West Coast Fever remain undefeated after seven rounds following a come from behind win against Giants 71-66 at Cairns Pop Up Arena on Saturday.
It was a battle of two halves as Giants took the first, but Fever dug deep and came out stronger than ever, to win the second half and ultimately the game.
Most Valuable Player of the match, Verity Charles explained the turning point for Fever in today’s match.
“Before today’s game we had all spoken about what we are going to be like when we are challenged, and I think we haven’t been challenged like that in a while, we’re usually really great at first quarters,” said Charles.
“At half time we spoke as a team and individually, I know J and I just looked each other in the eye and said what are we going to be like when someone challenges us, and I think that just sparked it!”
“We felt very relaxed, we had this belief that we were going to come back and the work we know we can do and the work rate we have is going to win us the game. It's all about being patient with that and backing it in.”
Fever’s gutsy performance in the third quarter saw them hit the lead for the first time since the 14-minute mark in the first quarter. Fever’s engine room through the mid-court fired up. Fever’s results on the scoreboard ticked over.
The depth of Fever’s squad was on full display as Head Coach Stacey Marinkovich rotated her players, with wing defence, Jess Anstiss moving to centre, Verity Charles from centre to wing attack and Shannon Eagland to wing defence.
“We really needed the variation from the squad,” said Marinkovich.
“We needed different sparks, different types of energy and the different styles that each individual player brings to attack Giants style of play.”
Olivia Lewis was brought on as goal keeper, with Captain Courtney Bruce moving to goal defence. A decision which had a positive impact for Fever straight away, with Lewis quickly making an impact on the game with two intercepts and a rebound for the term.
Kaylia Stanton scored a Suncorp shot and as the quarter neared the end goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler also joined in on the fun with her own super shot taking Fever to 53-50 lead at the last break.
Anstiss, the epitome of the club’s Got Grit attitude, showed she’s as tough as nails after sliding into the signage and time-keepers table in a bid to win the ball; she did, and Fever scored as a result. Anstiss battled it out to the end.
The fourth quarter arrived, and Fever maintained their lead, Fowler pushing her team to continue to the end, with a huge deflection, slamming the ball out of the court with two minutes left.
