffin 20/26, Ellen Halpenny 5/8).
Q1: 14-8; Q2: 30-25; Q3: 46-39
Points (games played): Central Pulse 8 (4), Southern Steel 6 (4) Mainland Tactix 6 (4), Northern Mystics 4 (4), Waikato-BOP Magic 3 (4), Northern Stars 2 (4).
- Stuff
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