Back-in-action Stars prove too good for Tactix
The Stars have blown out the cobwebs and blown away Mainland Tactix.
The Stars never trailed throughout both teams’ first ANZ Premiership game in three weeks to secure a 63-51 win at Christchurch Arena on Saturday, even though they converted just 76 per cent of their shots.
The Stars won every quarter but it was only towards the end of the third quarter that they were able to open up a comfortable gap, showing superior fitness after weeks of Covid-19 disruption for both teams.
Goal shoot Maia Wilson extended their lead to seven with a goal right on the buzzer after some quick thinking allowed the Stars to finish the third quarter with a flurry, scoring three unanswered goals.
Gina Crampton launched the ball into the shooting circle after receiving the centre pass with seven seconds left in the quarter.
Although Wilson’s initial shot bounced off the rim, she was able to run through and grab the rebound and score with just a second left on the clock.
The Tactix fell away once the Stars scored the first goal of the final quarter.
Although they were playing only their third game of the season, the Stars were consistent
throughout, scoring 15, 16, 16 and 16 in each quarter.
The final quarter was their most dominant, restricting the Tactix to just 11.
They opened up a 13-point lead but Te Paea Selby-Rickit scored a late consolation goal to close the deficit to 12.
Wilson top-scored with 37 from 44 even though the Stars had the luxury of benching her for the finish.
The big moment
Wilson’s buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter was a pivotal moment as it allowed the Stars to take a commanding seven-goal lead into the final quarter and kill off any hope of a Tactix comeback.
The big picture
The Stars have shot up to fourth with a two-win, one-loss record and have two games in hand on the three teams above them, while the Tactix remain at the bottom of the table with just one win from their first four games.