By Stephanie Smarrelli
The Adelaide Thunderbirds have put on a showstopping performance in front of their home crowd against the Melbourne Vixens to open Round 12.
The Thunderbirds remain undefeated at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre in 2024 defeating the Vixens by 15 goals.
A clinical opening few minutes of play showed why the Vixens and Thunderbirds are the two best teams in the competition.
The Vixens were first to slip up with suffocating defensive pressure from the Thunderbirds forcing the visitors into making a few errors.
But then with a Kiera Austin Super Shot the Vixens charged before Lauren Frew swiftly answered down the other end for the Thunderbirds.
At the end of the first quarter nothing could split the two sides with scores level.
The Thunderbirds stepped back onto the court with an extra spark to start the second quarter.
The home side ignited in front of the Adelaide crowd to establish a seven-goal lead early.
Nothing could split the two sides in the opening term.
It wouldn’t be a Thunderbirds match without ball thief Latanya Wilson impacting the play and impact she did time and time again during the second quarter.
While down the other end of the court Romelda Aiken-George kept the scoreboard ticking over thanks to the smooth transition from her teammates.
The Vixens tried to trim the margin in the Power Five but Matilda Garrett and Shamera Sterling-Humphrey forced the Vixens to work overtime in the goal circle to find space and shoot.
A bit of magic from Aiken-George put the Thunderbirds ahead by seven at halftime.
The Vixens were more settled to begin the third term with the Thunderbirds finding it harder to move the ball into their attacking third with young gun Frew sidelined after a clash in the second quarter.
Hannah Mundy stepped up in the Vixens midcourt moving into the centre position and hitting the circle edge with precision.
Despite the Vixens leading the quarter early the Thunderbirds remained in control.
The Thunderbirds moved the ball with ease from end to end.Sharp shooting from Austin and Sophie Garbin catapulted the Vixens back from 10 goals down during the Power Five.
But Georgie Horjus kept them at bay, slotting her own Super Shots to ensure the home side entered the final quarter with a commanding eight-goal lead.
The Thunderbirds went from strength-to-strength in the fourth term, keeping the applause in the Adelaide Entertainment Centre thunderous.
Every Thunderbirds player made their mark against the ladder-leading Vixens sending a warning to the rest of the competition.
The Adelaide outfit powered home to win 73 to 58 with Sterling-Humphrey named as the match MVP. The defender ending the match with three intercepts and seven deflections.
With only two rounds to go before finals, every game matters and the Vixens may rue this loss come the end of Round 14.
