The Stars came agonisingly close to their first win of the season - and almost completing a hattrick of upsets in Round Seven of the ANZ Premiership – but it was the Tactix who secured a last-gasp 58-57 victory at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch.
The midcourt magic of Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, paired with the fleeting return of former Stars lynchpin Gina Crampton in her milestone match, saw the Stars put together a solid 45-minute performance.
But the Tactix pulled off a blinding final quarter, flipping a five-goal deficit into a one-goal win in the last 15 minutes. Ellie Bird’s 47 from 49 (96 percent) was critical to the home side’s eventual triumph which hurtled them to the top of the ladder.
The Stars went hunting for their first win of 2024, while the Tactix went into the match having only suffered one loss. Nothing separated the two sides in the first half, with the score tied 29-all, but the Stars couldn’t continue their dominant third quarter effort through the final spell.
Emma Thompson, returning from concussion, got the start at wing attack for the Stars but it wasn’t long till Crampton came on court to play her 150th national league match – her 52nd game for the Stars (after 98 for the Steel).