Achieving the desired result, AVIS Magic now have a nervous wait after posting a well-merited 55-44 win over Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel in Invercargill on Saturday.
For vastly different but equally emotional reasons, both sides came into the match desperate to clinch the win. The Steel’s major focus being to send Reinga Bloxham, their head coach of eight years, out in style in her last match with the franchise, with a win for the Magic keeping their hopes of a first-ever place in the Finals Series alive.
A resurgent second half to the season, where they have now won seven of their last nine outings, the Magic jumped into third place with their latest win but now have a nervous wait ahead of tomorrow’s Stars vs MG Mystics clash which will determine who wraps up third place for the Finals Series.
The Steel made a crisp and productive start where they were direct and accurate on attack while the defence end did their job to deny and disrupt the Magic’s flow.
The visitors recovered from a nervous start to find their groove midway through. Producing more movement on attack with shooters Saviour Tui and Ameliaranne Ekenasio providing the polish under the hoop.
Their opportunities were enhanced by the defensive exploits of Erena Mikaere, in particular, and Georgia Takarangi, who provided all sorts of problems for the Steel shooters. Untimely lapses continued to prove costly for the Steel as the Magic stamped their mark to take a 15-10 lead into the first break.
Defensive gains gave the Steel early impetus on the resumption but once again they were left frustrated by a lack of movement and variety on attack.
With Mikaere and Takarangi quick to pounce on anything loose, the Magic were comfortably able to keep the Steel at arms-length. Not always accurate the hoop, the weight of possession meant the visitors always held a measure of control.
With shooter Summer Temu playing the quarter and goalkeeper Jeante Strydom coming on late in the piece for the Steel, the home side couldn’t make any substantive inroads, the Magic increasing their margin to a 30-22 lead at the main break.
With both teams making full use of their benches, the third stanza got off to a wild start, resulting in a flurry of turnovers as the ball moved frenetically from one end of the court to the other several times.
It was the Magic who retained the control, and once settled left their mark in decisive fashion. Building on a 6-1 lead to open the stanza, the visitors completely threw the Steel off-stride, the southerners attack line hesitant and disconnected as the Magic limited their scoring opportunities.
Captain Ekenasio was a key figure for the Magic, marshalling the attack end while showing her athletic and shooting skills to keep the scoreboard ticking over at a rapid rate.
Ivana Rowland made the most of her opportunity, slotting seven from seven from goal shoot for the Magic while Temu was accurate under the hoop for the Steel but had limited opportunities.
Keeping their foot on the pedal, the Magic delivered a high-scoring 15-minute spell while keeping the Steel to single digits in taking a handsome 47-29 lead into the last turn.
A final quarter burst from the Steel when they out-pointed the Magic 15-8 proved too little too late while a significant coaching era for the southerners came to an end.
