Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic midcourter Ariana Cable-Dixon delivered plenty of ball to shooters with 15 goal assists for the match on Sunday. Photo: Aaron Gillions / Photosport
Providing another twist at the back end of the season, the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic have kept their Finals Series hopes alive in a thrilling 51-49 win over the Tactix in the penultimate round of the ANZ Premiership.
With both teams enjoying their best premiership seasons to date, both had plenty to play for in Rangiora with the Tactix seeking a first-ever home Grand Final and the Magic a spot in the finals series for the first time.
Magic skipper Ameliaranne Ekenasio and her shooting partner Saviour Tui were key figures with impeccable shooting, while midcourter Claire O'Brien was a steadying influence who carried an enormous workload for the Magic.
There were no surprises in either starting line-ups with goal shoot Aliyah Dunn, backing up from a strong outing the previous week, getting her second start of the season for the Tactix after returning from injury.
With their season on the line, the Magic made the brightest of starts with Ekenasio a prominent figure. Directing play at the attack end while making timely incursions into the circle, the elegant shooter proved her worth with a succession of long-range shots.
The tight match saw the Magic forge ahead by two goals at the first quarter break before the Tactix came back to lead by one goal at halftime.
The Magic eked out a two-goal lead by the final break, and held their nerve in the tense final quarter, but the Tactix were in the contest until the final whistle, with brilliant defence from Jane Watson, Karin Burger and Paris Lokotui.
With one round remaining, the Tactix have sprung to the top of the standings by the narrowest of percentages with their bonus point from tonight's game, tied on 34 points with the Pulse.
This sets up an intriguing final round clash between the top two sides, the Tactix and the Pulse, with hosting rights for the Grand Final on the line.
Meanwhile, the Magic trail the third-placed Mystics by just one point - with the top three sides to qualify for the Finals Series.
Shooting Stats - Tactix:
Aliyah Dunn 26/27 (96 percent)
Ellie Bird 7/8 (88 percent)
Te Paea Selby-Rickit 16/19 (84 percent)
Shooting Stats - Magic:
Saviour Tui 32/34 (94 percent)
Ameliaranne Ekenasio 19/20 (95 percent)