Gretel Bueta has inspired the Queensland Firebirds to one of their greatest wins in a 72-68 upset of West Coast Fever in Perth.
In Saturday's earlier match, the Collingwood Magpies kept their finals hopes alive in a 66-58 victory against the NSW Swifts at Melbourne's John Cain Arena.
Needing a victory to restore confidence after a four-game losing streak, the Firebirds did it in style by taking down the second-ranked Fever in a shock result that launched the Queenslanders from seventh to provisional third spot on the standings.
Indigenous players Donnell Wallam and Jemma Mi Mi cried tears of joy after the First Nations Round nailbiter and their Firebirds teammates celebrated like it was a grand final.
It might as well have been for an outfit at risk of plummeting out of finals reckoning after looking strong for much of the season.
Bueta took advantage of the absence of Fever mid-courters Verity Simmons and Jess Anstiss to score a season-high 40 goals just one week after a below-par performance against the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
A boilover was on the cards when Firebirds coach Megan Anderson's bold punt on Mia Stower paid off, with the substitute goaler sinking two super shots to level the scores at 53-53 at three-quarter time.
There were some anxious moments in the final term as the Fever clawed back from a four-goal deficit to trail by one.
But a Gabi Simpson intercept with three minutes left steadied the Firebirds' ship.
While Anderson made just one change in 60 minutes, Fever coach Dan Ryan made more than a dozen but none had the effect she sought.
Jhaniele Fowler shot a perfect 60-from-60 but it was not enough to save the home team from an ambush.
Mi Mi pocketed an intercept with one of her first involvements as the Firebirds kept pace with their hosts throughout the first half.
Alice Teague-Neeld's 21 first-half feeds stood out for the Fever, while the Firebirds had a more even spread of contributions.
Wallam and defender Ruby Bakewell-Doran were key members of the Firebirds' resistance and Bueta was something else.
With 16 first-half goals, she was on track for a big haul and her one-handed, fade-away shot — while tipping out of court — in the second-quarter was one for the highlight reel.
Magpies stay in finals contention
With two rounds remaining after this weekend, the Magpies joined the Swifts just outside the top four on five wins, with percentage looming as a decisive factor in settling the finals race.
Magpies shooter Shimona Nelson landed a perfect 52 goals from 52 attempts but this was a win for the defence.
Imports Geva Mentor (seven gains) and Jodi-Ann Ward (eight) sparked Collingwood's comeback and goalers Nelson and Gabby Sinclair did the rest.
They were the prime movers behind a 22-point third quarter that ruined Swifts defender Maddy Turner's 100th national league game.
It was a credit to the Magpies they were not further behind after trailing by five points at half-time.
A masterful mid-court performance from Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley cut Collingwood to ribbons.
Their quick-release passing gave the Magpies defenders no chance to disrupt the Swifts attack, and by half-time Collingwood's Commonwealth Games aspirant Sophie Garbin was benched after failing to make a significant impact on the scoreboard.
Magpies wing defence Ash Brazill launched herself at everything but could not get her hands to the ball as the Swifts' attack advanced with precision.
Ward and Mentor willed their side back in the contest in the third term.
Between them, they snaffled 10 gains for the quarter to bulldoze their way to a decisive lead at the final change.
AAP/ABC
