Match Report Steel v Stars – Round 2
A week is a long time in sport … and what a difference it can make.
If the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel were seeking redemption, they achieved it in style, beating the Stars 69-60 at ILT Stadium Southland.
It was a contrasting performance to last week’s opening round loss, the Steel nuggety from the outset and, most importantly, connected.
Initially, the Stars used their towering shooting duo Amelia Walmsley and Martina Salmon to full advantage, capitalising on the turnover ball hauled in to hold a slight advantage as Steel’s defenders analysed their approach.
Then it was showtime as far as defender Carys Stythe was concerned, once again passionately igniting a fightback which quickly stemmed every inch of the court as each player stepped up and delivered.
A blitz of four unanswered goals to open the second spell saw the gutsy southerners draw level, sparking a bold new energy. The impact was immediate as the Steel unleashed a 21-7 rampage to boast a 10-goal buffer at halftime.
The Stars threatened to crash the hometown party, inching back within four goals in both periods, but the Steel proved robust under pressure and the final stanza was largely a slug-fest on the scoreboard.
In a frantic closing few minutes, the super shot proved crucial, bringing the Stars within striking distance before a Georgia Heffernan two-pointer on the buzzer bolstered the Steel’s winning margin and denied a sought-after bonus point.
Head coach Wendy Frew was justifiably proud.
“I couldn’t single out one player even if I tried. It was such a team effort – on the court and the bench, everyone contributed. We were really united on both attack and defence so I’m happy,” she said.
“On attack we were really smart in that knew they would be hunting and we faked them out a bit. On d we defended the two-point shot really well as Martina is a real threat in there.
“We did a lot of work during the week on how to combat them and I really think our game plan came to life which is pretty cool when you put so much work in.
“When you lose by 13 in round one doubt can creep in and it is hard not to go down into the pit but the girls climbed out of it and I’m so proud they got that win tonight.”
It was undoubtedly a stunning form turnaround as the Steel dug deep to set up a rousing return to the winner’s circle.
Leading by eight heading down the home straight, the home side had to withstand a torrid examination by last week’s impressive-winning Stars team but holding their nerve and shored up by influential contributors in each third of the court, the Steel secured the points.
Under the Steel hoop, shooter Aliyah Dunn was a huge factor with a 54 from 56 return and impressing with her positioning, reliability and safe hands. At the other end, Stythe was extremely effective in causing hesitation and disruption at the Stars shooting end. In the middle Kimiora Poi was the director through her efficiency in directing the attack line and scrambling on defence.
Starting and finishing strongly, the Stars were left to ponder how they unravelled so badly in a damaging second quarter showing which they lost by 14 goals.
In an entertaining opening quarter, both teams excelled on attack with plenty of free-flowing movement and accurate finishing where respective goal shoots, Dunn and Walmsley, were prominent figures.
With the Steel unable to make the most of their turnover opportunities, the Stars grabbed a slight edge in the possession stakes with the efficient midcourt pairing of Mila Reuelu-Buchanan and Claire O’Brien, featuring in her 50th ANZ Premiership match, getting plenty of well-placed ball to shooters Walmsley and Salmon.
Proficient from two-point range, Salmon nailed a double to inch the Stars into a position of control when the visitors headed to the first break with a 19-15 lead.
That proved short-lived on the back of a storming response from the Steel on the resumption.
More clinical with their own possession and turnover opportunities, the Steel showed their intent by scoring the first four goals to level up the scores and forced a tactical timeout from the Stars with just two minutes gone.
Things didn’t improve for the Stars as staunch defensive pressure, where goalkeeper Stythe was a standout, continued to pay dividends for the home side. Growing in confidence, the Steel revelled in improved patience and timing on attack to dictate on the scoreboard.
The timing, positioning and accuracy of the unflappable Dunn, under the Steel hoop, was immense while her fellow shooter Georgia Heffernan was heavily involved with her play-making abilities and timely shooter-to-shooter connections.
A buzzer-beating two-pointer from Heffernan sealed a dominant 21-7 second quarter for the Steel and with it, a well-constructed 36-26 lead at the main break.
The Stars made a decisive move to repair some of the damage, inching their way back in a dramatic third stanza before Reuelu-Buchanan was forced to spend two minutes on the sidelines for unsafe play during the last five minutes.
That meant the Stars options were limited at a decisive time during the all-important super shot period. Having edged back to within four goals, the Stars lost their momentum when down to six players for two minutes, the Steel happy to tick over the one-point shots while maintaining a 52-44 lead at the last turn.
