Latest news with #CharlieBell
Scoop
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Mystics Get Better Of Stars In Northern Derby
30 June, 2025 The Go Media Stars have been well beaten 67-47 by their Northern rivals the Mystics in their round 8 ANZ Premiership match at Pulman Arena, their last home game of the season. The Stars showed many encouraging signs in the first period, despite trailing 17-13 at quarter's end. Starting at goal shoot, Charlie Bell was strong under the hoop, imposing herself and winning the contest in the air to keep the scoreboard ticking over. The Stars managed to force a number of errors out of the Mystics but frustratingly couldn't make it count enough to make them pay, though Lisa Mather was a terrier in the wing defence bib and Remi Kamo and Julia Wynands working tirelessly in the defensive circle. The Mystics went on a late run to cement their lead heading into the second quarter, with goal shoot Donnell Wallam strong. The Stars remained competitive in the second quarter, with some determined play throughout. The injection of Lili Tokaduadua at goal defence added some pace and relentlessness, as Tokaduadua executed some important gains to keep the Stars in the fight. The Mystics were able to keep the persistent Stars at arm's length, with the Stars inability to convert from the two point zone hurting them as they gave away possession and were punished. The Mystics finished the half with the upper hand, ahead 31-24 at the break. The second half was a tough affair for the Stars, as they struggled to break the momentum of a classy Mystics side. Much like the narrative has been all season though, the Stars refused to give up and still fought for every ball and tried to create opportunities with ball in hand until the very last whistle, with the Mystics coming away with a victory. Captain Maia Wilson donned the goal shoot bib in the second half and showcased some of her well-known power play. Wilson was rock solid in front of goal when the ball found her, shooting 100%. Kamo and Tokaduadua were dogged throughout the whole contest and combined for six gains. The Stars next head to Christchurch to face the Tactix on Sunday.
RNZ News
27-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Netball's Super Shot - who's scoring, who's not and does it matter?
Stars shooter Charlie Bell has shot 10 two-pointers among her 220 goals this season. Photo: Blake Armstrong/Photosport Analysis - What do the statistics tell us about the two-point shot and its impact on this year's ANZ Premiership, if any? Netball New Zealand decided to introduce a 'super shot' to the domestic league this year, following in the footsteps of Australia's Super Netball league, which rewards shooters for taking longer shots. The two-point shot comes into play for the last five minutes of each quarter, so for a third of the game. Well after seven rounds, the stats suggest that there's no real correlation between super shots and winning games. Tabletopping Mainland Tactix have sunk the least two-point shots by far this season, with just eight, at a conversion rate of 35 percent. Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, who are second to bottom on the ladder, have scored the most super shots of any team with 34, at a success rate of 52 percent. Northern Mystics are second on the table and have converted the fourth-most with 27, but have the best conversion rate of any team at 57 percent. That's largely down to the shooting prowess of Filda Vui, who has the more two-point goals than anyone in the league with 23, at an impressive 62 percent. Magic shooter Saviour Tui ranks second with 21 and team-mate Ameliaranne Ekenasio third, with 13 super shots. Pulse replacement shooter Amorangi Malesala has only played 56 minutes this season, but has the fourth-most super shots with 12. Overall, 45 percent of attempts at the longer distance have been converted, which seems on par with the Australian league, given that the scoring zone across the Tasman is closer to the goalpost. Amelia Walmsley is the ANZ Premiership's leading scorer, but has not hit a 'super shot'. Photo: Photosport In last season's Australian SSN competition, 54 percent of the super shots found the net, where shooters are awarded two points for shots starting from three metres away. In the ANZ Premiership, the zone starts 3.5m away from the post. Northern Stars, who sit at the bottom of the table, have scored the second-most double-point shots with 31, at 41 percent. They have attempted more than any other team, which is not surprising, given they've trailled in most matches and have tried to make up ground by doubling their points. Central Pulse shooter Amelia Walmsley has scored the most goals this season with 307, at an incredible 96 percent. None of those goals include super shots. Second is Aliyah Dunn with 281, including 11 super shots, and Charlie Bell is third with 220, which includes 10 two-pointers. Tactix coach Donna Wilkins encourages her players to use the super shot sparingly. