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Steel claim impressive comeback win against Tactix with playoffs beckoning

May 16, 2019
Steel’s Gina Crampton against the Tactix

The Southern Steel have sent out a warning to the other playoff-bound teams of this year's ANZ Premiership after securing a massive comeback win over the Tactix in Christchurch last night.

The two-time defending champions were stunned early on by the Tactix at Horncastle Arena, trailing 22-9 after the first quarter.

But the Steel didn't let the pressure get to them, cutting that deficit to just one goal at halftime before taking the lead in the third quarter and extending on it in the final 15 minutes to win 64-56.

The Steel outscored the Tactix 55-34 in the final three quarters thanks to some quality ball control from veteran midcourters Gina Crampton and Shannon Saunders and impressive shooting from South African import Lenize Potgieter, who finished the match 44-for-48.

Potgieter was backed by an equally-impressive Te Paea Selby-Rickit who converted 20 of her 21 attempts.

The win is the sixth straight for the Steel and keeps them in winning form with the playoffs beckoning.

Ironically, their final match of the regular season is against the Northern Stars at home in Invercargill next Wednesday - a fixture that will be repeated a week later at the same venue as the elimination playoff to see who gets a shot at the Central Pulse in the final.

The Tactix will wrap up their season with a home match on Sunday in what will be long-time Silver Fern Casey Kopua's final match for the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic before she retires after the World Cup later this year.

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