By Rosie Gale
The Queensland Firebirds have climbed to within reach of the top four after overcoming their horror form and internal challenges– stuttering West Coast Fever to win an arm-wrestle by eight points at Nissan Arena.
The Firebirds saw a remarkable 44-goal swing from their previous encounter with the Fever in Perth back in May.
Donnell Wallam delivered an outstanding performance for the home side, earning best on court with an impressive 105.5 Nissan Net Points. Shooting at 91% accuracy, she netted nine Super Shots, including two buzzer-beaters in the first half alone.
Under new coach Katie Walker, the Firebirds entered today’s game aiming to put a challenging two weeks behind them and turn their season around.
The Firebirds were reeling from an emotional 12-goal defeat to the Melbourne Mavericks last weekend and face the remainder of the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball season with a new-look coaching team.
Former Firebird Katie Walker and seasoned mentor Roselee Jencke took the reins as co-coaches, aiming to steer the team back on course after Bec Bulley and Lauren Brown's departure last week.
The second-placed Fever defeated the NSW Swifts in front of a bumper crowd at RAC Arena by seven goals last week and headed to Queensland eager to keep up the pressure on the table-topping Melbourne Vixens.
In a fiercely contested start, both teams showed early intensity, exchanging goals before the Fever gained an early edge, spurred on by robust defensive efforts from Kadie-Ann Dehaney and Sunday Aryang.
In a standout moment for the Fever, Jess Anstiss snatched an intercept right out of Tippah Dwan’s hands. With plenty of open space down the court, Fever seamlessly moved the ball to the circle edge before delivering it straight to Jhaneile Fowler-Nembhard under the post.
The first quarter belonged to the Fever, who surged ahead and extended their lead to 8 goals. However, Wallam orchestrated a stunning comeback, sinking four Super Shots during the Power Five period, including a buzzer-beater to level the scores at 20 apiece by quarter time.
It was blow for blow early in the second term but the Firebirds carried the momentum from late in the first term into the second.
An offensive contact off Shanice Beckford saw the Firebirds regain possession, swiftly advancing through the middle and onto the scoreboard. The Firebirds' attack ignited, featuring rapid drives from Macy Gardner and assured feeds into Wallam.
Led by Wallam, who was a powerhouse in the circle, the purple-clad team fired on all cylinders, consistently slotting goals and stifling the Fever with strong defensive plays.
Despite the pressure, the Fever maintained their composure and executed their game plan with clinical precision, maintaining possession and capitalising on turnovers for the most part.
In what was shaping up to be a showdown of the shooters, Wallam and Fowler-Nembhard took center stage. Fowler-Nembhard was outstanding for the Fever, racking up an impressive 45 Nissan Net Points for the quarter, just edging out Wallam who scored 43 in the second term.
After a delayed play call on Kelsey Brown and a pinpoint bullet pass from Lara Dunkley to Wallam, the scores were locked at 30 apiece, prompting a Tactical Timeout call shortly after from Fever’s coach Dan Ryan.
The score was deadlocked at 33 apiece as the Power Five horn sounded. Fowler-Nembhard nailed her second Super Shot of the match from three attempts, only to be answered by Wallam, who converted six out of eight attempts.
After a contact call on Fran Williams, who subbed on for Dehaney, Wallam set up Tippah Dwan for a Super Shot attempt, but she missed, leading to a 2-pointer from Fowler-Nembhard. Keeping with the day's trend, Wallam responded with a Super Shot of her own.
Dwan's missed Super Shot opened the door for the Fever to score a couple of goals, but Dwan quickly redeemed herself with another successful attempt.
With Fowler-Nembhard leveling the scores at 39-39, the Firebirds swiftly advanced down the court. Reminiscent of the first quarter, Wallam sealed the halftime lead with a thrilling buzzer-beating Super Shot, sparking jubilation among the home crowd.
The Fever emerged from half-time with a revamped lineup, eager to gain ground against Wallam. Olivia Willkinson replaced Beckford, Anstiss shifted to Center, Dehaney moved to Goal Keeper, Williams to Goal Defense, and Aryang took over Wing Defense.
After a couple wayward balls, the Firebirds had all the answers as the Fever struggled to keep up with their ball speed down the court, slotting in the first two goals of the third term. The home team used their speed to stream forward, finding plenty of options open on the ball.
Gardner and Dunkley were strong for the Firebirds in the third term, raking in 40.5 Nissan Net Points between them and Jess Antiss had her best for the fever.
After a Tactical Timeout called by Firebirds coach Katie Walker and a pivotal deflection by Williams, Wallam capitalised with two stunning Super Shots to maintain the lead. The pressure mounted on Dan Ryan, forcing him to call a Tactical Timeout as the Fever faced an uphill battle.
In the third quarter alone, both sides made more defensive gains than they did in the entire first half, highlighting heightened defensive strategies and intensity post-half-time.
After another near Wallam two-pointer on the buzzer, The Firebirds headed into the final quarter with a slender two-goal lead following a Fever comeback.
Dehaney was sidelined with a two-minute suspension after a contact call that brought down Gardner, leading Madi Ridley to step in for her. Gardner had been pivotal in advancing the ball down court and feeding Wallam, putting pressure on Aryang, who now had to manage with one less Fever defender.
After a footwork violation against Beckford, Williams returned to the court in Dehaney’s place just as the Firebirds scored three consecutive goals, extending their lead to seven points and putting the pressure on the Fever.
The Fever fought back valiantly, intensifying their defensive efforts and eventually finding success on the scoreboard, winning the quarter.
Young gun Isabelle Shearer anchored a solid defensive game, concluding with 43 Nissan Net Points, three rebounds and five deflections.
A turnover from Dwan narrowed the score to within one point, but Dunkley and Dwan regained possession, pushing the purple lead to two points.
Despite a missed shot, the Fever recovered possession, but an offensive contact allowed Wallam to score another signature two-point shot.
Fowler-Nembhard missed her own shot, leading to a Fever throw-in. After missing her second shot, Sharer rebounded, allowing Wallam to score a one-pointer. Fowler-Nembhard missed again, while Wallam scored another single point from their center pass.
The Firebirds kept possession and displayed patience as they finished off the game on their terms, taking home a 78-70 victory against the Fever, keeping their top four hopes alive.
