Magic Make It Two from Two
Kia Magic weathered a strong third quarter before notching a decisive 50-36 win over arch rivals the Northern Mystics in Auckland on Monday.
Shooting proved the deciding factor with Magic’s Jo Harten, 30 from 31, and Ellen Halpenny, 20 from 26, combining for an 88 percent success rate compared to Mystics 62 percent after the home team had one extra attempt .
Magic held a decisive edge through their superior finishing and defensive work in the first half before Mystics launched an intense and furious third quarter comeback. Showing their growing character, Magic held up strongly, fending off the Mystics charge before regrouping and delivering a dominant run home.
With nine changes in the off-season, Magic are continuing to build their combinations and team unit, all players making solid contributions in posting a gritty second win for a perfect start to the season.
Coming up against many familiar faces in former team-mates Laura Langman, Jodi Tod-Elliott, Jess Tuki and Nadia Loveday added extra spice to a traditionally keenly contested match-up
Magic coach Julie Fitzgerald retained the same starting line-up which served her so well in the opening round and they again got away to an accomplished and accurate start.
Courtney Tairi (centre) and Grace Rasmussen (wing attack), up against her old team, were precise and sharp off the centre pass. Confronting strong through court defence from Mystics, the visitors showed great patience on attack to negate the presence of the well-performed Julie Corletto, Langman and Tod-Elliott.
Once in the circle, shooters Harten and Halpenny showed strong finishing under the hoop to get Magic on the front foot.
At the other end, the Silver Ferns duo of captain Casey Kopua and Leana de Bruin, well supported by Bessie Manu, were at their menacing best in putting the Mystics attackers under the pump.
A late three-goal unanswered flurry pushed Magic out to a 13-7 lead at the first break.
Magic provided great support play throughout the court as they pressed strongly through the second stanza, mixing patience with accuracy and perfect positional play. Strong on attack, the visitors were equally effective on defence in nullifying Mystics attacking momentum, in the process holding the halftime score to a healthy 26-16 lead at the main break.
Magic exploded out of the blocks on the resumption, Kopua in the thick of action through court and defensively as the visitors scored the first five goals of the stanza.
Needing urgent remedial action, the introduction of shooter Bailey Mes for Cathrine Latu and defender Temalisi Fakahokotau, on debut, for Tuki galvanised the Mystics into a spirited fight-back.
Mes provided more shooting options for Mystics while Fakahokotau provided some real fireworks with a string of turnover ball. As the feeling on court intensified, Magic were flustered into error, six goals in a row by Mystics eating into the deficit.
The visitors could thank their strong start to the stanza in holding onto a 34-26 advantage at the last break.
