Jamaica's Sunshine Girls Latanya Wilson, Shanice Beckford, Shimona Jok, and Kadie-Ann Dehaney showed they are more than ready for the upcoming Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League season with standout performances at the recently concluded Suncorp Team Girls Cup in Adelaide.
The preseason tournament was won by reigning back-to-back SSN champions, the Adelaide Thunderbirds, with Wilson named Most Valuable Player (MVP) for her string of electrifying displays. The Thunderbirds, even without resting stars Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and Romelda Aiken-George, clinched the title by winning three of their four matches, including a thrilling final against a West Coast Fever team featuring both Beckford and Dehaney.
Wilson was unstoppable in the decider, as she racked up seven gains, six deflections, and five intercepts to spearhead her team’s defensive effort. The win sets the Thunderbirds up for a potential three-peat, but they will have to break the “Team Girls Cup Curse” as no team that has won the preseason tournament has ever gone on to claim the SSN title in the same year.
Shanice Beckford ensured West Coast Fever had a moving circle. (Photos: SSN)
Meanwhile, Beckford, who is on her second stint in Australia, made her mark for the Fever. The goal attack played a supporting role to Olivia Wilkinson, and Mwai Kumwenda, who was signed as a replacement player for star shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard in Fever’s attack.
She put up shooting numbers of six from seven, eight from eight, and seven from nine, across the weekend. Though missing Fowler-Nembhard, the Fever still managed to top their pool and only lost once—in the nail-biting final against the Thunderbirds.
Jok, representing the Melbourne Mavericks, showcased her scoring prowess with near-flawless shooting performances—16 from 17, 38 from 40, 23 from 23, and 39 from 40—as she continued her rich vein of form from the international series against South Africa. The Mavericks ended with two wins and two losses but showed plenty of promise heading into the regular season.
Shimona Jok tallied 116 goals across four games for the Mavericks.
On the defensive end, Kadie-Ann Dehaney held her own for the Fever, working alongside Ruth Aryang and Fran Williams in a solid defensive unit. Jodi-Ann Ward of the Giants also delivered strong performances, even though her team struggled, as they lost three of their four matches.
The 2025 Suncorp Super Netball season is scheduled to begin on April 5, and the Sunshine Girls stars, by all indications, are ready to once again light up one of the most competitive netball stages in the world.