WITH Casey Mihovilovich controlling the game and imports Adijat Adams and Annette Davis proving unstoppable the Mandurah Magic were too much for the Perth Redbacks on Friday night showing they are a definite team to watch for the rest of 2016.

The Magic beat the Redbacks 85-59 at Belmont Oasis Leisure Centre on Friday night to open Week 16 action with that victory consolidating them in the top eight improving to an 8-8 record, but it was the emphatic nature of the win that was most impressive.

It's no coincidence that Mandurah's resurgence this season following a slow start has gone in hand with the return of the great Casey Mihovilovich.

Against a Redbacks team featuring the likes of Rebecca Benson (Mercer), Gabby O'Sullivan and Ajay Jones in the back court, Mihovilovich looked a class above leading the Magic with great poise, creativity and class.

She finished the night with 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and three blocked shots and nailed four of her eight three-point attempts.

With Mandurah's imports Annette Davis (21 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals) and Adijat Adams (17 points, eight boards) delivering strong all-round performances as well and the Magic not only proved too much for the Redbacks, but showed they can match anyone in the league.

Mandurah might have lost six of its first eight games this season, but the Magic have won six of eight now since to be heading towards the business end of the season in strong form and with a top four finish still possible with five of the last six games at 'home' in Rockingham.

Coach Randy Miegel knew it was a big game on Friday against a Redbacks team ahead of them on the standings and he couldn’t have been happier with the way they set up the win in the first half in particular.

"We spoke about the importance of this game and to the girls' credit we were really focused in the first quarter," Miegel said.

"We thought if we could put them under pressure it would set up nicely and the girls did that to be seven up at quarter-time. That first quarter set it up. The second quarter they went into a zone and Emma Klasztorny shot the ball really well to take them up and that sort of gapped them right there."

It wasn’t just Mihovilovich, Adams and Davis who starred for the Magic either.

Emma Klasztorny was tremendous with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals while Bree Klasztorny returned for just first game since May 20 and showed she has plenty to add to the group with her hustle, leadership and competitiveness.

She delivered four points and two rebounds in 11 minutes and while Miegel doesn’t expect her to be able to be at her best this season because of the injuries she's battled, having her available and able to play some minutes is another significant boost.

"Bree's been unlucky this year with her injuries. She had shoulder surgery in the off-season to get ready and then in her first game back she hurt her knee against Willetton, and hasn’t been able to get back until now," Miegel said.

"But tonight we gave her a little sniff and hopefully she can get better, but she will be a week to week proposition. If we can get her up, then she's certainly not a bad girl to have coming off the bench."

It was a tough loss for the Redbacks who now slip to an 8-9 record as a result with Ashley Gilmore their star performer of the night with 22 points, 17 rebounds and three steals shooting 11-of-19 from the field. She just didn’t get enough help with no other player scoring in double-figures.

Article by Chris Pike
Photo by Kez's Creations