KEY POINTS:
Casey Williams is a workhorse - dependable, unassuming, while exhibiting an uncanny ability to turn a game around; the kind of player you want on your team.
Magic coach Noeline Taurua describes her defensive protege as a "very straight-forward person," adding, "she's not a person of many words, but when she's got something to say, people turn and listen. And it's always right on the money."
Waiting for Williams to answer her phone, callers are treated to the 1980s Cindy Lauper hit, Girls Just Want to Have Fun. A telling sign? Maybe. But when Williams gets on the court it's all business.
"I am a really competitive person. I like to be aggressive."
Having grown up on a dairy farm at Matamata, Williams is used to pitching in and getting the hard work done.
Williams got another call-up to the Silver Ferns for last month's Tri-Series tour to England, when hopes were high the national team would put in strong performances.
The Ferns failed to fire. The shock loss to the underrated and largely unfancied English was followed by defeat to traditional foes Australia, two days later.
Williams believes the national side needed the wake-up call, as they continue to build for November's world championships.
"Losing definitely brings the best out of a team and I believe it's what our team needed.
"I guess losing was the only negative, because personally, that was a really good tour for me. I haven't played a full game at international level since the Commonwealth Games. It was good to get on court."
Changing from team-mate to enemy today is National Bank Cup semifinal opponent, shooter Maria Tutaia.
Williams's highly-anticipated match-up against the Diamonds' shooting dynamo is set to play a critical role in deciding which team will head to this week's third semifinal and the final on June 22.
But the hype seems lost on the 1.88m Waikato girl, who prefers to look closer to home.
"She [Tutaia] is a very skilled and intelligent player, but I try not to worry about who I am playing. Instead, I prefer to concentrate on what I am doing."
It's a sentiment echoed by Taurua: "Not taking anything away from Maria, we are really looking at the strength Casey has. The question is: 'How is Maria going to combat Casey?"'
A niggling knee injury has plagued Williams throughout her career. After being diagnosed with 'jumper's knee' - a condition where the patella tendon becomes inflamed from repetitive strain on the knee joint - Williams was forced into an ongoing rehabilitation including targeted gym training, not to mention some unwelcome spells on the bench.
Taurua believes Williams still has a lot left in the tank.
"I think she is only playing at about 75 to 80 per cent of where she could. The final 20 to 25 per cent is probably in her mind, her mental ability and maturity."
