FOUR of the six teams will again do battle twice as Round 11 of the ANZ Premiership takes place over three days. The Northern Mystics, Mainland Tactix, Southern Steel and Central Pulse will all play twice, whilst Northern Stars and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic will just play one each on Sunday.
The race towards the finals is heating up, with the finals dates now set in the ANZ Premiership, with the elimination between second and third to take place on Wednesday, June 8, before the grand final on Sunday, June 12. The minor premiers will host the grand final, with the Northern Mystics in prime position to do that. They did suffer a shock loss to the last placed Magic last weekend. Not having Grace Nweke really hurt the Mystics attack and they will now have to face off against the Tactix and the Stars in back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday.
The Mystics have a well-balanced team with midcourters Elisapeta Toeava and Tayla Earle set to try and out play the likes of Tactix’s Samon Nathan and Kimiora Poi. If Nweke does not get up, then the defensive pairing of Kelera Nawai-Caucau and Karin Burger would have the experience over their opponents. The Mystics also take on teh Stars, with the likes of Elle Temu and Anna Harrison also in great form, but Gina Crampton and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan in the midcourt will be a concern.
The Tactix will also take on Central Pulse on Monday, with the Pulse pairing of Aliyah Dunn and Tiana Metuarau sure to cause a few headaches. Up the other end, Kelly Jury and Kristiana Manu’a will lock down on the pairing of Ellie Bird and Te Paea Selby-Rickit. Jury and Manu’a do not have an easy weekend, with the red-hot George Fisher in unbelievable form for the Steel, the Pulse’s Saturday afternoon opponents.
Shannon Saunders is also in strong form, ranking second in feeds, and making moves around the court, with Whitney Souness up the other end of the court able to feed it into Metuarau and Dunn well. Coming up against that Pulse pairing will be great for the Steel defence of Kate Burley and Te Huinga Selby-Rickit, because then they take on the Silver Ferns shooting duo of Bailey Mes and Ameliaranne Ekenasio on Sunday.
The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic will be well rested for the clash, with the Steel getting up in that nail-biting contest midweek, but the Magic will be keen to turn the tables on them. Erena Mikaere is a defender who can get under Fisher’s skin, whilst Samantha Winders and Georgie Edgecombe have been strong contributors for the Magic in what has been a tough season.
Though the Mystics seemingly have top spot wrapped up unless they really stumble – eight points clear on top – the race for the top three is still well and truly on. The Pulse and Stars both sit on 22 points from 11 games, with the Stars having an extra win (7-4 to 6-5), but the Pulse amassing three extra bonus points (4-1), and have the higher percentage. Southern Steel are still a chance but need to get a move on, sitting six points behind in fourth but a game in hand, whilst Mainland Tactix need everything to go right given they remain nine points adrift of the top three.
- Team
Northern Mystics
Mainland Tactix
Saturday, May 21 @ 2:10pm
The Trusts Arena
- Team
Southern Steel
Central Pulse
Saturday, May 21 @ 4:10pm
ILT Stadium
- Team
Northern Stars
Northern Mystics
Sunday, May 22 @ 2:10pm
Pulman Arena
- Team
Central Pulse
Mainland Tactix
Monday, May 23 @ 7:15pm
TSB Bank Arena
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