But the Mainland Tactix started their ANZ Premiership title defence on the right foot with a 55-42 victory against the Southern Steel in Christchurch on Saturday.
It was a messy game from both sides to start the season, with a collective 43 turnovers stunting flow.
But the Tactix capitalised on all of the loose ball from the Steel — who had 26 turnovers — to make it 11 consecutive wins against their South Island rivals.
Australian Charlie Bell was a dominant target for the Tactix, slotting 41 points and was ably assisted by sharp-shooter Amorangi Malesala.
Malesala transformed into somewhat of a two-point specialist for the Central Pulse last season, but interestingly the Tactix only required one two-pointer — which was nailed in the first quarter — to beat the Steel by 13.
Former Queensland Firebirds defender Ash Barnett was a standout on debut for the Tactix, snaffling 12 gains, four intercepts and seven rebounds.
The Steel were clunky on attack with their connections and coughed up far too much ball.
Aliyah Dunn and Georgia Heffernan struggled to find their rhythm and accuracy, finishing on just 70% between them.
Despite Bell’s dominance, Carys Stythe was one of the best on court for the Steel, returning for her second year in the South. She collected four gains, five deflections and three rebounds.
The Steel leaked too much ball through the baseline to their shooters to start the game.
That allowed the Tactix to pounce. Malesala threaded the needle to Bell and Holly Mather followed with her own into Malesala.
Bell’s height — at 197cm, the tallest in the league — opened up the circle and allowed the Tactix to a 17-11 lead at the first break.
Limited options to the ball cost the Steel. They struggled to find any depth into their attack and missed the reliable release from wing defence Renee Savai’inaea, who has been nursing an injury preseason and only played managed minutes.
Erikana Pedersen was given too much room to find the circle edge and her pin-point feed helped the Tactix jump to a 10-point lead.
Ella Southby was injected at goal attack, pushing Heffernan back to goal shoot — and both nailed two-pointers late in the half to trail 31-23.
The Steel scored just the nine points in the third quarter to the 13 of the Tactix.
Barnett smothered the Steel’s shooting options, but Stythe worked just as hard at the other end to try to bring back the score.
The Steel were better in the final quarter and will need to build from there when they return to Invercargill to meet the Northern Stars on Saturday.
The Central Pulse were too strong for the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, winning 53-45 in Wellington, and the Stars beat the Mystics 63-59 in Auckland yesterday.
