Robinhood Stars shine in season opener with Tactix

The Robinhood Stars have opened their ANZ Premiership campaign with a hard earned 57-52 win over the Trident Homes Tactix in Christchurch. 

After having their opening round game postponed due to Covid-19, the Stars made a nervy entrance into the contest and were met with pressure from the outset from the Tactix defence which forced them to fight for every goal.

The Tactix looked like a team who had learnt from their mistakes in round 1 and made the most of all their early feeds into the goal circle, with goal shoot Ellie Bird nailing all of her early attempts.

The Stars were unperturbed by scoreboard pressure and despite going down by as many as six goal, continued to ferociously hunt ball and were rewarded with some crucial intercepts by dynamic defensive pairing Anna Harrison and Elle Temu.

Jamie Hume and Maia Wilson combined well in the Stars shooting circle and helped close the gap to five goals, with the Tactix ahead 18-13 after the opening period of the Stars 2022 campaign. 

The Tactix made a solid start to the second spell and with poise on attack and Bird safe under the hoop, extended their advantage to seven goals.

In danger of the contest getting away from them, the Stars took a deep breath then shot into life and started to feel more comfortable in the contest. 

The Stars never let up on defence and were rewarded with a multitude of turnovers, as the pressure started to break up the Tactix' offensive flow, with returning wing-defence Holly Fowler nabbing a momentum shifting intercept. 

The midcourt maestros Gina Crampton and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan were orchestrating an attacking masterclass and fed the shooting circle with ease - finishing with 30 goal assists in the half. 

Wilson showed her class in the circle, bamboozling the Tactix defence and finding space on many occasions, before nailing her shots alongside Hume and all of a sudden the Stars had reeled in the deficit and the scores were level at 32-32 at half-time.

Hume and Wilson finished the half shooting at 90 percent and the Stars went into the changing rooms glowing. 

Both teams started the second half at pace and it was the Tactix who controlled it best and edged out to a two goal lead early.

The Stars kept up the suffocation defence and after forcing turnovers in quick succession and with Wilson and Hume winning the physical battle in the shooting circle, managed to lock up the scores yet again.

With added wind to their sails, the Stars continued to apply pressure with ball in hand and turned it into goals and more importantly a 46-43 lead heading into the final quarter. 

The Stars were determined not to relinquish the advantage and with the scoreboard pressure now on the Tactix, made the most of their position.

The dogged defensive display continued to turn into goals, as the Stars stretched their lead to seven and had left the Tactix in the rear-vision mirror. 

Despite a scrappy finish to the game from both teams, the Stars were all smiles as the final whistle blew to signal a 57-52 victory to start their ANZ Premiership season. 

Jamie Hume was rewarded for an all-round performance with the player of the match award. 

Hume finished with 23, goals, eight goal assists and a pivotal intercept and was everywhere on the court.

Hume was well supported by Maia Wilson who 34 of her 38 shots at goal at 90%. 

The Stars dominated the defensive battle and finished with eight intercepts to the Tactix' two, while forcing 24 turnovers. 

The Stars travel to Invercargill next Sunday to face the Ascot Park Hotel Steel.