GIANTS stun defending premiers

By Sophie Taylor

The GIANTS have claimed their first win of the season, defeating the Adelaide Thunderbirds in exciting fashion (64-63) to begin Round 4.

With three losses to start the season, an explosive start was what the GIANTS needed, and that’s what they did throughout a blistering first 15 minutes of action.

South African international Sanmarie Visser was brought into the Thunderbirds squad to replace Shamera Sterling-Humphrey (pregnancy) and did not skip a beat, showing her willingness early to fly for the loose ball.

But the GIANTS used their smarts to exploit Visser’s lack of SSN experience, the connection between Jamie-Lee Price and Jo Harten on show early.

The GIANTS looked confident with ball in hand as Amy Sligar pushed Georgie Horjus to try every trick in her arsenal, while Romelda Aiken-George won the early battle against a bouncy Erin O’Brien.

A scrappy start to the second term left neither team able to score during the first 90 seconds of the quarter, and the same trend continued from there.

But while both sides exhibited smarts to turn the ball over, the full court pressure continued to mount and a low-scoring quarter was imminent.

Patches of composure from the GIANTS allowed Harten to continue her dominance to post, while Latanya Wilson piled on hands-over pressure against the GIANTS attacking onslaught.

A five-goal half time scoreline (35-30) meant neither team could take the foot off the pedal heading into a massive second half of action.

Despite opportunities throughout the third quarter for both sides to take control and pull away, it was another seesawing 15 minutes on court that kept tongues wagging.

GIANTS head coach Julie Fitzgerald was unafraid to pull the strings, and gave Harten a rest as Matisse Letherbarrow took the court in goal shooter and Hope White in wing attack.

Both teams’ abilities to confuse the space proved pivotal with Jodi-Ann Ward a key ball-winner for the GIANTS as Aiken-George continued to pile on the offensive pressure.

Both teams threw the ball away at critical times, keeping the scoreline at five goals at three quarter time and a big final term on the way.

Tayla Williams returned to the court and found her form immediately with a quick turnover, and the Thunderbirds’ good form continued from there.

But, as was the trend of the match, every time the Thunderbirds reduced the scoreline, the GIANTS managed to turn it back.

The final five minutes arrived with the Thunderbirds changing up their defensive lineup for the first time all match, and it ultimately had the intended effect with Tilly Garrett and Wilson mounting pressure immediately.

Down by two goals as the final five minutes arrived, it was Lauren Frew who kicked up a notch with great accuracy from Suncorp Super Shot range despite heavy attention from O’Brien and Ward.

It was too little, too late, though, as Harten and Sophie Dwyer remained composed and clean under pressure, and the GIANTS held strong to claim an important win.