THUNDERBIRDS SEE OFF STEEL IN STYLE

A rampant final quarter steered the Adelaide Thunderbirds to a forceful 53-36 win over the Southern Steel in ANZ Championship action in Adelaide today.

Evenly matched throughout the first 45 minutes, where both teams were in with a strong chance, the Thunderbirds exploded to life with a withering final 15 minutes.

Seeking their first win on Australian soil, the well-drilled Steel had no answers to the onslaught after competing gamely throughout.

A slow start to the season was largely wiped out for the Thunderbirds today as they unleashed a return to form in one devastating quarter for a two-win two-loss record which will leave other teams wary.

Lacking accuracy early on, the Thunderbirds gradually overhauled an impressive start by the visitors. Intent on playing a short, patient game, the Steel executed well with the clever play of Megan Dehn setting up 1.94m goalshoot Daneka Wipiiti in prime position.

The Thunderbirds took time to score their first goal but gradually built into the game on the back of some accurate long range shooting from Kate Beveridge and the team’s well known defensive prowess.

It was the home team who held a narrow edge when they went to the first break with a 12-11 lead.

The second stanza followed a similar pattern to the first with the composure of the Steel propelling the visitors into the lead. Dehn continued to lead the way, in tandem with athletic wing attack Liana Barrett-Chase, as the pair provided quality ball to the well-positioned Wipiiti.

The game failed to lift to any great heights as both teams were let down by a rash of errors but Thunderbirds defenders Geva Mentor and Mo’onia Gerrard put enough heat on the Steel shooters to upset their rhythm.

At the other end of the court, dangerous shooter Carla Borrego became more involved with a better service from her attackers as the Thunderbirds benefited with another momentum swing.

The home team’s shooters struggled a little with their accuracy but had done enough in the tight struggle to lead 24-23 at halftime.

Both teams changed their wing defences for the second half with Shani Layton coming on for the Thunderbirds and Sheryl Scanlan, having her first outing of the season for the Steel, after coming back from injury.

The intensity lifted as the tense and close nature of the match showed no signs of abating through a low-scoring but absorbing third quarter. Possession changed hands on numerous occasions as both teams were pressured into error.

Experienced defenders Gerrard and Leana de Bruin (Steel) were standouts for their respective teams as they hauled in a number of intercepts and rebounds as defensive pressure began to pay dividends.
 
Momentum continued to swing but it was the Thunderbirds who made the better use of their opportunities to sneak into a 34-31 lead at the last break, which in the context of the evenly contested match was a handy buffer.

With their tails up, the Thunderbirds applied further pressure through Mentor and Gerrard which the Steel failed to handle as they missed several crucial shots. That lift had a positive effect at the other end of the court where Borrego and Beveridge found their range to fire the home team into a position of dominance.