The southern side again produced a dominant fourth-quarter display to break open what had been a tense encounter against the Mystics at the Edgar Centre yesterday afternoon, pulling away to a 66-60 win and maintaining its unbeaten run in this year's ANZ Championship.
The win, in front of a sell-out crowd of 2700 in Dunedin, once again demonstrated the Steel's ability to keep its cool under pressure and close out close games.
It did not lead until the end of the second quarter, when it took a brief 33-32 lead, and led by just one goal at the end of the third quarter.
As it did last week against the Pulse in Wellington, the Steel led 49-48 at the third interval, and that was the cue to step it up.
It quickly opened up a 56-53 lead early in the fourth quarter, and a deflection in mid-court proved the game-breaker as the Steel pulled away to a five-goal lead.
A loose pass from the Mystics again handed the Steel back possession, but it was not able to take advantage.
However, a wild ball from Mystics defender Anna Harrison went out of court moments later and the Steel did not miss its chance to put the game to bed.
Te Paea Selby-Rickit, who shot 10 from 16, kept her cool to nail down the advantage, before Jhaniele Fowler-Reid scored off the home side's centre pass to extend the lead to 60-53 and send the crowd into raptures.
The win was the Steel's sixth in a row and virtually guaranteed it of top spot in the New Zealand conference and a home playoff match later this season.
It also meant the side is the only unbeaten team in the competition, after the previously unbeaten Firebirds earlier lost to the Swifts.
It was not the first time this season the Steel had left its opposition in its wake in the second half, and vice-captain Shannon Francois put it down to fitness.
"We'd been working really hard on our fitness pre-season.
"Our trainer really pushed and we've got a good base fitness, so we know in the fourth quarter we're not going to hurt at that time and we can easily push through and get the win.''
It was the Mystics who took the early advantage, jumping to a 16-13 lead at the end of the first quarter on the back of some aggressive defence in midcourt and a solid shooting display from Cathrine Tuivaiti.
The visiting side extended that lead to 19-13 early in the second period.
Down 21-16, the home team forced a crucial turnover as it went about eating away at the deficit and was able to narrow the gap to one point.
It again fell three goals behind shortly after, but captain Wendy Frew pulled in a timely intercept to allow her side to pull the Mystics back.
After playing out a frantic end to the second quarter, the sides went into the halftime break locked at 33-33.
Storm Purvis, playing her 50th match for the franchise, was replaced by Te Huinga Selby-Rickit at the break, and the veteran defender, who had not played much in the past few weeks, quickly found her rhythm.
"It was just a change to try and get some more ball,'' Francois said.
"We weren't getting too much in that first half so it was a good time to have a change.
"She's been training really hard and it was exciting to see her get out there and play as well as she did.''
The Steel now heads to Christchurch to play the Tactix on Sunday, before returning to Dunedin to play the Firebirds on June 11.
● Northern beat South 53-44 in the national league match that followed the Steel's game.
ANZ Championship
The scores
Southern Steel 66
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid 56/67, Te Paea Selby-Rickit 10/16
Northern Mystics 60
Cathrine Tuivaiti 47/49, Maria Tutaia 13/21
Quarter scores: 1st, 13-16; 2nd, 20-17; 3rd, 16-15; 4th, 17-12
