'Gutted' but Magic show most go on | Rotorua Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rotorua

Elias Shadrock had been itching to take the court for Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and didn't look out of place at wing defence
against the visiting Queensland Firebirds in Rotorua last night.

Magic lost 54-55 in a heartstopper final quarter, leaving their best to last and ultimately coming up short in the ANZ Championship
round 11 clash at Rotorua's Energy Events Centre.

Shadrock admitted to being "gutted" at coming so close and falling at the final hurdle but remained upbeat.

Coming off the bench after the first quarter, she proved effective at wing defence, tight on her opponent, clearing herself to take the
ball when Magic were on attack and forcing at least one Firebirds error that led to a turnover which her side converted.

The loss she put down to Magic letting their game slip at crucial times.

"There were bad moments - crucial off passes or shots not going up and we need to nail those," the 19-year-old former Western
Heights High School student said.

"I'm gutted we didn't get the win, we want to make it easier on ourselves not harder - but we can't go back and we've got to focus on
the next game now. Cohesiveness, sticking together as a team, is the only way we'll get through the next game."

Shadrock conceded that next game, against competition leaders NSW Swifts in Sydney next Monday, would be even tougher than
last night's match-up against the uncompromising Firebirds.

"We'll need to bring our A game to the table next week."

The second year Waikato University sport and leisure student said she would be hoping for more court time but would take it as it
came.

"I'm just eager to get out there again, I loved it."

Magic coach Noeline Taurua was certainly impressed with what she saw from Shadrock against the physical Firebirds.

"Elias did really well. She had an impact ... I think overall our changes worked for us," Taurua said.

The coach made plenty of line-up changes after promising pre-game there would be some shuffling around of players against
Firebirds. She had Irene van Dyk at goal attack with Jodi Brown dropping back to goal shoot, she played both Shadrock and Jess Tuki
at wing defence and Tuki also at goal defence while Jodi Tod started at wing defence before moving back to her familiar partnership
with backline defender Casey Williams.

The mix and match approach proved effective for Magic, changing the on-court chemistry to good effect each time but a lack of
execution at crucial times, players letting slip and failing to finish off when it mattered most, proved the losing of the game.

The home side found themselves playing catch-up most of the game, down 14-19 after the first quarter and closing in to 27-30 at
halftime but slipping to 38-43 by the end of the third spell.

In the other ANZ Championship match last night in Perth, West Coast Fever beat fellow competition struggler Central Pulse 63-45.
The Pulse could not repeat their shock win over Canterbury Tactix last weekend.