Super-shooter's 71 goals as Fever end Swifts' streak

The Advertiser

07-06-2025

The great Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard has scored 71 goals as the West Coast Fever ended the NSW Swifts' unbeaten start to the Super Netball season with an impressive 79-68 win at Ken Rosewall Arena.
In a heavyweight blockbuster between the competition's two best teams, the Fever (7-2) started quickly and finished with a flourish, extending their winning streak to seven and ending the Swifts' eight-game unbeaten run in 2025.
Remarkably, NSW have never tasted victory against West Coast at their Sydney home base, a trend that continued on Saturday night.
"It's really good," said Fowler-Nembhard, the world's best shooter, who missed just one shot attempt all evening.
"I came up against some brilliant defenders.
"The Swifts are an incredible team and we couldn't come here and underestimate them."
At the other end, NSW shooter Grace Nweke racked up a whopping 13 rebounds to go with 48 goals at a less efficient 80 per cent.
After a goal-for-goal opening, the Fever created some separation through Fowler-Nembhard, who hit 21 in the opening stanza to give the visitors a 22-16 buffer at the first change.
Fowler-Nembhard's connection in attack with the likes of Alice Teague-Neeld, Jordan Cransberg and Shanice Beckford was a feature.
The home side rang in the changes in the second period, particularly in defence, as the contest became scrappier and more physical after opening in clean, clinical fashion.
Fowler-Nembhard had 37 by half-time, while Nweke was off-target in the Swifts' attack, hounded relentlessly by Kadie-Ann Dehaney.
West Coast held sway 39-32 at the main break before NSW lifted through co-captain Paige Hadley and goal attack Helen Housby.
Housby's sixth two-pointer trimmed the margin to three before Fowler-Nembard's second-chance goal put the Fever in front 59-55 with a quarter to play.
But the last term belonged emphatically to West Coast, who shot 20-of-20 to the Swifts' 11-of-19 to put the rest of the competition on notice.
The great Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard has scored 71 goals as the West Coast Fever ended the NSW Swifts' unbeaten start to the Super Netball season with an impressive 79-68 win at Ken Rosewall Arena.
In a heavyweight blockbuster between the competition's two best teams, the Fever (7-2) started quickly and finished with a flourish, extending their winning streak to seven and ending the Swifts' eight-game unbeaten run in 2025.
Remarkably, NSW have never tasted victory against West Coast at their Sydney home base, a trend that continued on Saturday night.
"It's really good," said Fowler-Nembhard, the world's best shooter, who missed just one shot attempt all evening.
"I came up against some brilliant defenders.
"The Swifts are an incredible team and we couldn't come here and underestimate them."
At the other end, NSW shooter Grace Nweke racked up a whopping 13 rebounds to go with 48 goals at a less efficient 80 per cent.
After a goal-for-goal opening, the Fever created some separation through Fowler-Nembhard, who hit 21 in the opening stanza to give the visitors a 22-16 buffer at the first change.
Fowler-Nembhard's connection in attack with the likes of Alice Teague-Neeld, Jordan Cransberg and Shanice Beckford was a feature.
The home side rang in the changes in the second period, particularly in defence, as the contest became scrappier and more physical after opening in clean, clinical fashion.
Fowler-Nembhard had 37 by half-time, while Nweke was off-target in the Swifts' attack, hounded relentlessly by Kadie-Ann Dehaney.
West Coast held sway 39-32 at the main break before NSW lifted through co-captain Paige Hadley and goal attack Helen Housby.
Housby's sixth two-pointer trimmed the margin to three before Fowler-Nembard's second-chance goal put the Fever in front 59-55 with a quarter to play.
But the last term belonged emphatically to West Coast, who shot 20-of-20 to the Swifts' 11-of-19 to put the rest of the competition on notice.
The great Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard has scored 71 goals as the West Coast Fever ended the NSW Swifts' unbeaten start to the Super Netball season with an impressive 79-68 win at Ken Rosewall Arena.
In a heavyweight blockbuster between the competition's two best teams, the Fever (7-2) started quickly and finished with a flourish, extending their winning streak to seven and ending the Swifts' eight-game unbeaten run in 2025.
Remarkably, NSW have never tasted victory against West Coast at their Sydney home base, a trend that continued on Saturday night.
"It's really good," said Fowler-Nembhard, the world's best shooter, who missed just one shot attempt all evening.
"I came up against some brilliant defenders.
"The Swifts are an incredible team and we couldn't come here and underestimate them."
At the other end, NSW shooter Grace Nweke racked up a whopping 13 rebounds to go with 48 goals at a less efficient 80 per cent.
After a goal-for-goal opening, the Fever created some separation through Fowler-Nembhard, who hit 21 in the opening stanza to give the visitors a 22-16 buffer at the first change.
Fowler-Nembhard's connection in attack with the likes of Alice Teague-Neeld, Jordan Cransberg and Shanice Beckford was a feature.
The home side rang in the changes in the second period, particularly in defence, as the contest became scrappier and more physical after opening in clean, clinical fashion.
Fowler-Nembhard had 37 by half-time, while Nweke was off-target in the Swifts' attack, hounded relentlessly by Kadie-Ann Dehaney.
West Coast held sway 39-32 at the main break before NSW lifted through co-captain Paige Hadley and goal attack Helen Housby.
Housby's sixth two-pointer trimmed the margin to three before Fowler-Nembard's second-chance goal put the Fever in front 59-55 with a quarter to play.
But the last term belonged emphatically to West Coast, who shot 20-of-20 to the Swifts' 11-of-19 to put the rest of the competition on notice.