The Adelaide Thunderbirds notched the highest ANZ Championship score in history with a dominant 75-40 win over the Haier Pulse in fifth round action in Wellington today.  The Thunderbirds made up for their slow start to the season with a devastating outing which left the shell-shocked Pulse with few answers.

In a totally commanding performance, the Thunderbirds were spearheaded by a sensational shooting display from Jamaican Carla Borrego. The athletic shooter was in imposing form as she notched up a personal haul of 58 goals from 59 attempts.

 

There were no surprises from the Thunderbirds, who opted for their strongest line-up while the Pulse were diminished from the outset by the unavailability of Silver Fern Katrina Grant, sidelined with a foot injury. The visitors were quickly into gear, building on their improving recent form with a sharp and slick start. Jumping out to an early 6-1 lead the writing was already on the wall as the Thunderbirds fired into a dominating groove.

 

In contrast, the Pulse’s start was error prone. The home team struggled to penetrate their circle in the face of a quality defensive effort from Geva Mentor and Mo’onia Gerrard. There were no such problems at the other end for twin Thunderbirds shooting towers Kate Beveridge and Borrego who were in irresistible form. An almost flawless opening 15 minutes shot the Thunderbirds out to an ominous 20-11 lead at the first break.

 

It was more of the same in the second stanza where the Thunderbirds continued to run like a well-oiled machine. Rampant on attack, the midcourt pairing of Natalie von Bertouch and Erin Bell provided a stream of quality ball to the shooters as the score continued to mount. The Pulse lacked drive on attack and found life difficult against a tenacious and relentless defensive effort from the visitors. Errors blighted the home team who turned over a number of opportunities for which they were made to pay as the Thunderbirds roared into halftime in total control with a healthy 38-23 lead.

 

The onslaught showed no signs of abating as the Thunderbirds rolled relentlessly on, changes to both teams having no effect on the visitors while the Pulse were reduced to just six goals in the third stanza. The Thunderbirds did not release their stranglehold, squeezing the life out of the Pulse defensively while Borrego was all class under the hoop as she slotted goals at will.

 

The Pulse were forced wide for a lot of the game, opening up intercept opportunities which the visitors excelled at. Straight line play into the goal circle proved a huge effort for the home team with shooters Jane Altschwager, up against her old team mates, Paula Griffin and Jamilah Gupwell, on for her first quarter of the competition, consigned to feeding off scraps. In another super slick exhibition, the Thunderbirds rolled into the last break 55-29 ahead.

 

Wholesale changes to both teams for the last quarter had no effect on the momentum with the Thunderbirds continuing to dictate a Pulse team in some disarray.