Jamaicans play key roles in crucial victories

MELBOURNE, Australia (CMC):

All three teams with Jamaican netballers in their squads won their latest matches in the ANZ Championship.

Another outstanding performance from Carla Borrego helped the Adelaide Thunderbirds cement their play-off credentials in a 54-43 win over the defending champions, the Melbourne Vixens, at the Hisense Arena yesterday.

At the same time, beanpole goal shooter Romelda Aiken and her Queensland Firebirds teammates survived a few tense moments before clinching a 52-42 win over the Central Pulse on Saturday at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

And athletic goalkeeper Althea Byfield reeled in a clutch of interceptions down the stretch, as the Northern Mystics kept their slim play-off hopes alive with an entertaining 62-53 win over the West Coast Fever on Saturday at North Shore Events Centre.

The T-birds have moved into second on 16 points, two behind leaders and unbeaten New South Wales Swifts, with the Firebirds provisionally fourth ahead of today's games. They have 12 points - the same number as the Mystics, who are sixth.

In Melbourne, Borrego, the season's most prolific goal shooter, sank 42 goals from 48 attempts, as the T-birds condemned the Vixens to their sixth straight loss in front of a competition record crowd of 9,500 and ended their opponents' chances of defending the title.

The 6ft, 4in tall Borrego enjoyed almost perfect service and helped the T-birds assert their dominance in the closing five minutes with the visitors going to the first break leading 16-10, then 30-22 lead at half-time and 41-33 at the end of the third quarter.

In Brisbane, Australia, Aiken emerged from a sloppy start to finish with 32 from 42, as the Firebirds outlasted a plucky Pulse side. The flow of balls to Aiken and goal attack Natalie Medhurst was not great and the Firebirds trailed 8-13 at the first break.

Some personnel changes ignited the Firebirds' offence and things started to flow for Aiken, as the Queensland side led 24-22 at half-time.

The home team led 37-34 into the final break. But a strong defensive start by the Firebirds on the resumption resulted in turnover pressure as the Pulse challenge wilted.