Magic on target to sink Tactix
At a glance
Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic rode an almost perfect shooting display to beat Mainland Tactix in their ANZ Premiership netball match at Claudelands Arena in Hamilton on Monday night.
The hosts triumphed 65-46 in the end, on the back of a tidy performance, where they shot 94 per cent and didn’t miss until the third quarter.
It was a case of ticking a box for the Magic, as they now head into a stretch of three games that will define their season and decide their playoffs fate.
As for the Tactix, it was another performance that showed they have improved since the season’s start, but still have a long way to go.
The two sides played each other to a 14-14 draw in the first quarter, with only one missed shot to be seen. That was from the Tactix’s recent find, the 1.94m-tall Ellie Bird, who showed a good understanding with her goal attack, Anna Thompson, that helped them get off to a solid start.
Neither side had been able to convert their turnover ball and build a lead in the first spell, but the Magic were able to eke one out as the second spell began, capitalising on a couple of errant passes to go up by four, five minutes in.
The ability to find Bird at the back of the shooting circle gave the Tactix a weapon they have lacked for most of the season, even if Kelly Jury, who is only 2cm shorter, did a solid job of disrupting her – and won most valuable player. The rookie’s inexperience did show at times, however, especially when it came to shooting.
As the second quarter ended, the Magic were able to extend their lead to nine, 32-23, and it was built largely on the fact that at that point, they had not missed a single shot.
They would finally miss a few in the third quarter, but kept their lead at nine for most of the period, before extending it by a couple to finish the spell up 48-35.
Their superiority, especially on the attacking end, was just too much for the Tactix in the end, as has been the case so many times in the past few years.
Both sides mixed things up in the final quarter, personnel-wise, but the Magic’s lead was never threatened, and they secured their first win in four outings.
The Tactix now move on to face the Northern Stars in Auckland next Sunday, in what is their most winnable remaining fixture, while the Magic travel to play the Central Pulse in Palmerston North next Monday, where a win will have a big impact on the playoff race.
The Magic will also be keeping an eye on this Wednesday’s clash between the Pulse and the Northern Mystics, which has plenty at stake in that regard as well.