A seven-point loss at home has cost Mandurah Magic’s women a chance to strengthen their grip on a spot in this year’s NBL1 West finals.
The Magic slipped to sixth on the ladder after going down to Joondalup Wolves 75-68 last Saturday and with a top four spot now out of reach, find themselves in a three-way tussle with Warwick Senators and Perry Lakes Hawks to finish fifth.
Mandurah have lost five of the past eight games and their run home with just two games to play doesn’t get any easier, starting this Saturday with a difficult clash away against trendsetters Willetton.
At Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre on Saturday, the home team was minus both Rachel Halleen and Carly Boag but still got the better of the start to lead by as much as seven in the first quarter and still by two at the end of it.
Joondalup lost star import Robbi Ryan in the second quarter to make the task tougher for the finals-bound visitors, but by the half they had worked their way on top to lead 41-40.
Mandurah emerged from a see-sawing third quarter with a two-point lead after but it was all the Wolfpack in the final stanza as the home side was outscored 22 points to 13.
Sarah Toeaina top-scored for Mandurah with 19 points, four rebounds and four assists, with Kat Tudor producing 18 points, six boards, four assists, two steals and two blocks.
Casey Mihovilovich provided another 13 points, nine assists, six rebounds, four steals and two blocks in the 548th game of her record-setting career.
Teige Morrell had another standout performance for Joondalup with 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, with Emma Klasztorny outstanding against her former team with 18 points, 10 boards, three assists and two steals as she approaches game 250.