It’s been oh so close between the 5th v 6th/bottom two teams in the Northern Stars & Southern Steel to finish off Round 14 of the 2024 ANZ Premiership Season in Dunedin with one last regular season round remaining this weekend. Steel always off to a great start but it was the Stars who held them up throughout the first half where they were one goal up at half-time, 27-28.
Although Steel again rebounded as if the start repeated itself with some really good improvements that gave them a two-goal advantage at three quarter time (41-39), but just couldn’t hold on a bit longer towards the end there unfortunately. At the end of the day, it was Stars with the win once again by just a solitary goal to close the second last round of the 2024 season, 53-54.
First of all, skipper Maia Wilson had an amazing night as the main Northern Stars shooter. She netted a near perfect accuracy towards goal of 97%, having missed only one shot out of 39 attempts throughout the night v Steel. Yes, Stars may be low on possession but gotta credit her team’s defense on exposing the Steel’s isolated attack before Maia was able to get the job done with the net right in front of her off the back of a brilliant counter-attack feed through the channels. It led to a good few points lead at the half-time break followed by an excellent end with the win as although things may not be the same this year when it comes to the Top 3 down in 5th, but Maia is always going places including at International level for the Silver Ferns.
Here’s another standout Stars player this time in the back three tonight in Kate Burley at goal keeper who is flexible amongst multiple defensive roles along with her excellent physicality and athleticism to deflect one away from the net at her own danger zone. She had really great start actually that made the Steel front three so hesitant under pressure before Kate was able to throw onto the other side where goals coming her way for the most part including that crucial final few minutes with three rebounds of her own including three intercepts for the best of the Stars. When she came off, the Steel were a couple of goals ahead where the Stars began to slip away at one stage. However, glad she saved the day when she can back on to help steer victory once again for the Stars with unfinished business ahead in the hope of returning to its former glory in 2025.
Now it might not have taken that long to settle in for Serina Daunakamakama in the south when she was at the Northern Mystics as a training partner earlier this season but she had another great game though that reflects her progress within the senior level at Wing Attack. She picked up as many balls as possible with the most feeds of 36 in order to find her front two thanks to her team’s good start on top of a good defense as usual alongside skipper Kate Heffernan in the mid-court. That way, Georgia Heffernan and Grace Namama can help finish things off within the circle where the Steel were so close of winning this one again off the back of an improved 3rd quarter. But then the Stars’s scrambled defense proved so difficult for them in the end where mistakes were being made made under pressure before the Stars stole the show even if it’s by a small margin, particularly in the last few mins on what has been another difficult year to end up 6th & last once again for the Steel.
And lastly, wishing Reigna Bloxam all the best ahead of her last game as the Steel head coach this weekend v the Magic after giving back for so long before she heads off overseas while a new era awaits in the hope the Steel can rejuvenate next season.