Sinking a two-point shot on the buzzer — along with 29 feeds, 28 centre pass receives and one intercept — during the Southern Steel’s 69-60 victory against the Northern Stars last week will do that to a player.
‘‘Honestly, so happy,’’ Heffernan told the Otago Daily Times.
‘‘With the shift from last week ... we felt like a different team. But we knew we could play like that — we just haven’t seen it yet.
‘‘I’m so proud of that.’’
The Steel were pumped by 13-points in the opening round by the Tactix, but worked hard on clarity in their roles and shifting their mindset to reverse their fortunes.
‘‘We can’t let one moment set the course for the whole game.
‘‘We’re going to make errors, but it’s how we connect and learning what each other needs in the that moment — I’m really, really proud of that.’’
Heffernan stepped up when her team needed her — nailing a two-point shot on the buzzer at halftime to give them a 10-point lead.
‘‘The two-point shot is a tricky one, but I really enjoy it.
‘‘I feel like it was because we had control, so it was like ‘go for them, have fun with it’.
‘‘I think that was great because [against the Tactix] we had to go for them, it was make or break.
‘‘That’s going to give me a lot of confidence going forward and I just need to tap into that.’’
Moments like that lift a team, and that was evident from her team-mates’ celebrations after the umpires awarded the points.
Heading into a break with a 10-point lead gave the Steel a buzz and helped them push ahead.
‘‘That was a huge thing. We went into the changing room and we were heightened.
‘‘Momentum’s a big thing in netball and I think when we got the momentum ... we grabbed it.
‘‘I was really proud that we could switch that up.’’
Life with the Steel looks a little different for Heffernan this season.
The 26-year-old is without her twin sister, Kate, who is thriving with the Adelaide Thunderbirds — who dropped their first game of the season last week — in Australia this season.
‘‘It is different because we’re normally two peas in a pod.
‘‘When I’ve been in a professional environment Kate’s been there and that’s obviously made it easier for me to slot in.
‘‘But I think it’s been good for me. I’ve had to sort of find my feet.
‘‘Kate’s so happy over there and I’m really happy here.
‘‘It’s cool to see her doing so well and see her thrive in Suncorp [Super Netball], which is just so awesome. We keep in constant comms.’’
Heffernan is also stepping up as vice-captain, a new experience for the ‘‘quiet go about my business’’ player who is finding her feet in the role.
But she developed plenty of depth in her game last year after a full Silver Ferns season under her belt.
‘‘I really enjoyed that.
‘‘It was a big challenge — lots going on — but I was proud of how I sort of grew over that season and got a lot of confidence from that connections with the girls.
‘‘Just knowing what I can bring at that level and that I can handle it.’’
Heffernan and her Steel team-mates will need to handle the Northern Mystics in Auckland tomorrow.
The Mystics have won seven of the last eight games between the two teams, but three of the past four have been decided by four goals or less.
The Mystics head into the game off the back of a 57-37 victory against the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic last week.
They have been struggling with injuries in their usually stable midcourt, with Tayla Earle and Katie Te Ao injured and wing defence Michaela Sokolich-Beatson slotted into centre to plug the gap.
Shooter Maia Wilson will play her 150th domestic game.
• Northern Stars defender Lili Tokaduadua has been ruled out of the remainder of the ANZ Premiership season after tearing her ACL against the Steel last week.
Stars assistant coach and former Silver Fern Leana de Bruin, aged 48, will suit up for today's game against the Pulse.
ANZ Premiership
Auckland, tomorrow, 4pm
Southern Steel: Aliyah Dunn, Georgia Heffernan, Josie Bingham, Serina Daunakamakama, Kimiora Poi, Ashleigh Heffernan, Renee Savai’inaea, Carys Stythe, Abby Lawson, Jess Milne.
Northern Mystics: Maia Wilson, Filda Vui, Sophia Lafaiali’l, Peta Toeava, Tayla Earle, Katie Te Ao, Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, Charlotte Manley, Phoenix Karaka, Catherine Hall.
