THE West Coast Fever remain undefeated in 2024 after a solid 69 to 62 goal win over the Melbourne Mavericks.

The Mavericks actually led at quarter time, but the visitors put their foot down and asserted control, and survived a late Mavericks fightback to claim the win.  

It was not too long before the Fever were able to capitalise on some defensive intercepts and take an early lead.

However the Mavericks quickly clicked back into gear and suddenly the scores were back even again.

After going goal for goal for much of the quarter, the Mavericks just nabbed a small lead just as the first Power Five siren went.

The Fever certainly tried to peg back the deficit but try as they might the Mavericks held firm.

Despite the only successful Super Shot of the term coming the way of Shanice Beckford, the margin was still three goals in the Mavericks’ favour.

The Fever were quick out of the blocks to start the second term, scoring the first five goals of the term to take the lead.

After a so-so first quarter, the Fever were really starting to show their class, proving they are a more experienced side than their hosts.

However, they were not immune from mistakes, with wayward passes in attack plaguing both sides.

The Fever lead continued to grow as the quarter progressed, and not even a sharp Super Shot shooting Gabby Sinclair was enough to help the Mavericks lower the gap.

They even moved Shimona Jok into goal keeper to try and change the script, but the Fever still held an eight goal lead as the teams went in for the main break.

The Mavericks left Jok on at goal keeper against Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard to start the third term, but that was not doing the trick as the margin remained at around the eight to 10 goal mark.

Kadie-Ann Dehaney was at her intercepting best and the Mavericks just could not find a way around her as the margin continued to balloon out.

The Mavericks’ frustration continued to grow as  calls did not go their way and the margin continued to hover around the 10 goal mark.

The margin was ultimately 11 goals as the teams turned for home.

That margin ultimately proved too much for the Mavericks to overcome in the final quarter.

The Fever changed their shooting end up in the last term and it proved just as dangerous, with Olivia Wilkinson being able to use her own height advantage to feed Fowler-Nembhard over the top of the Mavericks’ defenders.

The Mavericks had a bit of a fightback in the final part of the term but it was not enough as the Fever held firm.

In other results:

• In the earlier game on Saturday the Adelaide Thunderbirds pipped the Sunshine Coast Lightning by four goals.

After the Lightning fought back to level things up at full time, the teams went to extra time only for the Thunderbirds to pull ahead and take the win.

Georgie Horjus did a monster amount of work through midcourt for the Thunderbirds, while Shamera Sterling-Humphrey had another game of her usual standard, this time pulling in a whopping even gains.

Meanwhile Courtney Bruce also pulled in seven gains for the home side, while Ash Ervin also had a big game, pulling in 12 deflections and five gains.

• NSW Swifts also escaped with a win, downing the Queensland Firebirds by four goals.

The Firebirds led by eight goals at the final change before the visitors fought back hard to level things up and take the game to extra time, where they emerged victorious.

The Swifts were led from the top, with captains Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley racking up some big numbers in mid court.

Meanwhile Remi Kamo had a big game for the home side, nabbing seven gains, while Lara Dunkley was productive through midcourt.

• The final match of the weekend saw the Vixens be far too strong for the GIANTS, winning by 19 goals.

The signs of what was to come came early, with the Vixens winning the first half 31 goals to 14.

Emily Mannix had a really strong game for the Vixens, picking up a whopping 11 gains, while Kiera Austin was influential across multiple sections of the court.

On the flipside Jamie-Lee Price led from the front for the GIANTS in what was a tough outing.