ADELAIDE, Australia – Jamaican star Romelda Aiken-George was instrumental in leading the Adelaide Thunderbirds to a thrilling 64-62 victory over the Sunshine Coast Lightning in the final game of the Australian Super Netball Championship regular season on Saturday. The win secured the Thunderbirds’ position at the top of the table.
The match at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre was fiercely contested, with the scores tied at 60 in the final minutes. Georgie Horjus hit a crucial supershot, and Aiken-George followed up with two pivotal goals, sealing the victory for the hosts.
Aiken-George, playing as goal shooter, delivered an impressive performance with 44 goals from 51 attempts. She was well-supported by goal attack Horjus, who contributed 10 goals from 14 attempts. On the opposing side, Cara Koenen led the scoring for the Lightning with 24 goals from 27 attempts, while Stephanie Fretwell added 20 goals from 24 attempts.
The Thunderbirds set the pace early, taking an 18-15 lead after the first quarter and extending their advantage to 35-29 by halftime. The third quarter ended in a 16-all stalemate, but the Lightning outscored the Thunderbirds 17-13 in the final quarter, creating a dramatic finish to the game.
West Coast Fever dominated the Melbourne Mavericks
Meanwhile, at the RAC Arena in Perth on Saturday, another Jamaican Sunshine Girl, Jhaniele Fowler, stood out as the West Coast Fever dominated the Melbourne Mavericks with a commanding 76-57 victory. Fowler had an almost flawless game, scoring 67 goals from 68 attempts. The Fever controlled the match from the start, leading 20-15 at the end of the first quarter and securing a 34-30 advantage by halftime. They extended their dominance in the third quarter, outscoring the Mavericks 22-13 to ensure an easy run in the final quarter.
Shimona Jok, Fowler’s international teammate, led the Mavericks with 30 goals from 33 attempts.
The Thunderbirds concluded the regular season at the top of the table with 44 points, the same as the Melbourne Vixens and the Fever. They boasted a season average of 121.11 goals, narrowly ahead of the Vixens’ 111.56 and the Fever’s 111.04.
As the season leaders, the Thunderbirds will face the Vixens next Saturday for a spot in the final, while the third-placed Fever will clash with the fourth-placed Lightning, who finished with 24 points, in the other semi-final.
