By Rosie Gale
The West Coast Fever delivered three quarters of relentless netball, extinguishing any hope of a home victory for the Mavericks in their second outing at John Cain Arena.
Despite standout efforts from Gabi Sinclair and Maisie Nankivell, the Fever continued their dominance, clinching their third consecutive win of the season.
Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard continued to shine brightly, showcasing her exceptional form early in the season with another standout performance. Supported by the stellar efforts of Shanice Beckford and Kelsey Browne, the Fever secured a commanding seven-point win.
Fever’s intent from the opening whistle was clear, swiftly advancing down the court with their center pass and capping it off with Fowler-Nembhard's expert finish beneath the post.
Nankivell wasted no time in establishing her dominance, setting the physical tone for the Mavericks right from the get-go. She notched up six goal assists, seven center pass receives, and engineered seven goal assists in the first term alone. She also made her mark defensively with an intercept and deflection, all while working in tandem with Molly Jovic to ignite their team's offensive momentum.
Browne was brilliant for Fever against Jovic, collecting three goal assists, seven feeds and 28 Nissan Net Points powered by e-powered in a dominant opening term.
The Mavericks displayed what seemed like a newfound confidence by diversifying their attacking options. They turned to Shimona Jok with the GS duties, where she rose admirably to the challenge against Kadie-Ann Dehaney. While Eleanor Cardwell's impact on the scoreboard was limited, converting just two from two attempts, she played her role effectively.
Just before the critical Power Five moment, the Mavericks held a slim one-point lead, prompting the introduction of Fran Williams into the GK position to bolster the Fever’s defense.
Despite the Fever having a couple of opportunities to snatch the lead, they faltered with their Super Shots. However, Beckford came through with a pivotal Super Shot just 30 seconds to go in the first term. It was a tightly contested affair with the Mavericks leading 17-14 at the conclusion of the first quarter.
A run of four consecutive Fever goals to start the second term had the Mavericks on the back-foot, trailing by one. This prompted Tracey Neville to call a tactical timeout to stop the run.
The Mavericks needed composure to wrestle momentum back, with Nankivell working overtime in WA. But Browne’s speed was stifling Jovic, and Tayla Fraser was injected into the fray five minutes into the second term.
The Fever's defensive strategy proved highly effective in unsettling the Mavericks' attacking rhythm. Struggling to contain the Fever's rapid transitions through the middle, the Mavericks found themselves lagging.
Browne's remarkable speed stood out, contributing significantly to her accumulation of Nissan Net Points powered by e-powered. And just before the pivotal Power Five moment, Browne was given a well-deserved rest, with Jordan Cransberg seamlessly stepping into the Center position to maintain the Fever's momentum, while Fraser and Nankivell swapped midcourt positions for the Mavericks.
In a crucial moment for the Mavs, Cardwell delivered with a Super Shot, narrowing the deficit to 10, before sinking another to keep the pressure on.
In a surprising move for the Mavericks, Jok transitioned from GS to GK, aiming to contain Fowler-Nembhard, and her immediate impact was evident. However, Beckford's precision with another Super Shot quickly countered.
As the game intensified, a wayward pass by Alice Teague-Neeld provided the Mavericks with an opportunity to chip away at the Fever's five-point lead. The Fever’s speed in attack and high intensity pressure in defence got the better of the home side.
The Fever's second quarter display was nothing short of brilliant, as they surged ahead to lead the Mavericks 40-31, setting the stage for an enthralling second half.
There was a clear renewed sense of vigour about the Mavericks in the second half, lifting their pressure and tenacity on ball after the Fever were able to pierce through their defensive set-up in the first half.
However, the Mavericks found themselves reeling as Fowler-Nembhard netted back-to-back goals. The Fever's midcourt duo Browne and Teague-Neeld, showcased a strong change of pace, strategically positioning themselves on the circle edge and delivering precise feeds to Fowler-Nembhard, setting up scoring opportunities with ease.
The relentless pressure and stone-wall defense from the Fever continued to keep the Mavericks on their toes. Sunday Aryang took a brief rest on the bench, making way for Williams to square off against her Roses' teammate, Cardwell, in the Mavericks' lineup.
As the Power Five approached, Fever held an 11-point advantage. Sinclair nailed a crucial Super Shot, narrowing the gap by two points and Olivia Lewis was ruthless in defence, coming through with a strong intercept, capitalising on a wayward ball from Browne, although the turnover couldn't be converted.
The Fever maintained their dominance, leading by 11 points headed into the final quarter.
The Mavericks found themselves struggling to penetrate the Fever's defensive wall, with penalties accumulating significantly against them, totaling 50 compared to the Fever's 32.
However, Jovic found her stride in the fourth quarter, securing small victories against the dominant Browne and Amy Parmenter's defensive efforts were commendable, effectively shutting down Teague-Neeld in the closing minutes of the game.
With a 10-point deficit, the Mavericks desperately needed to ignite their offense with Super Shots to turn the tide in their favour. Despite Sinclair and Cardwell's presence in the circle, and Jok back in the GK position, a critical held ball from Sinclair allowed the Fever to extend their lead.
But Nankivell's crucial intervention set up Cardwell for a much-needed Super Shot, followed by another from Sinclair. Parmenter's captain's moment came with a crucial intercept, setting up Sinclair for another brilliant performance from the GA position. Fever's coach, Dan Ryan, recognised the shift in momentum and called for a tactical timeout to regroup.
With Cardwell's Super Shot attempt falling short, Williams pulled in a crucial intercept, but a near deflection from Jok in defense was close to being the Maverick’s saving grace.
Despite an impressive performance from Sinclair who sank six out of seven Super Shots, it wasn’t enough to claw back the score. In a display of smart play, the Fever controlled possession, and the Mavericks couldn't capitalise, sealing the victory for the Fever with a final score of 69-62.
