The two teams couldn’t be separated in the first half and entered the bread tied at 22. The Fever then won the third period 13-12 before pulling away in the final quarter 14-7 for an overall 49-41 win.
Sasha Glasgow was player of the match, shooting 21/24 while Fowler shot 12/13.
Courtney Bruce and Kim Jenner were both stand outs in defence. Bruce had four gains while Jenner had two to her name.
Jamaicans Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson had two gains, each, for the Thunderbirds.
Elsewhere, Romelda Aiken-George shot 15/16 to help NSW Swifts defeat Giants Netball 44-38 to finish fifth.
The Team Girls Cup acts as a pre-season tournament ahead of the Suncorp Super Netball League in which the Fever are the defending Champions. In last year's final, Fowler scored 58 goals as the Fever beat the Melbourne Vixens 70-59. She was also named player of the year for the fifth year in a row.
It was Fowler’s 55th goal of the match from just 56 attempts that spurred the Fever from an eight-point halftime deficit to their fifth consecutive victory this season. In doing so, they handed the Giants their first defeat.
Fowler got support from Sasha Glasgow, who scored five goals as well as three super-shot goals that helped keep the Fever close as the Giants closed the half leading 37-29.
Jo Harten had 19 goals and nine super-shot goals for the Giants, which opened strong and led 17-13 at the end of the first quarter. They stretched the lead by winning the second quarter 20-16.
Sophie Dwyer was the Giants’ leading scorer with 26 goals and also scored a super-shot that helped the Giants maintain a lead.
However, the Fever came to life in the second half closing the gap to just three points by the end of the third quarter that they took 18-13.
The match swung in their favour at the death when Fowler sunk the winning basket with seconds on the clock to outscore the Giants 19-15 in the quarter and pull off a thrilling victory.
Despite the Lightning winning time in possession, the Fever's exceptional shooting accuracy (97%) and success with Super Shots (5/9) propelled them to victory in front of an enthusiastic away crowd.
Fowler-Nembhard stood out as the player of the match, amassing an impressive 119.5 Nissan Net Points and shooting at an astounding 98% (53/54) during regular match time.
Shanice Beckford was also instrumental in the win with 13 goal assists and 17 feeds.
The Fever have now reclaimed their position at the top of the table and will take on the Adelaide Thunderbirds next on Saturday June 8.
Elsewhere, goal defence Jodi-Ann Ward's 33.5 Nissan Net Points were not enough to prevent her GIANTS Netball outfit from being defeated 74-60 by the Melbourne Vixens at John Cain Arena.
The Vixens shot accurately, 62/67 for 90% to be exact, while also having the edge in time of possession, intercepts and turnovers.
Goal shooter Sophie Garbin was the star of the day for the Vixens with 119.5 Nissan Net Points after producing 48 goals from 51 attempts.
The Vixens, who handed the Fever their first loss last week, are second in the table with just one loss in eight games, same as the Fever.
Contributing to the Fever's success, Sasha Glasgow maintained a perfect shooting record, going three for three and nailing four super shots. By halftime, the Fever held a narrow 37-33 lead.
Despite Jo Harten's 19 goals and the combined efforts of Matisse Letherbarrow and Sophie Dwyer, who both scored 10 goals, the GIANTS found themselves trailing by 10 points at the end of the third quarter. The Fever outscored them 21-15 in a dominant display.
Although the final quarter was a more evenly contested affair, the outcome of the match had already been decided.
With this victory, their ninth of the season, the Fever climbed to second place in the league standings. The New South Wales Swifts remain at the top of the table after a convincing 78-65 win against the Queensland Firebirds at the Nissan Arena. Romelda Aiken-George led the charge for the Swifts, racking up an impressive 43 goals. Supported by Helen Housby's 17 goals, the Swifts secured their 10th win of the season.
Despite Donnell Wallam's 34 goals for the Firebirds, it was another defeat for the team, marking their ninth loss of the season, and leaving them in seventh place in the league.
In the meantime, former league leaders Adelaide Thunderbirds slipped to third place after suffering a close 56-54 loss to the Sunshine Coast Lightning at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
Ward, who dazzled in black and white for Collingwood, will now sport the orange and charcoal colors of the GIANTS, having inked a long-term deal that will keep her in Sydney until at least the conclusion of 2026.
The 178cm Jamaican defender, recognized for her exceptional versatility and athleticism, particularly in goal defense, joins the GIANTS following a stellar season with the Magpies. Her outstanding performance, featuring 40 intercepts, 66 deflections, and 16 rebounds, earned her a well-deserved spot in the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball Team of the Year.
Ward, a Sunshine Girl representing Jamaica since 2017, played a pivotal role in her nation's rise on the world netball stage, securing a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Her prowess extends beyond goal defense, as she seamlessly transitions between wing defense and goal keeper when required.
Expressing her sentiments on the transition, Ward acknowledged the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Collingwood's folding but expressed excitement about joining the competitive GIANTS.
“It is extremely disappointing to see how things ended with Collingwood and the timing of it, but change is good sometimes. GIANTS are a very competitive team, and I love a team that fights to the end."
