Rotorua record is magic

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic player Grace Rasmussen chases the ball against the Adelaide Thunderbirds during the ANZ championship game at the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua last year. FILE

The Magic's match in Rotorua tonight could not have come at a better time for the Waikato Bay of Plenty franchise.

The Magic boast a record of 14 wins and one loss at the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua, and will look to extend that great record against the Northern Mystics.

It is a crucial game for the Magic who have a record of two wins and three losses in the ANZ Championship this season.

The Magic have been hit hard by injury - playing most of the season without key players Casey Kopua and Courtney Tairi.

However, coach Julie Fitzgerald said she was not prepared to hide behind those injuries and she wanted more consistency from her players.

"It is asking a lot from young girls to step up against good, experienced players but we cannot just lean back on that, they are growing in experience every week."

Fitzgerald said she needed those younger squad members to perform each week.

It was a great record to have in Rotorua, being 14-1, and they always enjoyed playing here, she said.

"I love playing down there. I think it is a great stadium and we get really good crowds there as well."

Fitzgerald said they would need to perform strongly in the middle of the court to get the better of the Mystics.

"I think we have got to have a very solid game in the mid-court and deny some of the ball to their attackers."

Mystics attackers Maria Tutaia and Cathrine Latu were brilliant players and could hurt a team if they got good service.

Fitzgerald was adamant about putting together a more consistent match, compared with their last match in Wellington, which they lost 49-38 to the Central Pulse.

"We went from 12-9 [down] to 23-11 in the space of a few minutes and it was out of our control."

When asked how crucial this game was to the Magic's play-off aspirations, Fitzgerald said every game was important. "This competition is so tight, so every game we go into is valuable."

She said she gave all her players Good Friday off.

The Magic's only loss in Rotorua was to the Firebirds 54-55 in round 11, 2010.

The last time they played here was round nine last year, when they defeated the Adelaide Thunderbirds 50-49.