A return to trusted and proven combinations and another dominant defensive showing from Britt Hill helped Fusion Heat avoid a stunning shock loss in the Rawson Homes Premiership A Grade competition on Saturday.
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Coming off an incredible 98-32 win the week before and taking on a Nyngan Cougars side still finding its way in the top grade, Heat started a strong favourite in Saturday's match at the Nita McGrath Courts.
Heat led by 13 at the main break but decided to change up a number of positions in the third quarter in order to combat the height advantage the Cougars had.
All it did was disrupt the momentum and Nyngan came roaring back into the match to trail by just sixth heading into the final term.
But a return to the shooting combination of George Conway and Izzy Attwater and Payton Harris' shift back to centre got things right for Heat and they streaked ahead to score a 45-28 win.
"We didn't play our game in the third quarter, definitely," captain Tash Robinson said.
"And they (Nyngan) played really well and took it to us ... we didn't readjust as quick as we should have so before the fourth quarter we had a quick chat and figured out what was wrong and we came back so it was a really good effort."
Also helping Heat, again playing without substitutes, was the performance of Hill at goal-defence.
With things not clicking in attack for much of the middle two quarters, Hill had plenty of work to do.
She proved up to the task though, blocking shots with her trademark vertical leap skills against taller opponents, shutting down passes into the circle while also ensuring plenty of quick transition into attack.
"I think the angrier Britt gets the more intercepts she seems to make," Robinson laughed.
"When we're not working well in attack she gets a bit fired up and she wins the ball for us.
"She's a workhorse for us in defence and she does a lot of work for the attack as well. She makes my life easier, that's for sure. She had a really good game."
Hill was strongly early, only allowing Nyngan to score five times, while Heat sunk 15 goals to build a strong lead.
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That lead grew to 12 in the second quarter but in the third term, where Harris went in to assist shooter Conway, Heat slumped and only scored two goals compared to the Cougars' nine.
But Attwater and Conway got things going again in the final term as Heat went on to win by 17.
"Our timing was a bit off today and when that's out we try and work in the extra pass so we don't get ahead of ourselves," Robinson said as her side sometimes struggled between quick transitions and calm build-up early on.
"We identified that very well and we'll work on that more next week.
"But Nyngan just proved we're not going to have it all our own way and we'll have to work and fight for every win."
Elsewhere on Saturday, Macquarie Hornets and the Narromine Hawks played out a 50-all draw while Fusion Fire downed St Comebacks 41-38 and the Inspire Rebels scored their first win of the season when downing St Diamonds 44-31.