Known for her aggressive and attacking style of defense, Ward brings a unique set of skills to the GIANTS, including her long arms and impressive vertical elevation. She emphasized her commitment to fostering a strong team dynamic, ensuring her teammates feel supported on and off the court.
"My goal is to always ensure that whoever I’m on court with at any time feels comfortable and protected knowing that I’ve got their back in any situation, especially as you develop new combinations or introduce younger players.”
GIANTS Head Coach Julie Fitzgerald expressed her enthusiasm about the newest addition to the team, citing Ward's exciting playing style and significant contributions during the previous season with Collingwood and Jamaica.
“She is such an exciting player, and I can’t wait to inject her into our lineup. After losing April (Brandley) to retirement at the end of the season, we knew we needed to bolster our defensive end with experience, and we thought Jodi-Ann would be a perfect fit for many reasons."
Ward becomes the ninth player to sign with the GIANTS for the 2024 season, joining both new and returning talents, as the team aims for a successful and competitive campaign.
The towering Jamaican goal shooter scored 60 of 61 shots as the defending champions outscored their opponents 25-15 and 18-15 over the first two quarters to take a 13-goal lead into the half-time break. Sasha Glasgow who was a perfect five for five and scored three of six super shots was also key to the victory as the Firebirds provided the champions with a genuine scare.
Whereas the Fever were dominant in the first half, the Firebirds showed that they too could play that game in the second.
Donnell Wallan, who scored 48 goals from 53 attempts and sunk seven of 10 super shots in the game, helped the Firebirds storm back to outscore the Fever 21-15 in the third and 25-20 in the final stanza. She got support from Emily Moore who was perfect inside the circle and who hit one of two super shots and Mia Mayer (2/2) and scored one of two super shots to come within two goals of the champions.
However, that was as close as they would get as the Fever desperately held on for the win.
Fowler has missed only four attempts on goal in five matches this season, scoring 280 goals from 284 attempts.
Meanwhile, Romelda Aiken-George scored 43 goals from 49 attempts to lead the New South Wales Swifts to a close 64-63 win over Sunshine Coast Lightning at the UniSC Arena.
Over at the Ken Rosewall Arena, Shimona Nelson scored 36 goals from 38 attempts but her Collingwood Magies lost 59-55 to GIANTS for whom Jo Harten scored 33 from 35 and Sophie Dwyer 20 from 22.
Led by Eleanor Cardwell near perfect 26 goals from 27 attempts and Lucy Austin’s 13 from 15, Thunderbirds led 18-13 at the end of the first quarter. However, Jo Harten who scored 23 goals from 25 shots and Sophie Dwyer (17/20) closed the gap to three by half-time as GIANTS outscored Thunderbirds 15-13 in the second stanza.
GIANTS dominated the third quarter 13-9 and take a slim lead into the final quarter of the game but Thunderbirds rallied to win the quarter 14-9 and take the game 54-50 for their sixth win of the season.
Fever, meanwhile, went down 74-73 in a thriller to Melbourne Vixens despite a game-high 48 goals of 49 attempts from the league top scorer Jhaniele Fowler, who now has 446 goals on the season.
However, after both teams traded goals for the entire match, it was Kiera Austin’s super shot at the buzzer than kept the Vixens unbeaten at home this season and handed the defending champions their second loss of the season.
Mwai Kumwenda led the Vixens with 45 goals from 50 attempts while Austin scored 23 from 29 for her side that outscored Fever 18-16 in the first quarter before sharing honours 19-19 in the second to take a two goal lead into the break.
Fever rallied to take the third quarter 19-16 but thanks to Austin’s super shot, Vixens edged the final quarter 21-19 to secure their fifth win of the season.
In the battle between the teams at the foot of the table, Donnell Wallam scored a game high 64 goals from 65 attempts to lead the Queensland Firebirds to their second win of the season, a 73-67 win over Collingwood Magpies.
Shimona Nelson scored 56 goals from 58 attempts for the Magpies who were losing their sixth game of the season.
Shimona Nelson scored 44 goals and Sophie Garbin nine, in a 100 per cent shooting effort as the Magpies in their final season in the Suncorp Super Netball league overcame the defensive efforts of Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson.
Collingwood led 16-12 after the first quarter and held a 27-23 lead at half time.
Collingwood widened their lead with another 16-12 effort in the third quarter and held on for the win despite a fourth-quarter rally from Thunderbirds who outscored Collinwood 15-10.
Eleanor Cardwell scored 27 goals from 29 attempts in the loss that saw Thunderbirds’ record fall to second place in the league table with eight wins, one draw and three losses this season.
The new league leaders are the New South Wales Swifts who defeated GIANTS 68-63 thanks in part to Romelda Aikens-George’s 32 goals from 39 attempts and Helen Housby’s 100 percent shooting for 18 goals.
Matisse Leatherbarrow and Jo Harten each scored 13 goals while Sophie Dwyer had 11 from 13 in the losing cause.
The Swifts now boast a record of nine wins, one draw and two losses after 12 rounds.
In the other game on Saturday, Queensland Firebirds defeated Melboune Vixens 76-71.
