Another great game of Monday Night Netball to finish off Round 11 of the 2024 ANZ Premiership at The Trusts Arena in Auckland with another Northern Mystics-Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic contest. The first quarter was close enough by the two sides but it was the Magic who has been in cruise control for the majority before they got themselves out of here with a big win as well as the move to 3rd now on the ladder with four rounds to go. Magic led the Mystics by 12 points (18-30) going into half-time and nothing much has happened where Magic kept on scoring before they won also by 12 points (42-54).
Hard to see Mystics fall way out of reach despite a good start including winning the 4th quarter alone when Magic needed to slow things down but their poor passage of play, ill-discipline and using players in and out of the bench ultimately cost them the game as they now sit just outside the Top 3 in 4th. Magic will be up next against another Auckland side in the Northern Stars this Saturday afternoon at home while Mystics will travel to Christchurch on Sunday v the No.1 Mainland Tactix team.
Georgia Takarangi is the Magic defensive engine who can turn things around in an instant at goal defense every time the Mystics struggled to find some ground through to their own shooters. She never stopped grasping this time & time again so Georgia give her mid-courters the chance to get things done at the other end & voila! her side has been exceptional from start to finish including a comfortable lead and win up front. Credit to her natural physical game where she was able to slide her way from out of nowhere & also up high through the poor Mystics passage of play on what has been a magical win tonight that moves them up to 3rd now on the ladder & hopefully play Finals this year with four regular weeks to go.
Then the well-traveled Claire O’Brien also had a terrific performance on her 50th national game at wing attack for the Magic. She is someone who benefited from her side’s brilliant back three defense and Ariana Cable-Dixon in the mid-court, having been an excellent feeder with the ball on hand to her front two shooters where goals were made there towards the inside circle. She’s happy to be here in Waikato after playing for so many clubs over the years but sure she will use the experience and setbacks to push her side towards a brilliant end to the 2024 season with a possible Finals run now possible.
And Filda Vui did the best she can to keep the Mystics ticking at goal assist. She has a brilliant eye both from a shooting and natural game standpoint even though she might not be the tallest up front, but is always an excellent team player where she knows what’s best to get the Mystics over the shooting net. But it’s unfortunate that the Mystics poor passage of play, plenty of ill-discipline and endless chopping and changing from the bench wasn’t her team’s night – not even the injury cloud hasn’t helped them that much despite seeing Grace Nweke back on-court as they now sit just outside the Top 3 Finals bubble in 4th.
