Jamaican star Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard produced a near-flawless shooting display on Friday night to lead the West Coast Fever to their ninth consecutive win, edging the Adelaide Thunderbirds 68-63 in front of 8,832 passionate fans.

Fowler-Nembhard was dominant in the circle, scoring 62 goals from 64 attempts, including one from two in Super Shot range, as Fever held their nerve in the decisive final quarter after the teams were locked at 51-all at three-quarter time. Her compatriot Shanice Beckford chipped in with one goal and a vital super shot, adding creativity and pace in attack.

The Fever took early control, racing to a 20-14 lead in the opening quarter. Despite close defensive attention from Latanya Wilson and Matilda Garrett, Fowler-Nembhard put on a clinic with 18 goals in the first term. Beckford capped the quarter with a well-timed super shot to keep the momentum with the home side.

Defensively, Kadie-Ann Dehaney imposed herself early, tallying four deflections in the first quarter while pressuring Romelda Aiken-George into uncomfortable positions.

By halftime, Fever still led 36-32, with Fowler-Nembhard adding another 15 goals and Beckford continuing her high-energy performance, contributing a key intercept and deflection. But the Thunderbirds surged in the third quarter, with Lauren Frew’s accuracy from long range helping them overturn the deficit and briefly take the lead.

However, Fowler-Nembhard responded with a clutch super shot on the buzzer to tie the game at 51-51, setting up a thrilling final 15 minutes.

With hearts pounding and the crowd on edge, Fever rose to the challenge. Captain Jess Anstiss came up with a crucial intercept early in the fourth, and the team maintained composure as Fowler-Nembhard was perfect in the final period to seal the victory.

The win maintains the Fever’s unbeaten streak and solidifies their top spot in the Suncorp Super Netball standings. Next up, they travel to Queensland where they’ll look to extend their run against the Sunshine Coast Lightning.