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 Tactix coach Donna Wilkins, who played netball and basketball for New Zealand, has encouraged her shooters to use the super shot sparingly, noting the risk involved. A miss is often gobbled up by the opposition defence and turned into a goal at the other end of the court. Of course, its use can depend on who you've got in your team and whether you've got a high-volume shooter, like the Pulse do with Walmsley. Australian players have had a few years to get used to the rule change, which was introduced to their competition in 2020. Adelaide Thunderbirds won the premiership last year, but had by far the least two-point attempts in 2024. They won the grand final against the Vixens without putting up a single super shot attempt during the game. The success of the rule change shouldn't only be judged on whether it has an impact on results. If fans are more engaged by the anticipation and risk-versus-reward element, then that's a win. One of the most exciting finishes we've seen this season came in the final game of round seven on Monday, when Steel shooter Georgia Heffernan sunk a super shot in the dying minutes to help her side pip the Pulse. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
22-06-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Netball: Mainland Tactix regain ANZ Premiership lead with win over Northern Stars
Charlie Bell of the Stars and Karin Burger of the Tactix tussle for the ball during their ANZ Premiership Netball match at Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch, 22th June 2025. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 Mainland Tactix have regained the ANZ Premiership netball lead, but Northern Stars have uncovered a new shooting sensation. The Tactix beat the Stars 61-53 in Christchurch and now lead the premiership by one point from the champion Mystics, who had a brief 24 hours at the top, after beating Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic 63-51 on Saturday night . The win sounds comfortable for the Tactix and they certainly controlled the first half, leading at the break 36-19, but the game opened up in the second half, with the Stars bringing a lot more energy to their game and disrupting the Tactix flow. The big talking point was the debut performance of diminutive Stars goal attack Marie Hansen, who took the court late in the match and nailed five super shots out of six attempts to give the Tactix a few jittery moments. Hansen - who plays for the Comets in the Netball National League - said she only got the call-up on Thursday. "It definitely took me by surprise," she told Sky Sport. "I think this has never been on the cards for me, just being a shorter shooter. "It was cool getting the call-up.'' Tactix captain Jane Watson, a commanding presence particularly in the first half, joked about the problem that Hansen posed to the defence. "It's bloody hard when they are really short, you just lose them," she said. "She was quick as well. "She came on with so much energy and she did a really good job, so kudos to her." Goal shoots Ellie Bird (Tactix) and Charlie Bell (Stars) both shot 100 percent with their one-point shots, and uncannily both missed their single super shot attempts, with Bird's miss coming in the last 10 seconds of the game. Kayla Johnson, who had a strong game for the Stars, will now be a permanent replacement player for the injured Kate Burley through to the end of the season, the Stars announced during the match. Fellow defender Julia Wynands will stay with the Stars until the end of round nine, as an interim replacement. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Magic Defeated The Go Media Stars 72-51 In Hamilton
The Go Media Stars have been soundly beaten by the Magic 71-52 in their round four ANZ Premiership match in Hamilton. In what was a pivotal contest for both teams, it was a cagey affair in the beginning, with each side cautious with the ball and trying not to make any errors. Errors did eventually creep in, with both teams burned on various occasions and neither able to assert any real form of dominance. Stars shooter Charlie Bell was a pillar of power underneath the hoop and made a strong start to the game, netting nine of her first 10 attempts at goal and was well supported by Maia Wilson. The Stars increased their defensive strangle hold on the Magic attack and pressure eventually turned into reward, with goal keep Remi Kamo forcing a pivotal turnover, with the Stars trying to gain momentum. The super shot window was met with apprehension, as only one two-pointer was attempted at the end of the quarter, unsuccessfully by Wilson and with the Magic enjoying a later-quarter flurry, the Stars found themselves behind 17-14 after one. The Stars made a fast start to the second quarter, as they tried to eat away at the three goal deficit and swiftly cut the Magic's lead down to one. As the Stars desperately chased their first lead of the game, an increase in tempo became hard to maintain and further errors crept in and the Stars were duly punished by the Magic, whose lead had ballooned