Fitzpatrick, Nweke reign at opposite ends of court
The Northern Mystics avenged their round one loss to the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, with a 56-44 victory in Auckland on Monday night.
The score blew out in the second half of the match with the Mystics led by an inspired performance from Sulu Fitzpatrick.
The Magic have had the roughest end of the stick this Covid-interrupted season, with this only their sixth game and their first in two weeks. They were still without their strongest line-up, with Ameliaranne Ekenasio missing this week.
Without the experienced head and hands of Ekenasio, her place in the shooting circle filled by Ivana Rowland at goal shoot. Her shooting partner, Bailey Mes, was back for her first appearance since round 4, and she was in strong form with both feeding, rebounding and shooting from distance for the first spell.
The Mystics started without feeding maestro Peta Toeava, who was on the bench after being unwell last week. Claire O’Brien was more than capable to take on the wing attack role, working well with Tayla Earle and Monica Falkner to keep Grace Nweke well fed.
Nweke didn’t find it simple, sandwiched between the Magic defensive tall timbers of Erena Mikaere and Oceane Maihi, but she relished the challenge, and the Mystics led 12-11 at the first break.
With Maihi suffering a nose bleed, the Magic started the second quarter with just six players on court as the Mystics scored three in a row to push out their lead.
Maihi’s return was marked by a tip, which helped the Magic get back within two. But the Mystic circle defence of Phoenix Karaka and Fitzpatrick was unrelenting.
Rowland held her own against the hugely experienced Mystics defence but the added height of teenage goal defence Carys Stythe, who entered the game halfway through the third quarter, brought a new dimension.
The crowd erupted when Toeava made her entrance into the game, and with good reason. Her feeding to Nweke was next level, and the MVP goal shoot’s figures were again outstanding (finishing on 47 from 50).
Fitzpatrick’s haul of five intercepts and eight deflections helped the Mystics drive out to a 41-32 lead with one quarter to come.
The Mystics were on a roll, and their doublefigure lead continued to grow.