High-scoring Steel deny Stars at home

Still chasing top spot with one round to play, the Steel came back from a slow start to deliver a forceful outing at the business end of the season while consigning the Stars to a fifth consecutive loss.

With the Finals Series in mind, the Steel were able to get all of their 11 players on court with seamless efficiency. Trailing early, the well-drilled visitors raised the bar from the start of the second quarter and didn’t look back on their way to producing the highest score of this year’s competition.

Aliyah Dunn, the league’s most accurate shooter, was at her imperious best with a standout 54 shots from 55. Her opposite Amelia Wlamsley was equally efficient with 46 from 50 but the Stars, in a regular trend of the season, could not sustain their strong start, and eventually could not contain the relentless Steel.

With both sides missing their influential Silver Ferns midcourters and captains, the experienced and versatile Samon Nathan took over the centre bib from the injured Mila Reuelu-Buchanan.

With Kimiora Poi ruled out for the rest of the domestic season, the Steel opted for her sister Ashleigh Poi to slip into centre while interim replacement player, Queensland’s Jessie Laga’aia, who filled the midcourt role admirably last week, started from the bench.

The Stars got off to a flyer, led by Nathan in the midcourt, the home side were quick and accurate on attack with perfect ball finding its way into the hands of lofty shooter Walmsley.

Stretching out to a five-goal advantage, the Stars took a measure of control, helped by their own high standard of play as well as feeding off errors from a jittery Steel attack line. With defenders Khanye-Lii Munro-Nonoa and Carys Stythe doing their bit to secure turnover opportunities, the visitors worked their way back into the frame.

Narrowing the margin, it was still the Stars, who held on to a 16-13 lead at the first break.

Never afraid to come from behind, the Steel did just that during a decisive second spell. The entertaining, fast-flowing nature of the contest continued with long well-executed passes through court being a feature. But increasingly, it was the Steel who gained the stronger foothold.

Chipping away at the deficit, the Steel levelled and then hit the lead for the first time six minutes in with in-form shooter Dunn showing her smarts with her poise, positioning and accuracy.

Both sides swapped their centres with youngster Teuila Sotutu coming on for Nathan and Laga’aia for Poi, and that proved a turning point. The fluent Laga’aia came on seamlessly as the Steel clicked up a gear on attack while the Stars became increasingly rattled and forced into error.

Pushing on and with Georgia Heffernan nailing a two-point shot, the Steel turned the tables in the best possible fashion to take a 34-29 lead into half-time.

Neither side took a backward step in a high quality and high-scoring third stanza. With new personnel featuring across both teams, the sides levelled-pegged on the scoring sheet with key targets Walmsley and Dunn a strong presence under their respective hoops.

Claire O’Brien, for the Stars, and the Steel’s Laga’aia were pivotal in the midcourt with their accurate feeds and controlling of the respective attack lines, the accuracy from both sides preventing either team from getting the jump.

In control of the arm-wrestle, a Dunn two-pointer on the buzzer ensured the southerners kept their noses in front when leading 52-46 at the last turn.