Stars hand struggling Mystics third straight loss
The sooner Grace Nweke returns from injury, the better for the Northern Mystics.
Without their standout goal shoot, the table-topping Mystics slumped to their third straight loss, thumped 59-38 by the Stars in the battle of Auckland at Pulman Arena yesterday.
Silver Fern Nweke hasn’t played since suffering an ankle injury against the Tactix last Saturday and the defending champions are clearly missing her presence.
Without the free-scoring Nweke and her towering 1.93m height, the
Mystics are a completely different side. If Nweke isn’t able to return this season, the Mystics’ hopes of
defending their title are toast.
It got so desperate for the Mystics they went with the unorthodox move of throwing Silver Ferns defender Phoenix Karaka into goal shoot in a bid to get something going on attack in the second quarter.
Karaka, who stands 1.86m, landed her only attempt, but didn’t last long in the shooting end, returning to the defensive circle to start the second half.
Take nothing away from the south Auckland-based Stars, who were superb and would have enjoyed blowing their crosstown rivals off the court.
This was the Stars’ largest victory in the team’s history, winning by 21 goals.
In her 100th national league match, Silver Ferns goal shoot Maia Wilson was industrious in the shooting end, converting 37 from 47.
In the other match yesterday, George Fisher turned in another shooting masterclass as the Southern Steel kept their ANZ Premiership final hopes alive.
The English international again led the way for the southerners as they made it two wins in five days over the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, prevailing 68-57 in Invercargill.
Beaten 59-49 by the Central Pulse at their Stadium Southland home on Saturday, the Steel rebounded with a critical win over the bottom-placed Magic.
The victory keeps the fourthplaced Steel in top three finals contention, lifting them to 19 points from 12 games.