With Tess Madgen and Alex Wilson away playing for the Australian Opals squads against China, and the team also missing co-captain Madison Bycroft due to work commitments, coach Nathan Jones knew the girls had their work cut out for them, commenting “Maddy and Tess’ defence as well as their offence will of course be missed, but we’re confident we go deep enough”.

With Tess out have you changed much up or will it be a case of others slotting into their roles?

“A little bit of slotting into the roles” replied Jones, “I think it changes a little bit, our small guards come more into play in this circumstance, we need them to be penetrating rather than Tess doing all the penetration.”

And the girls did just that, Megan Thomas and Tenille Searl were creating movement in the Warriors defence and kicking the ball on to assists for their teammates. Amanda MacDermot and Shannon Tarran worked both offence and defence, pulling in double figure rebounds. But Jemma Thacker was best on court stepping up to fill Madgen’s shoes with a career high 39 points at 80 per cent efficiency, including 1 from 1 behind the arc. She dominated the key, helping the Mavericks outscore the Warriors 44-22 in the paint, drawing 7 fouls in the process and shooting a perfect 6 out of 6 at the free throw line. She was also huge on the defensive end with 5 blocks.

Despite their quality performance the Mavs just couldn’t shake Woodville, with Tess Keenan and Jessica Koch keeping Woodville in touch on the offensive and Claire Christie’s 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 7 blocks at the other end.

The first quarter was a scrappy start for the Warriors with their starting 5 were having trouble making a field goal (1 from 15) while the Mavericks had found 4 points from Tarran in the key.

MacDermot drilled a jumper with the assist from Searl and Thacker had her first points in the opening 5 minutes. Woodville subbed in Jasmine Howe, who got them going with a quick basket, though the Mavs had a 6 point buffer after Thacker converted an and-one play.

Their 5 from 5 at the free throw line was keeping Woodville in range and they pushed as Howe drilled a three pointer. Thacker converted another 3 point play but the teams were tied at the first break with the Warriors taking the last 4 points.

The second term was just as competitive, with the Warriors taking it by 1 point to lead by that margin at half time. Thomas and Searl registered their first points, Tarran had another 6, and Thacker from down town had the Mavs out in front by 7 before Woodville went on a 12-4 run in the last minutes.

It was make or break in the second half, and Thacker was ready to step up with 26 points. But not before 2 early turnovers resulting in easy points for the Warriors forced Jones to call a timeout. He gave the girls a furious spray about their 17 turnovers and sent them back out. From the huddle the Warriors pulled ahead to their game high lead of 7 before the Mavs unleashed.

Searl hit the first jumper to get it rolling and Thacker intercepted the ball on its way back, she ran it in for a quick layup and went on to score Easterns next 10 points, taking them from 5 down to a 3 point lead. Thomas stretched that with a jump shot just inside the arc, and the difference was 5 heading into the last quarter.

Thacker opened the term like she ended the last, with 8 points, and the Mavericks were holding a game high 9 point buffer. Keenan, Christie and Koch fought hard for the Warriors, Keenan drained a three pointer as the shot clock hit 1 and Koch followed suit with one of her own moments later to slash it back to 3. Christie brought them to within a point as the Mavs took a timeout to settle.

Eastern returned with an 11-4 run and it was almost over for Woodville before Keenan and Christie hit consecutive threes. Thomas was fouled and went to the line for bonus throws, she converted 1 and after a defensive stop made the crunch time basket for a 5 point lead. After their final timeout the ball landed with Warrior Koch, who missed the last chance 3 and 251^st gamer MacDermot solidified the win with 2 bonus throws.

Eastern Mavericks 77 (Thacker 39, Tarran 13, Thomas 9) defeated Woodville Warriors 73 (Keenan 18, Koch 13, Howe 11).