Star shooter can get better - coach
Maria Tutaia wound back the clock with a virtuoso shooting effort, which coach Janine Southby thinks is just the start for the Silver Ferns’ great.
The 106-cap veteran starred in Friday’s [NZ time] 61-37 Quad Series thumping of England at Liverpool’s Echo Arena.
Tutaia was dominant, landing 32/37, including 20 goals in the first half alone as the Silver Ferns bounced back from a sub-par 57-50 loss to Australia in the opening game of the tournament in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.
It was a shooting clinic from Tutaia, who turns 30 on February 18, and looks to be over her injury issues from last year.
Tutaia was restricted to just two tests in 2016 due to a bruised cuboid bone in her right foot, which saw her wear a moon boot for two months and on crutches.
Against England’s experienced defensive combination of Geva Mentor and Ama Agbeze, Tutaia shone, landing many of her trademark long bombs and combining well with Bailey Mes, then Te Paea Selby-rickit.
Southby couldn’t utilise Tutaia’s skill on court last year in her first season in charge of the Silver Ferns. Having her healthy again for the first time in several years was a huge positive as the next pinnacle event, the 2018 Commonwealth Games, looms in 14 months.
Tutaia said last month she was keen to carry on through to a fourth Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast next year, provided her form and fitness were up to standard.
‘‘The more time she has back on court and working with the different combinations we have, the more we’ll see that,’’ Southby said of her shooting standout.
‘‘That was shades of what we’ve known of Maria in the past and it was really nice to see. I thought her shooting was outstanding.’’
Asked to lift their play in all areas following a sloppy loss to Australia, the Silver Ferns responded. They got off to a fast start, racing away to a 9-4 advantage, and gained plenty of defensive ball, courtesy of their swarming through-court pressure.
Leading 16-13 after the opening term, New Zealand all but killed off the match in the second quarter with a 9-0 run, which saw their lead blow out to 25-13.
One of the few concerns for Southby was goal shoot Mes, who was forced off in the second quarter with a back complaint. She said Mes was ‘‘a bit stiff and sore’’, but was hopeful she would be fit for Monday’s [NZ time] final Quad Series match against South Africa in London.
Southern Steel shooter Selbyrickit was impressive in Mes’ absence, slotting 20 from 21 and pulling in two rebounds in another mature performance from the 25-year-old.
Defensively, the Silver Ferns were a different side from the one that played Australia. They forced England into 30 turnovers and limited them to just 37 goals.