It may have been -10 deg outside but inside the temperature was at boiling point following the high tempo NTL game which saw Mavericks Youth take all the points from W Midlands Warriors in the dying seconds with their 41-40 victory.
Another capacity crowd was treated to another mouth watering Fiat NSL game.
The opening quarter was taken by Mavericks 12-9, but these early stages were littered with unforced errors on both sides with both defensives showing strengths and the understanding of the young shooting duo of Steffi Burt and Alice Ewer developed well throughout the quarter.
An unchanged seven in the second quarter was soon put under pressure and with more unforced errors Northumbria pulled the deficit back to only one goal. However, Sasha Corbin, Camilla Buchanan and Rose Morgan-Smith came into their own and steadied the mid court and at half time Mavericks held a 24-20 lead.
With the third quarter about to start the Mavericks team and the crowd were given the news that Naida Hutchinson was back on court almost two years since suffering her serious knee injury. Naida lined up with Lyndsay Keable as she replaced Josie Huckle in defence, but it took some time for the new format to gel and Northumbria took every opportunity to draw level at 24 all. As Mavericks regained their composure so the goals came and at three quarter time Mavericks had opened up a 38-30 lead.
The final quarter saw Lyndsay and Naida swap positions but the high temp of the game continued until late in the match when following an injury time out Rose was replaced by Camilla at C with Talissa Haynes joining the fray to make her Mavericks Superleague debut.
The game continued and the young Mavericks shooting duo continued to shine as the match ended with the home team taking the spoils 54-42. So it was back out into the cold night air, the crowd having witnessed two Mavericks wins and Naida’s return.
So now it’s off to Loughborough on Saturday 18 February and Team Bath on Thursday 23 February before returning on 5 March for another sell out match against current league leaders Northern Thunder.
