They dispatched the Southern Steel 55-44 in their final ANZ Premiership round robin game in Invercargill this afternoon.
While the win moves them into the third, and final, playoff spot for the moment, they require the Northern Stars to beat the Northern Mystics tomorrow afternoon to hold on to their playoff dream.
If the Mystics win, they will knock the Magic – the only team not to feature in the playoffs since the competition began in 2017 – out of the playoffs on points differential.
The Magic’s win brings the Steel’s season to a close, where they finish sixth, and is the final chapter for head coach Reinga Bloxham, who is heading to the Cardiff Dragons after 11 seasons with the club.
It is not the way the Steel wanted to see their beloved coach out on, but to be fair, it was a pretty average game from both sides.
Magic goal keep Erena Mikaere, who is having something of a stand out season at 36, was a menace with 10 gains, four intercepts and two rebounds.
The Steel won the final quarter 15-8, but left fans wondering where that form had been all game.
Early on though, the Steel had good patience and control on attack, working the ball to circle edge to try and remove the threat of Mikaere’s reach.
But her ability to confuse the space created problems for the Steel when Mikaere blocked the feeders vision and tipped the ball to her midcourters to pick up.
Silly mistakes from the Steel allowed the Magic to capitalise and they snuck ahead on the scoreboard.
Magic wing attack Claire O’Brien tried to fire in her feed to Ameliaranne Ekenasio from the centre pass, but Taneisha Fifita read it to snaffle the intercept.
But the visitors held on to a 14-19 lead at the break.
Defensively, the Steel sat in a box structure and worked in unison to pressure the Magic feeders.
The Magic were experienced enough to work through their teething issues on attack and started to find their timing in the second quarter.
While Saviour Tui’s radar was slightly off under the post, her ability to present, take the front space and take on the high ball under pressure was second to none.
The Steel became hesitant and static on attack, and it became a real struggle to find their shooters.
The Magic were not flashy but just ground down the Steel to take a 30-22 lead at halftime.
Turnovers were the theme of the third quarter, both teams coughing up easy ball that should have been a secure route to goal.
The Steel’s placement of the ball was off, they put each other under unnecessary pressure and would have been disappointed not to finish things off.
Abby Lawson muscled up in the circle, pulled in some good rebounds and pressured the Silver Ferns captain.
Both teams made a swag of changes throughout the third quarter and it took some of the fire out of the game.
It became messy, both teams guilty of poor balls, not doing the work off the ball and losing their connections through court.
But the Magic still cruised to win the quarter 17-7 and led 47-29 at the break.
Kate Heffernan swung into wing defence in the final quarter and picked up a wealth of ball for the Steel.
She sent a stunning feed down to her sister Georgia Heffernan to finish off.
All eyes now turn to the Stars v Mystics game tomorrow afternoon and then a top-of-the-table clash between the Central Pulse and Mainland Tactix on Monday night.
The winner of the latter game will qualify top for the grand final.
ANZ Premiership
The scores
Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic 55
Saviour Tui 19/25, Ameliaranne Ekenasio 22/25, Ivana Rowland 14/15.
Southern Steel 44
Grace Namana 3/4, Georgia Heffernan 19/26, Summer Temu 22/24.
Quarter scores: Magic 15-10, 30-22, 47-29
