BY SANJAY MYERS Observer staff reporter myerss@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, January 15, 2015
JAMAICA’S coach Minneth Reynolds was brimming with joy after her team sizzled in the fourth quarter to decimate visitors England at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) in the deciding third game of the Supreme Ventures Sunshine series on Tuesday.
The hosts’ 57-47 victory — after the game was tied at 37 at the end of the third quarter — gave them a 2-1 series win over England, rated one place above the world number four-ranked Jamaicans.
The commanding result inside the noise-filled Indoor Centre was set up by goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, who came off the bench to lead the Sunshine Girls with 28 goals from 34 attempts.
Romelda Aiken, who started in the shooting position, was 15 from 19, while goal attack Shanice Beckford went 14 from 20.
The England Roses top goal shooter, Jo Harten, remained unfazed even throughout the final-quarter carnage, to hit 35 goals from 38 shots, while goal attack Pamela Cookey was 10 from 15.
“England pressured us, but we maintained our composure and yes, we were able to pull away in the fourth quarter,” Reynolds told reporters after the final buzzer.
“It might seem like it was the fourth quarter alone, but the girls really played well throughout.”
Reynolds said the policy of rotating ANZ Championship professional players Aiken and Fowler-Reid paid off handsomely.
“We have two world-class shooters and at no time have I doubted any of them… of not being capable to do the job. We don’t want to burn out any one of them. We planned to use them both in the game and it worked for us,” said the beaming Jamaica head coach.
Anna Mayes, the coach of England, said the fourth period of the game was the difference-maker in an otherwise closely contested affair.
“My team turned over the ball a lot in that final quarter. I think we were really competitive throughout the game, but credit to Jamaica because they nailed it in that last quarter just in terms of their ability to win possession, and they converted. We were just a little bit wasteful and playing against Jamaica, that [the loss] is what happens,” Mayes said.
The teams entered the clash tied 1-1 after sharing the first two games. In the series opener on Saturday, both countries were below their best, but Jamaica appeared that much sharper to comfortably win 56-47. The following day, England shook off the defeat to stun the Jamaicans 55-47 in a game called off a little over a minute early due to a power outage.
But Tuesday’s encounter was remarkably tight most of the way.
Jamaica were gutsy and used the looping balls over the top to find either Fowler-Reid or the even more towering Aiken.
England, arguably the better side throughout the first three quarters, displayed vibrant movements across the court while zipping passes past the Jamaicans through to the outstanding Harten.
Jamaica held a narrow 14-12 goal-lead at the end of the first quarter, but the scores were locked at 24 at the half-time break. At 37-37, there was also nothing to separate them entering the fourth.
But the Sunshine Girls, buoyed by the energy of the rocking, almost jam-packed venue, dug deep and put in an electric effort to crush the Roses.
Jamaica’s young wing defence Vangelee Williams and the seasoned Sasher-Gaye Henry exhibited defensive tenacity to help tip the match in the home team’s favour.
Williams chimed in with two crucial steals, and Henry, on as a substitute, hustled the English women with some robust play in the closing stages.
The series leaves a lot to ponder for England and plenty of joy for local supporters and Netball Jamaica. However, the big picture remains the Netball World Cup, which will be held in Australia in August.
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Big win in series decider hands Jamaica victory over England
