Tactix stay top after win over Steel
- Dave Worsley
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The Tactix have kept their place at the top of the ANZ Premiership points table after a 57-49 win over the Southern Steel in Invercargill
With their greater accuracy and finishing, the Tactix had the edge across most aspects of the court to lead throughout but were never totally comfortable. The Steel were always in contention and had several surges but couldn’t maintain consistency for long enough.
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Tactix centre Holly Mather, helped the visitors keep the Steel at arm’s length as the home side requiring super shots when trailing by eight going in to the last quarter but having little success – Aliyah Dunn nailing one.
In the side as a permanent replacement player, the well-performed Khanye-Lii Munro-Nonoa got the start at goal defence for the Steel while, spoilt for choice, goal shoot Ellie Bird got the starting nod under the hoop for the visitors.
In her 50th match, wing defence Paris Lokotui played in a strong defensive squeeze employed by the Tactix, picking off a couple of turnovers to give her side the early edge.
With expertly-placed ball, the extra height provided by Bird under the hoop helped the Tactix build a four-goal buffer while the visitors’ defence clogged the midcourt advances of the Steel for a 16-14 score at the first break.
As she has all season, goal attack Te Paea Selby-Rickt executed the role of third feeder to perfection as her shooter-to-shooter connection with Bird.
Plenty of patience was needed by the Steel to thread the ball towards goal, but once there Dunn provided the footwork, strong hold and accuracy to help keep the home side hot on the Tactix heels.
Unable to make definitive inroads, the Steel injected Abby Lawson (goal defence) and Kate Heffernan (wing defence), the Silver Fern getting her first minutes of the season the changes having immediate effect. with the score 32-26 at the main break to the Tactix.
A 5-1 start to the third quarter by the Tactix had the Steel scrambling. Unable to contain the profitable impact of the interplay between Selby-Rickit and Bird prompted the tall figure of Kate Lloyd to take over at goalkeeper for the home side.
However, the all-round pressure across the court, where Karin Burger, Jane Watson and Lokotui were relentless, continued to take the sting out of the Steel’s challenge.
The Steel’s defensive changes gradually began to take effect with more turnover chances helping the home side deliver a much-needed late rally. With no successful super shots through to this point, Dunn delivered twice in the closing minutes to lift the Steel hopes.
Trailing by as many as 11 during the third quarter, the Steel still had work to do but had trimmed the margin to 45-37 at the last turn following an untidy finish from the visitors.