to seven. Wilson entered the fray in timely manor with a much needed two-point super shot to give the Stars life late in the half. However, a couple of missed two-pointer attempts as the seconds ticked down, allowed the Magic to further consolidate their lead - ahead 33-25 at the break. Whatever was said by Stars coach Temepara Bailey to motivate her side ahead of the second half definitely worked, with the Stars bolting out the gates, stunning the Magic with their intensity and confidence. Passes were being timed to perfection and with slick play came composure in front of goal, with the Stars continually chipping away at the deficit, led by mid-courter Mila Reuelu-Buchanan who added some classy touched on attack. The Magic were feeling the pressure being applied by the Stars and started to make an avalanche of mistakes, which further galvanised the Stars and they were suddenly just two goals adrift. Kayla Johnson was brought on at goal defence and her experience was much needed. The Magic called a much-needed time-out and it gave them a chance to take a deep breath and recompose themselves and break the Stars' momentum with a goal-scoring run of their own. The Stars struggled to maximise the two-point shot and with the Magic hardly putting a foot wrong inside the shooting circle, the Stars found themselves behind 50-43 with a quarter remaining. The clock became the Stars' biggest enemy in the fourth quarter as they tried to do all they could to get back into the game. The Stars played large parts of the quarter in a rush, which resulted in multiple turnovers and again gave the Magic the opportunity to further extend their lead. As scoreboard pressure was heaped on the Stars in the dying moments, they were unable to hit any two-point attempts to lessen the margin and the Magic finished the game as worthy winners 72-51. The Stars won't have to wait long to have another crack at the Magic and will play host to them at Pulman Arena next Monday.
Scoop
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Pulse Power Past Stars In Auckland
Press Release – Stars Netball The Go Media Stars have been handed their second loss of the ANZ Premiership season, falling to the Pulse 69-45 at Pulman Arena. The Stars came out buoyed by last week's impressive win over the Tactix, but knew they'd face a tough task against a well-polished Pulse outfit. The Stars struggled to build phases with the ball on attack and were under fire by the ruthless defensive duo of Kelly Jackson and Parris Mason, who made Stars shooters Maia Wilson and Charlie Bell work hard for every goal. Lili Tokaduadua once again donned the goal defence bib and her connection with goal keep Remi Kamo continued to build nicely, as they too pressured the Pulse with every attacking raid sent their way. The Pulse managed to capitalise on more of their opportunities and raced out to a large lead and with the Stars unable to convert in the two-point period and the Pulse shooting at 100% as a team, they found themselves down 16-8 after one. The introduction of Kayla Johnson at wing defence provided some steadiness through the middle of the court, with her experience showing through the timing of her passes to ignite the attack. The Pulse continued to play at a rapid speed and the Stars at times struggled to keep up as they fell further behind. Charlie Bell worked tirelessly under the post and with the two-point hooter giving the green light for some freedom, she responded, hitting the Stars' first two-pointer of the match. The Stars maintained a valiant effort and were rewarded for their defensive tenacity with Kamo snatching an impressive intercept off some sloppy Pulse play. The Pulse remained on top at the half-time break however, ahead 36-19 as the teams debriefed in the changing sheds. Maia Wilson moved from goal attack to goal shoot to open the second half and looked comfortable back in a position she knows so well, showing poise in front of goal and stringing together a number of successful shots. Determined to improve on their first half showing, the Stars showed glimpses of the side that picked up their first win last weekend, with some slick play on attack and unwavering defensive effort helping them keep parity with the Pulse for much of the quarter. The crowd came alive in the final five minutes as Wilson alongside Monica Falkner at goal attack, put on a show, nailing three two-point shots in a row to end the quarter on a high, only losing the quarter by a solitary goal, but still trailing 50-32 heading into the fourth. The Stars battled to the very end, led by their mid-court leader Mila Reuelu-Buchanan who refused to quit while she was on the court. Wilson and Bell finished strongly with some fantastic two-pointers – netting three to finish the match. The Pulse continued to run downhill to the finish line of the match, with their anticipation on defence earning them extra possessions and they made it count on the scoreboard with a 69-45 victory as the final whistle sounded. The Stars travel to Hamilton next Monday to face the Magic.
