A bad start can be the catalyst for a tough game.
The Southern Steel can attest to that, falling 64-38 against the Mystics in its opening ANZ Premiership game in Auckland tonight.
The Steel were slow to work into the game, only scoring three goals in the first 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the court, Grace Nweke picked up where she left off for the Silver Ferns, helping the Mystics to a 13-3 lead.
That was even without her trusty sidekick Peta Toeava, who was introduced at wing attack near the end of the quarter after being ill earlier in the week.
Without captain Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, who missed the game with an injury niggle, the Steel gave the Mystics too much room to move on attack and failed to put enough pressure over the ball before it got into the oppositions circle.
There was more confidence on the feed towards the end of the quarter, with Eseta Autagavaia coming out of the circle, pushing a lovely bounce pass in to Georgia Heffernan driving along the base.
The Mystics lead 22-10 at the first quarter and continued its run in the second.
It took nearly five minutes for the Steel to get on the board in the second, but once Jess Allan entered the game the attacking end started to work better.
She replaced Autagavaia and was not afraid to go to the post, created more space in the circle, allowing Georgia Heffernan to come into the game more.
Kate Burley came into the game more at goal keeper, putting more pressure on Nweke and pushing her off balance on the baseline.
She showed her tenacity to keep the Steel in the hunt and tried her best to disrupt a slick Mystics attack line.
The connections on the pass were missing from Steel, at times the feed was forced and it resulted in a Mysitcs turnover.
The Steel’s accuracy let them down at times, possibly a reflection on the work the shooters were forced to do to help bring the ball in to the circle.
The Mystics continued to extend its lead, take a 36-18 buffer at the half.
Looking to dump the first half and start fresh, the Steel had some nicer touches in the third.
Kate Heffernan was a general for the Steel in the middle, cutting strongly and had a good battle against Tayla Earle.
But Mystics' ball speed was deadly, and that matched with its range defence, saw the home side extend to a 52-28 lead at the third quarter break.
With Nweke taking a seat on the bench - until she made a bizarre introduction at goal attack late in the game - the Steel had a better final quarter - and gave the team something to build off for next week.
There was also a raft of changes for the Steel, better defensive pressure through the middle and more urgency on the feed into the shooters.
The Steel will be more pleased with its finish to the game, losing the final quarter by only two goals.
