Twin towers set the tone for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic's charge towards a third successive ANZ Championship final appearance.
Silver Ferns defender Casey Williams and shooter Irene van Dyk stand at opposite ends of the court, but when their eyes meet - magic things are happening.
"It's bloody fantastic. We're the two big towers at the end of the court. When we're both on fire, we make eye contact just to keep the team connected," Williams explained.
The pair are arguably the two world's best in their respective positions and they displayed all their diverse talents in the 50-42 victory over the Southern Steel in Auckland on Monday to be one win from another final.
They lost the previous two.
Williams' plucked three memorable intercepts from intelligent reading of the play at Vector Arena as well as barking orders from the back and van Dyk shot 41/46 in a phenomenal showcase of aerial prowess.
Their combination will need to fire across the ditch in six days time where New Zealand sides have not fared well.
In Newcastle, they will meet the New South Wales Swifts in a knockout prequel to the final.
The Sydney side was pumped 52-38 in its first shock loss of the season in the major semi-final by the grand-final bound Adelaide Thunderbirds, who the Magic beat 53-44 the previous week.
"It was so surprising. All of us were stunned, but it just goes to show what this competition's made of," Williams said.
"They'll be hurting after their performance - we'll be on a high, but we've got to go higher."
Williams expected the Australian minor premiers to employ a short, sharp, flat passing game. They would also use speed through the court, which would be nothing like the game she had just finished.
Van Dyk and Williams weren't the only problem for the Steel, whose season ended rather abruptly.
Straight-talking Steel coach Robyn Broughton admitted her side threw the game away in the first quarter after starting anxiously - not surprising given the busloads Magic supports who brought the cowbells from Mooloo country.
"We were eight down at quarter time and eight down at the finish. We caught up but it's hard to break the barrier," she said.
The energy taken to mount a nine-goal fightback in the third period, that saw the Steel lead by one (27-26), left all seven players spent as the Magic absorbed the pressure, kept its composure and upped the tempo to run away with the game.
It was evident this was a clash of two contrasting styles.
The Steel's patient - normally clinical - approach imploded, causing the southerners to be hesitant which ultimately stifled their attack as they were forced back to be able to go forward.
While the Magic's speed, direct, high passing game into van Dyk worked a treat.
Van Dyk's opposite, Daneka Wipiiti, also felt the pressure exerted by Williams as she missed eight shots at goal and was the substituted.
While Magic coach Noeline Taurua was 'enjoying the ride', she was mindful the Swifts hammered her side 60-43 in their last meeting. Therefore, the encounter would be all on.