Thunderbirds roll away with a Super impressive victory
Adrian Warren |
A dominant defensive performance from Latanya Wilson highlighted a 66-59 Super Netball away win for Adelaide Thunderbirds over Melbourne Mavericks.
The win moved two-time defending champions Adelaide to third on percentage above Sunshine Coast Lightning at the halfway point of the season.
The South Australian team’s victory at John Cain Arena completed a clean sweep of away wins across the four round-seven fixtures.
Adelaide were ahead by four, six and 15 goals at the end of each of the first three quarters, and only a late flurry of Mavericks Super Shots added respectability to the final margin.
The Thunderbirds moved to 4-3 and the Mavericks slumped to 2-6, dropping below local rivals Melbourne Vixens to sixth, two wins off fourth spot.
Jamaican Wilson was a constant menace, recording game-high tallies of seven intercepts, eight deflections and 11 gains.
Wilson, who usually plays goal defence or wing defence, was switched to goal keeper after her compatriot, Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, announced this month she was pregnant and would miss the rest of the season.
“It (playing goal keeper) has been new to me lately, so it’s quite good that I was able able to get the job done,” Wilson told Fox Sports.
At the other end of the court, Wilson’s compatriot Romelda Aiken-George contributed 47 goals from 52 attempts, and Lauren Frew made 11 of 12, including four of five two-pointers.
Aiken-George also nabbed six rebounds, with the Mavericks not collecting any between them.
The undisciplined Mavericks committed 26 turnovers and a massive 69 penalties.
“Our penalties are far too high, you might as well be standing in the stands playing,” coach Tracey Neville told Fox Sports at halftime.
Maverick Shimona Jok nailed 34 of 35 shots, while her colleagues were perfect from Super Shot range, with Uneeq Palavi hitting six and Sasha Glasgow four.
AAP
