Ajax’s 10-match winning streak in women’s club basketball came to an on Tuesday night.
Varsity shot out to an 11-1 lead and, while Ajax did its best to pull that back, eventually claimed a 62-52 win.
Tayla-Kei Rahui-Laulau led Varsity with 16 points, the guard running well in transition, while also hitting from deep to stretch the Ajax defence.
She was key in the early run, as Varsity dominated the opening exchanges.
Ajax, which was without star shooter Hannah Beede alongside its usual Southern Hoiho absentees, began to get to the foul to make a run back.
Both Hannah Matehaere (22 points) and Dre Whaanga (12 points) got the scoreboard ticking over that way.
As Matehaere began doing damage from deep, the gap closed throughout the second quarter.
Rahui-Laulau kept scoring for Varsity, though, while Grace Adams and Elly Koehler both hit three-pointers to keep it ahead 31-24 at halftime.
A Matehaere triple from the top closed the gap to 33-31 early in the third quarter.
However, that was as close as Ajax got.
Varsity went on another run and pulled out to 39-31, as Sophie Adams drained two free throws. It led 46-38 at the end of third quarter, before Ajax hit back with a final late run.
But Varsity held that off, coming up with an answer every time Ajax pulled to within three points.
Koehler hit a late three-pointer to extend the lead to 58-52, before Adams scored twice to close out the win.
In other games, Sarah-Joy Aruwa had 16 points as the South Pac Magic beat the Andy Bay Falcons Rua 75-30.
Brittany Richards led the Andy Bay Falcons Tahi with 27 points as they beat Varsity Gold 100-44.
