DESPITE coming up short in consecutive Commonwealth Games netball finals, Jamaica’s Latanya Wilson says they are proud they got into position to challenge for the gold medal.

The Sunshine Girls battled gamely but were defeated 48-56 by world number two-ranked New Zealand Silver Ferns at Hydro arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday.

The Jamaicans had also lost to the Silver Ferns in the preliminary stage, going down 48-53 last week.

But they entered the final high on confidence after pulling off an emotional, nail-biting 46-45 win over 2022 champions Australia in the semi-finals on Saturday.

“I’m very proud that we put ourselves in this privileged position to be out here to actually play the finals,” Wilson said after the match. “I’m a bit disappointed in the loss, but I’m still proud of the girls.”

In this August 6, 2022 file photo, Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls celebrate the semi-final netball win over New Zealand during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.Photo: Naphtali Junior

Wilson, who played wing defence for the full 60 minutes of the game, said she thought they did not get off to a fast start like they did in the semi-final.

“I think it’s a number of things [for falling short]. I feel we started really slow, and I felt like in that second quarter we came back into it but I feel we just kind of let the momentum swing a bit for them. But yeah, I’m still proud. It was a good match. New Zealand is a top team, and we knew that they were going to come out here and put on a strong performance,” the Jamaican netballer said.

Wilson said Coach Sasher-Gaye Henry Wright had urged them to dig deeper during a talk at half-time, at which point they had been trailing by three goals.

“[We had to] just try and get something. We weren’t winning any balls, so it was very important for us to try something different and just give it a prop. Because at [that time] we were done, so we needed to give it a try,” she said.

Jamaica were off to a sluggish start, and despite tying up the scores twice in the third quarter, New Zealand always appeared in control. The Silver Ferns were led by a magnificent shooting performance from goal shooter Grace Nweke who had 48 goals from 54 attempts.

New Zealand led by 16-13 after the first quarter and held on for 28-25 margin at half-time, before increasing the advantage to 41-36 at the end of the third quarter. They led by as many as 10 goals in the fourth quarter before coming out winners by eight goals.

Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls celebrate the semi-final netball win over New Zealand during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, on August 6, 2022.Photo: Naphtali Junior

Romelda Aiken-George, who was oftentimes defended by two players when she got the ball, led Jamaica with 32 goals from 36 attempts, while Shanice Beckford scored 16 goals from 18 tries.

Despite the loss, Wilson said she was satisfied they had done their best and that their fans appreciated their effort.

“I think they’re super proud of us, whether we win or lose. I feel like they would be proud of us, and I know that all our fans in Jamaica would be cheering us on, and even here, like it’s amazing. It’s a privilege to be in this position. I know Australia would love to be in this position, so to be able to get this privilege and to be here, it’s good job to us,” she reasoned.

The second-place finish on Sunday earned Jamaica a fifth medal in netball at the Commonwealth Games, as the country finished with 19 medals (10 gold, four silver, five bronze) overall in Glasgow. The other 18 medals came from track and field competitions which ended on Saturday.

In the bronze-medal game that preceded the final on Sunday, four-time champions Australia defeated England 68-50. It was the first time Australia were not contesting the gold-medal game in the history of the Commonwealth Games.

WILSON…I’m a bit disappointed in the loss, but I’m still proud of the girls (Photo: AFP)