Mystics to launch surprise final raid

Coach Te Aroha Keenan believes her team is more than capable of hijacking the Canterbury Tactix, in front of their home crowd on Monday night, to end their season on a winning note.
But the Northern Mystics have to go one step further than they have been able to manage in recent weeks and come up with a more complete game.
"For us it's about starting well and finishing well and if we can do that we can win," Keenan said.
The coach said the team has worked hard to improve their game this season and had succeeded in relation to their game statistics - but unfortunately that hadn't always translated to wins on the scoreboard - like last week's narrow 55-57 loss to the Queensland Firebirds showed.
While their poor finishing last week would remain a motivating factor for Monday's match, Keenan said the Tactix's embarrassing loss to the Melbourne Vixen last weekend hadn't really done the Mystics any favours.
"In front of their home crowd it's going to be hard, they're hurting a little bit from their loss  so we really have to get up if we want to win," she said.
The fact it's both teams' last game make this weekend's result all the more important - with Keenan saying the team wants to end on a high note.
"That's been the focus for us and there's been  frustration that we haven't been able to come away with a win in the last few matches," she said.
Keenan has already been confirmed as the coach for 2010 and has been contemplating  changes they can make next year.
"It's now about what we want in the mix  next year ... but we've got to wait and see what happens with the other franchises, right now it isn't a big focus until the season's over," she said.
The team's final training is on Sunday and then they fly to Christchurch for the match starting at 7pm on Monday.
The round is certain to see some exciting encounters with the race for first place still  open, between  Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic and Melbourne Vixen,  while  Southern Steel and  Queensland Firebirds are vying for the final playoff spot.
Today's  games see the Steel try to make the playoffs for the first time with a win over the struggling champions,  New South Wales Swifts, while top plays bottom as the Vixen host  Central Pulse.
Tomorrow the third-placed Adelaide Thunderbirds host the Magic in Adelaide, while the Mystics/Tactix clash on Monday is followed by the West Coast Fever/Queensland Firebirds match in Perth.