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AAP
AAP
Sport
Steve Barrett

Giants upset Thunderbirds in Super Netball

Jo Harten (R) fought hard with Thunderbird Shamera Sterling (L) in leading the Giants to victory. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

The Giants have broken through for their maiden victory of the Super Netball season, coming from behind to upset the Adelaide Thunderbirds 59-54 at Netball SA Stadium.

After jumping ahead 17-12 at quarter-time on Sunday, the Giants were outplayed across the middle two terms and fell behind by four goals early in the fourth before catching fire from outside to reel in the previously undefeated Thunderbirds.

Giants captain Jo Harten had her troubles with Shamera Sterling all afternoon but came good late, combining with Sophie Dwyer for a flurry of two-point super-shots down the stretch.

Jamie-Lee Price was outstanding in the centre while wing defence Amy Parmenter gave Adelaide's playmakers no room to breathe.

"I wanted that win nearly as much as I wanted that prelim final last year," Parmenter said, referring to her side's one-goal loss to Melbourne last season.

"We were desperate for one, and it feels good to finally get one on the board.

"The last few weeks we've just been trying a bit too hard.

"We just wanted to get out there, use instinct and connection, and I think that's what we did."

Sterling, arguably the world's best defender and the best player on the court across the opening three terms, hobbled off the court at three-quarter-time after hurting her right calf moments earlier and receiving treatment on her leg.

The brilliant Jamaican shrugged off the injury to finish out the game, notching eight intercepts and four rebounds, but she couldn't do it alone.

Sterling blanketed Harten early as the T-birds motored ahead 5-1 but the rest of the opening period was on the visitors' terms.

Parmenter conjured some important intercepts and Dwyer caught fire from long-range, masterminding a momentum-swinging 10-1 barrage to give the Giants the edge at quarter-time.

Sterling continued to be omnipresent and spectacular in defence, while Maisie Nankivell made her presence felt after being injected off the bench and into the centre to neutralise the rampant Price.

English shooter Eleanor Cardwell got on a roll to spearhead an 8-1 burst which helped Adelaide tie the scores at 29-all at half-time.

The home side inched ahead 44-41 at three-quarter-time before Dyer and Harten fed off the brilliance of Price and some untimely Thunderbird turnovers to take control in the fourth.

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