Silver Ferns rookies Parris Mason and Claire O'Brien have quickly learnt the narrow margins between success and disappointment on the international stage. Both made their national team debuts in a tightly contested 59-58 defeat to England in the Taini Jamison Trophy series opener at Auckland – one made a play that could have won the game for her team, but the other committed the error that ultimately cost them that success. These are the harsh lessons only learnt through experience.
With less than four minutes to play and her team trailing by a goal, Mason plucked an intercept under her own goal that stopped England stretching their lead and allowed the Ferns to edge ahead off their own centrepass. Two minutes later, with the scores tied, O’Brien threw a midcourt pass into pressure that saw Roses defender Funmi Fadoju deflect the ball out of bounds off shooter Grace Nweke, creating the turnover that allowed the visitors to regain control for the win.
"Unfortunately, every pass, every error is going to make a difference, especially when we were up by one going into that space in time," reflected coach Dame Noeline Taurua. "That put us back and then they had the next centrepass...
"These are the things that make a difference and these are the things we learn on the job, but it’s still eluding us as to how we can crack that open.
"Beautiful passages of play, I believe, but still some work to do."
Australian-born O’Brien was introduced to the game at halftime, with the scores locked at 29-29, and wore the wing attack bib throughout the entire second half. "It was definitely a step up," she reflected. "It’s every ball and every catch, so a big emphasis on staying in the moment and working each pass at a time, not getting too ahead of yourself."
As a Tall Ferns basketball representative, Mason is no stranger to international sport and was thrown into the deep end to replace wing defence Georgia Heffernan midway through the final quarter, with her team a goal behind. "It’s always one of those things, you’ve got to get the timing right," mused Dame Noeline. "I’m relatively happy with the timing, also knowing we’ve got a debutant going in there and the landscape has to be ready for her."
Combining with Central Pulse teammate Kelly Jackson in the defensive circle, Mason seemed to find her feet quickly. "When you get given the opportunity to come on in a game like that, you want to make the most impact.
"I knew the job that was asked of me, and wanted to go out there and execute. It was pretty easy to come onto the court with all your mates, who give you so much confidence.
"Unfortunately, we came out with a loss, but there were lots of positive to come out of the game."
The margin reflects a contest between two evenly matched teams that will meet again at Porirua on Wednesday. The rivals battled to a standstill, with the visitors emerging one goal better.
Despite the loss, the Silver Ferns have shown glimpses of promise. The team has been working hard in training and is confident they can turn things around in the next two games.
The Silver Ferns will need to improve their consistency and execution if they want to win the Taini Jamison Trophy. However, with a young and talented team, they have the potential to do so.
It is also worth noting that the Silver Ferns are missing some key players due to injury, including Phoenix Karaka, who is expected to be available for the Constellation Cup against the Australian Diamonds, starting on October 20 in Wellington. This makes the team’s performance in the Taini Jamison Trophy even more impressive.
The Silver Ferns will be looking to bounce back from their opening loss in the second Test. The team will need to play with more intensity and focus if they want to win the Taini Jamison Trophy.
The second Test will be a crucial one for the Silver Ferns. They will need to find a way to improve their execution and consistency if they want to win the series.
