Southern Tigers (63) lost to North Adelaide Rockets (121)

The North Adelaide Rockets had a night out at Morphett Vale on Saturday, smashing the Southern Tigers by a hefty 58 points to notch up their tenth win of the season – the competition’s second highest defeat of 2014.
 
Jo Hill quietly stamped her brand on the game early for the Rockets, chalking up 11 points in the first quarter. The Rockets lead by 10 points at the first break, but only due to some clutch three-point shooting from Southern’s Kelsie Rutland, who sunk 2 threes quickly before the break to give the scoreline some respectability.
 
However the second quarter began the flow of one-way traffic, with turnovers proving vastly expensive for the Tigers (37-13 points from turnovers for the match), as they watched their opposition cruise to a 22-point lead at half time. Rutland did all she could for her struggling side, racking up 20 points at the half. Jo Hill and Jamie-Lee Peris had tallied 9 steals between them at that point for North Adelaide.
 
The experience of the Rocket’s talls was evident in the second half, as Hill and Peris shut down the Tiger’s scoring action in defence. Smart, smooth and well executed plays in transition to offense were all North Adelaide cared to display, as they made their way to a 33-point lead at the last change.
 
However it was the blow-out final quarter that had everybody shell-shocked, as the Rockets went 34-9 for the final ten minutes of the game, extending the margin to 58 points at the close.
 
Rutland played the entire second half without a break, only to register 2 points. Hill finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 8 steals, alongside Peris who managed 13 points, 9 rebounds and 6 steals for the night. Jess Smart also starred for the Rockets, finishing with 18 points, 6 assists and 6 steals.

By Sam Tugwell

Top Scorers Southern
Kelsie Rutland 22
Lauren Fisher 8
Kaylee Biddell 8
Top Scorers North Adelaide
Jo Hill 24
Jess Smart 18
Jamie-Lee Peris 13