Pulse righted the ship in its round two win over the Magic. Photo: ANZ Premiership
Pulse rights its round one wrongs
The Pulse put on a defensive masterclass as it claimed a convincing 47-59 win over the Magic in round two.
The Magic had previously put up 64 points in round one, but the reigning champions were too good on Anzac Day.
Kelly Jury had a brilliant match for the away side, causing turnovers and forcing the Magic to play more conservatively in attack.
This led to a slower paced affair than they would prefer. Poor ball movement created further turnovers, and as a result the Pulse created 17 more shots on the day.
It was a struggle to get free flowing movement until halfway through the first quarter of the match. The Pulse were then able to pull away with a seven-goal to to zero late quarter rally, which ended the first stanza on a high.
The first break held a 12-20 scoreline as the Pulse’s defensive unit kept Australian legend Caitlin Bassett quiet. The shooter was unable to get on top of Kelera Nawai and Jury, who created an abundance of turnovers.
The Magic continued to struggle in the second half with the Pulse starting the stronger side again and the defence swarming to contest the ball movement.
Fans will be sweating on the news surrounding Grace Kara, the attacker limping off the court and being replaced by Tori Kolose in her debut.
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Both sides even at 1-1 after round two
Both the Magic and Pulse have levelled their records at 1-1, with round three a litmus test for both sides.
The Magic will be desperate to avoid the slow start that plagued them in this match. A 12 point deficit at half time was disappointing after such a positive start to its season – a four point victory over the Mystics was a far cry from this performance in round two.
For the Pulse, a clash with the Steel awaits as both sides sit at a one-apiece record for the season. It will be a big litmus test for the reigning premiers.
The Steel are coming off a disappointing loss to the Mystics and will be desperate to get back on the winners list against a side that has been the benchmark for a number of years in the ANZ Premiership.
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