The Magic have pulled the ultimate Houdini act, overcoming the Northern Mystics in overtime to book their third transtasman league grand final appearance.
Having walked the tightrope for most of the season after their 0-4 start, the Waikato-Bay of Plenty side's 10-game winning streak looked tohave come to an end in tonight's preliminary final in Auckland, with the Mystics in control heading down the final stretch.
Leading 44-43 with 30 seconds on the clock and in possession of the ball, all the Mystics had to do was hold on to the ball to book a meeting with the Melbourne Vixens next week.
But a Leana de Bruin steal gave the Magic one last roll of the dice, with Irene van Dyk converting the turnover at the other end of the court to send the match into overtime.
After the demoralising end to regular time, the Mystics didn't appear to have the heart to lift themselves in the two seven-minute overtime periods and the Magic raced away with a 57-48 win.
The loss was a cruel end to the career of Mystics stalwart Temepara George, who was at her energetic best in her final match in front of her home crowd, dictating the pace at the attack end.
