There is something to be said for controlling a game when it counts.
After the Mainland Pouākai found themselves 17 points down in the first half, it would have been easy to just let the Southern Hoiho take the game.
But the visitors ground away through the the game and made their move through end of the second half.
The Pouākai went on a 36 to five run then to blow the Hoiho away and set up their 91-78 win at the Edgar Centre last night.
It was a win that crept up more than anything as the Pouākai chipped away and refused to lie down when the Hoiho held a strong lead.
All of their starters finished on double digits, led by Cassandra Brown with 20 points and McKenzie Forbes, 17. The visitors scored all 24 attempts from the free throw line as well.
It was the Hoiho's third loss to start the season, but they still played well. They just fell away when things started to dry up for them offensively.
Paige Bradley top scored with 17, while Samantha Bowman recorded a double of 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Once the Hoiho offence started to hum in the first quarter, they went on a 16-point unanswered run.
Ahlise Hurst started with a corner three and Bradley opened up the paint.
Captain Samara Gallaher drove into the key, drawing in all five Pouākai defenders.
Gallaher dished off to Bradley, who was wide open at the top of the arc to finish.
The Hoiho stalwart drained a triple and Natalie Chou banged a three as the buzzer went on the shot clock.
They picked up the crumbs on defence, swung the ball on offence to confused the Pouākai structure and spread the scoring across the floor.
It gave them a big 28-14 lead at the first break.
Chelsea D’Angelo was left open to drain another triple and and it felt as though the Hoiho were untouchable.
But the Pouākai chipped away and forced the Hoiho into mistakes.
Zoe Richards spent most of the quarter on the bench after racking up three fouls – players are allowed six in Tauihi – and her missing size, and hustle, was a turning point.
The Pouākai found their flow, attacked the paint hard and cut the lead down.
Sharne Robati also had big impact off the bench.
After another Hoiho turnover, the Pouākai eventually took the lead as the Hoiho diminished.
Despite the Pouākai’s push, the Hoiho led 44-41 at halftime.
Richards re-entered the game in the second half and had immediate impact.
She went end-to-end and finished with a lovely double-point play.
Hurst got hot through the middle and gave the Hoiho a 10-point lead.
The Pouākai made a fast break, but Bradley stood tall for the Hoiho and stole the ball as the only player back against four Pouākai players.
The Pouākai responded well through the tail end of the third quarter and went hard.
Free throws kept their scoreboard ticking, and Brown and Haleigh Reinoehl drained triples for the visitors to take the lead.
They led 67-64 at the end of the quarter.
They quickly extended it to 13 points early in the fourth, as the Hoiho failed to score in the opening two minutes.
