Pre-season hit-outs for ANZ Premiership teams

Three ANZ Premiership teams hit the court over the weekend as preparations for Round 1 went up another gear.

In action where the SKYCITY Mystics, WBOP Magic and Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel.

SKYCITY Mystics 62 def WBOP Magic 54
The WBOP Magic hosted the SKYCITY Mystics in Te Aroha on Saturday afternoon. Both teams fielded near full-strength line-ups, with the Mystics shooting pair of Maria Tutaia and Bailey Mes seeing court-time, and Casey Kopua returning for the Magic. In the end, the Mystics ran out eight goal winners.

Magic: 14 – 25 (11) – 40 (15) – 54 (14)

Mystics: 19 – 35 (16) – 44 (9) – 62 (18)

Starting 7

Magic: GS Lenize Potgieter, GA Monica Falkner, WA Grace Rasmussen, C Sam Sinclair, WD Alex Macleod-Smith, GD Casey Kopua, GK Kelly Jury

Mystics: GS Bailey Mes, GA Maria Tutaia, WA Elisapeta Toeava, C Samon Nathan, WD Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, GD Anna Harrison, GK Tauhi Lopeti

Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel 77 def Netball South 39
It was a battle of the south on Sunday in a pre-season friendly between the Steel and their Beko Netball League squad. Steel coach Reinga Bloxham told the Southland times, “there were some moments of good play, but there are definitely areas we need to work on and with it being our first hit, we were sometimes a little bit rusty and we may not have executed things as accurately as we wanted to.""

Upcoming Pre-Season Friendlies
Saturday 4 March, 2pm, Edgar Centre, Dunedin: Steel v Tactix

Saturday 4 March, 4pm, ASB Stadium, Whangarei: Mystics v Stars

Sunday 5 March, 11am, Edgar Centre, Dunedin: Steel v Tactix

Sunday 5 March, 12pm, TSB Stadium, Taranaki: Pulse v Taranaki Invitational