The Coffee Club Queensland Firebirds

Monday 11 April, 2016

Official Result & Statistics
Official Result: The Coffee Club Queensland Firebirds (61) def Central Pulse (45)
Record-equalling 15th straight victory for Firebirds
50th ANZ Championship game for Kim Ravallion
Strong showing from Pulse’s teenage shooter Maia Wilson
The Coffee Club Queensland Firebirds proved they are in no mood to relinquish their champions’ crown, scoring their 15th straight victory with a 61-45 win over Central Pulse in Brisbane.

Equalling their greatest winning streak set back in 2011, the Firebirds calmly shook off the New Zealanders, who surged in the second spell but could not recover from a first-quarter drubbing.

Goal-for-goal for the first five minutes, both sides showed quick hands, initiated by the Firebirds’ natural tempo.

It was Laura Geitz who first broke the Pulse’s rhythm in the goal circle, compounded by wing attack Caitlyn Nevins deftly weaving her way through court, evading the Pulse defence and perfectly setting up the Firebirds shooters with an assortment of feeds.

Once it reached them, Gretel Tippett craftily flicked the ball into Romelda Aiken’s hands, or wasn’t afraid to put up the long shots herself.

One-on-one marking stymied the Pulse as they tried to travel through court and a classic Romelda rebound in the final seconds of the opening stanza gave the Firebirds a 17-10 advantage.

The Pulse responded with more confidence and composure in the second spell. Their Australian import - and ex-Firebird - Jacinta Messer worked unstintingly at wing defence trying to upset her old team’s flow.

Pulse shooters Ameliaranne Wells and Maia Wilson made good headway, creating better space for themselves, with Wells willing to take the risk with her now-trademark long bomb shots.

The Pulse’s marked improvement was reflected in the quarter score – the Firebirds winning it by just two – but still the 2015 champions held a 31-22 lead after that huge head-start.

Patience paid off for the Pulse at the start of the third quarter, content to work the ball around until the avenues opened up. But just as they got within six, the Firebirds stamped their authority and pulled away to head into the final straight 45-35 in front.

Centre Kim Ravaillion, playing her 50th game for the Firebirds, had a hand in much of the play, working with Tippett, named the game's MVP, and Aiken to create machine-like precision in and around the shooting circle.

But the home crowd saved their loudest roar until the closing minutes when shooter Beryl Friday finally made her debut for the Firebirds after a year warming the bench.

The developing Pulse could take some heart from the match with Wilson, their 18-year-old shooter, finishing with 23 goals from 25 attempts.

Firebirds shooting statistics:
Romelda Aiken 38/41 (93%)
Gretel Tippett 22/25 (88%)
Beryl Friday 1/3 (33%)

Pulse shooting statistics:
Maia Wilson 23/25 (92%)
Ameliaranne Wells 21/30 (70%)
Te Amo Amaru-Tibble 1/1 (100%)

MVP: Gretel Tippett (Firebirds)

ENDS

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