Nici Gilday fired on all cylinders to lead the way as the Mandurah Magic picked up a semi final game one win against the Lakeside Lightning on Saturday night.
In a game that could only be described as a fierce battle between the two top-four heavyweights, Gilday stood head and shoulders above the rest as she dropped 32 points to buoy Mandurah to an 86-76 victory.
Her outstanding performance was filled with big moments, including a pair of buckets to beat the shot clock and a step-back three to stretch the Magic’s lead at a crucial time in the fourth.
She was on fire early helping the Magic to a huge run in the first quarter.
Lakeside looked to be on as they hit the first two buckets of the game to notch a five-point lead, but all-star Ali Schwagmeyer went to the bench with foul trouble and the Magic took total control.
Casey Mihovilovich was instrumental as the Magic rampaged to a 24-6 run to open up a 13-point lead just before the end of the first.
But the Lightning looked a totally different side when Schwagmeyer re-entered the game, as they took the lead midway through the second.
From there it became a back-and-forth battle.
Rachel Halleen hit four straight points followed by a Gilday jump shot to give Mandurah the lead back, while Sydney Fipps continued to make big plays for Lakeside.
With just a point separating the two at half time the battle only intensified in the early stages of the third.
The crowd began to get involved when Carly Boag dazzled her way to a crafty layup, but Schwagmeyer conjured a three-point play on the Lightning’s next possession to silence them.
Bree Klasztorny helped Mandurah escape to a seven-point lead but another three-point play, this time from Lakeside’s Jessica Van Schie, cut the margin to four.
Trailing by six at the final break the Lightning needed a mighty push, but it was Mandurah who shone brightest down the stretch.
Gilday’s two-point jump shot to bring up her 30th points gave the Magic a nine-point lead before Lakeside responded with a three.
Boag reinstated that lead with a massive and-one play with just over two minutes remaining, and a Klasztorny jumper stretched it to 11 with 1:50 on the clock.
A Schwagmeyer three cut the lead to eight but without enough time left the Lightning were forced to foul, allowing the Magic to move to a 10-point win.
Gilday finished the night with 32 points and five rebounds.
She was joined in stuffing the stat sheet by Boag, who amassed 14 points, 18 rebounds, three assists and four steals.
The Magic now have a chance to close out the series and move into the grand final when they travel to Lakeside this coming Friday night.