Fever roll on

By Charlie McKay

West Coast Fever have handed the Melbourne Mavericks their fourth straight loss, claiming a hard-fought 69–63 victory at John Cain Arena on Saturday night.

With eight consecutive wins under their belt since the return of five-time league MVP Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, the Fever have firmly cemented themselves as premiership heavyweights.

It was a game of two halves in this Round 10 clash — Fever controlled the opening stages before the Mavericks mounted a spirited second-half fight back.

The Mavs have been slow starters this season, and tonight was no different.

It was a replica of last round as they quickly found themselves trailing 2-8 before head coach Tracey Neville called a tactical time-out to steady the ship.

It ignited a minor lift, but it wasn’t enough to halt Fever’s momentum, and the visitors surged ahead to lead 22-15 at the first break.

Mavericks lifted the defensive pressure in the second term, winning crucial ball in a bid to narrow the gap.  

Skipper Amy Parmenter led by example, wreaking havoc in defence through the midcourt as the Mavs notched 11 deflections to the Fever’s one in the first half.

But they were unable to capitalise on their opportunities, coughing up twice as many general play turnovers as their opponents. 

Fever hummed on, seamlessly feeding the ever-reliable Fowler-Nembhard under the post to extend their lead to 38-27 at half time.

But the Mavericks came fighting back in the second half.

A rejuvenated line-up took control in the third quarter, dominating possession and finally converting their defensive gains into scoreboard pressure.

Sasha Glasgow capped off the term with a buzzer-beating super shot, helping the Mavs edge the quarter 17–14. But the Fever remained in control, taking a 52–44 advantage into the final stanza.

The Mavs crept closer in the final term, with Glasgow and Uneeq Palavi landing a string of super shots to reduce the deficit. But time wasn’t on their side, and the Fever held firm to secure a six-goal victory.

Ultimately, it was a costly combination of early lapses and a high general play turnover count that left the Mavs playing catch-up for most of the night.

They'll regroup to take on the Firebirds in Brisbane next week, while Fever will return to Perth to tackle a shaky Thunderbirds outfit.