Star Firebirds recruit Natalie Medhurst celebrated her 100th national league appearance with a virtuoso display to help sink West Coast Fever 63-57 in Brisbane last night.
Medhurst and fellow international Romelda Aiken forged a brilliant combination in Queensland's goal circle at Brisbane Convention Centre to lead the home side toa fourth straight ANZ Championship victory.
Aiken finished with 36 goals at 92 per cent to Medhurst's 27 but the former Adelaide Thunderbirds goal attack was also influential outside the shooting area and set up many of the Jamaican's goals.
In her seventh game for the Firebirds, Medhurst also managed to sink a number of long bombs including a pivotal goal when the desperate Fever, with shooter Caitlin Bassett running hot, made a late challenge.
Queensland coach Roselee Jencke wasn't completely satisfied with her defensive and mid-court units but praised her goalers' ever-improving combination, particularly against Diamonds defender Susan Fuhrmann.
"We always knew it was going to be a difficult game," Jencke said.
"They took it to us but I thought we were a little sluggish and I don't think we had the same drive in some of our attack."
Bassett finished with a game high 50 goals but did not receive the same quality supply as her rivals nor the support from outmuscled partner Leah Shoard.
Shoard, who scored just five goals at a disappointing 33 per cent, finished the game in a daze on the sidelines following a nasty head knock in a scramble for a loose ball.
The Fever jumped out of the blocks to lead 9-5 early and continued to threaten all night, even when Queensland got on top in the second term .
Coach Jane Searle's halftime switch of mid-courters Shae Bolton to centre and Madison Browne to wing attack added extra spark but they still couldn't capitalise on gilt-edged chances to fight back.
After leading by four goals going into the last change, the home side kept the Fever at arm's length throughout a tense fourth quarter.
While the Firebirds retain fifth place on the ladder at 4-3, the loss virtually ends West Coast's (1-6) slight hopes of making the semi-finals.
But Searle could see the positives in the improved display following losses to the Swifts and Thunderbirds, labelling Bassett's effort against Laura Geitz at world class.
"Geitz is one of the best defenders in the world and Caitlin really stepped up today," she said. "She wasn't getting the calls that Romelda was getting ... but Caitlin weathered the storm."
