Aiken leads Firebirds to victory

MELBOURNE, Australia (CMC):

Queensland Firebirds and Canterbury Tactix, two sides with Jamaicans in their line-ups, had mixed results in their latest matches in the ANZ Championship.

Romelda Aiken, the star Sunshine Girls goal shooter, helped the Firebirds remain the only unbeaten side in the competition, when they clinched a 61-52 victory over Northern Mystic on Saturday in Auckland, New Zealand.

Over the Trans-Tasman channel, Kasey Evering, the Sunshine Girls defender, had little court time as the Tactix fell to their fifth straight defeat this season to remain at the foot of the ladder, when the Melbourne Vixens crushed them 65-50 yesterday in Melbourne, Australia.

All the games in the round are Trans-Tasman clashes, with the scores being totalled up after the final matches today between the Southern Steel (NZL) and reigning champions Adelaide Thunderbirds (AUS), as well as West Coast Fever (AUS) and Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic (NZL).

Rivalry Round Trophy

The country with the most points will win the Rivalry Round Trophy, won for the last two years by Australia.

At Trusts Stadium Arena, Aiken scored 38 goals from 43 attempts, following a strong second half when the delivery and supply of ball to her made the difference between the teams.

Aiken and the Firebirds shrugged off a slow start to take control midway through the first period, but the Mystics came storming back to cut the deficit and top their Australia-based opponents with a 12-10 first period lead.

Momentum ebbed and flowed during the second period, which mirrored the opening exchanges. Mystics grabbed the lead temporarily, but Aiken's superior reach was a decisive factor, as the Firebirds quickly reclaimed the advantage.

Neither side could completely shake off the other and the Firebirds held a 28-26 lead at half-time.

After the break, changes to the Firebirds for the second half injected a new sense of urgency as the visitors clicked into a higher gear and raced to a 44-39 lead after three quarters.