ADELAIDE, Australia, CMC – Jamaican defender Shamera Sterling-Humphrey led an outstanding defensive effort to help propel Adelaide Thunderbirds into the final of the Australian Super Netball Championship with a convincing 68-43 victory over Melbourne Vixens.
Playing on Saturday in the major semi-final – a direct qualifier to the Grand Final on August 3 – the 28-year-old lit up the Adelaide 36ers Arena in a performance highlighted by 14 intercepts, eight rebounds, and six deflections.
In the process, Sterling passed 300 career intercepts as she helped strangle Vixens, goal-shooter Sophie Garbin limited to just 15 goals from 19 attempts.
“I woke up so happy, so I knew it was going to be a good one,” Sterling-Humphrey was quoted as saying afterward.
“I feel like my game is getting better; I just think that I can tidy up a bit more and start finding new strengths.”
While Sterling-Humphrey led the defensive line, fellow Sunshine Girl Romelda Aiken-George took charge offensively, scoring 39 from 44 attempts, while goal attack Lauren Frew finished with a perfect 16-from-16.
Thunderbirds raced to a 19-13 victory at the end of the first quarter before dominating the second quarter to be up by 16 at the half, 38-22.
Little changed in the third quarter as Thunderbirds out-scored Vixens 16-10 before also controlling the final quarter 14-11.
Despite the defeat, Vixens will have another bite at the cherry when they take on West Coast Fever, which defeated Sunshine Coast Lightning 72-62 in Sunday’s minor semi-final at the RAC Arena in Perth.
Jamaican superstar shooter Jhaniele Fowler was a perfect 67-from-67 as Fever secured their spot in next Saturday’s preliminary finals at John Cain Arena in Melbourne.
Fever trailed 16-18 after the first quarter but overturned that deficit to lead 36-35 at the half, Fowler notching her second straight 16-goal quarter.
Fever pulled away in the third quarter to lead 54-47 at the start of the final stanza, and they remained in control by out-scoring Lightning 18-15 in the final quarter.
and then 