1 year ago
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JHANIELE FOWLER-NEMBHARD’S West Coast Fever are one step closer to returning to the Suncorp Super Netball League finals for a rematch against the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
A 67-goal master class from Fowler-Nembhard helped the Fever to a 72-62 win in what is called a netball preliminary final against the Sunshine Coast Lightning yesterday.
They will now face off against the Melbourne Vixens for a chance to face the Thunderbirds in the grand final.
On Saturday, the Thunderbirds, who boast three Jamaicans in Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, regular season most valuable player, Latanya Wilson, and veteran goal shooter, Romelda Aiken-George, made their way to the grand final courtesy of a 68-43 win over the Vixens in what was essentially a semi-final.
Yesterday, the Fever were forced to wait until late in the third quarter before separating themselves from a game Lightning.
In fact, the Lightning started the game in the ascendency until Fowler-Nembhard took over, dominating Lightning defender Courtney Bruce.
So dominant was Fowler-Nembhard that the Lightning changed match-ups thrice to no effect.
Fowler-Nembhard’s 67 goals from 69 attempts earned her MVP honours.
The Fever will now tackle the wounded Vixens on Saturday in a bid to make it to their seventh final in the last eight years.
Interestingly, Sterling-Humphrey, on Saturday, became the first player in the history of the Suncorp Super Netball League to rack up 300 intercepts.
She was in imperious form, finishing the match with a massive 14 gains, adding eight rebounds and six deflections.
“I feel like my game is definitely getting better. I just think that I can tidy up on a bit more, and I can start finding new strengths,” said Sterling-Humphrey in a Fox interview after the game.
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