Firebirds stun Magic, 53-42

Shooting sensation Romelda Aiken overcame a nervous start to steer the Queensland Firebirds to a stunning 53-42 upset ANZ Championship win over the Colourplus Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic in Brisbane today.

Aiken was well supported by an industrious team effort in which committed defensive pressure and efficiency on attack won the day.

While the Firebirds shooting statistics were not the most accurate, Aiken backed up the standout play of defenders Laura Geitz, Demelza McCloud and Clare McMeniman to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

For their part, the defenders were instrumental in closing down the Magic’s much-vaunted attacking line as the home team stayed focused throughout in creating the weekend’s major boil-over.

The result has left the Melbourne Vixens as the only unbeaten team in the competition with two games left in round four.

In terrific lead-up form, Magic had a fight on their hands from the outset as the Firebirds challenged them all the way through court with intense defensive pressure to cause a flurry of turnovers.

The respective in-circle defenders were prominent from the first whistle, firstly it was the Magic’s Casey Williams and Leana de Bruin disrupting a shaky Aiken in the Firebirds circle.

The towering Jamaican import was put off her stride with a succession of misses before she regained her composure as the quarter wore on.

It was a similar situation at the other end of the court where Geitz and McCloud held up Magic shooters Irene van Dyk and Maria Tutaia with great efficiency.

Despite fewer successes at goal, it was the Firebirds who gained the early impetus as they hustled the Magic’s attackers into error. Aiken came good at the right time to give the home team a slight 12-10 first quarter advantage.

The Firebirds carried on in the same vein on the resumption, greater intensity through court restricting the Magic from their normal free-flowing style.

On the back of continued turnovers from the Magic and Aiken’s improving form, the Firebirds opened up a five-goal buffer before the visitors edged their way back with some fine play from Williams and the ever-reliable van Dyk under the hoop.

However, excelling all over the court on the back of their contesting ability and intensity the Firebirds went into halftime handily placed at 26-22.

With their confidence sky-high, the Firebirds continued their rampant play through the third quarter.

Promising defender Geitz put the brakes on the Magic’s scoring options with a clutch of intercepts as she kept danger-woman van Dyk under wraps. At the other end of the court, the switching of Magic defenders Williams and de Bruin had little effect on the exploits of Aiken.

Growing in confidence, the willowy shooter’s positioning and the quality of ball from Lauren Nourse and Tamsin Greenway resulted in an ever-creasing lead for the home team.

The Magic continued to suffer from a high turnover rate as their attackers succumbed to the pressure with the Firebirds well in control in leading 40-32 at threE quarter time.
Despite numerous changes for the final quarter, it counted little for the Magic who could not make any impression on the outcome as they continued to be outplayed and were consigned to their first loss.