Otago did not panic when it looked as though it would miss out on a place in the semifinals and then held its cool again when Waikato cut a seven-point lead to one goal in the closing moments of yesterday's dramatic national championship final.
Yes, you read that right. After 14 long years, Otago has won the national championship with a 59-57 win in Tauranga.
Otago shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit marked herself out as a future Silver Fern with a stunning performance. The 20-year-old drilled 42 of her 44 attempts in a fabulous display and fittingly scored the last goal to seal a wonderful victory.
"She is a star down that end," Otago coach Deb Tasi-Cordtz enthused. "She missed two goals in the final of the national championships when she is just 20 years of age. She is just absolutely amazing".
Waikato led 30-29 at halftime but Otago outscored its opponent 16-11 to seize the momentum and led by as many as seven goals midway through the final period.
"We set the platform in the first half and then stepped it up in the second half. The girls are really well-conditioned and our fitness showed."
Otago needed to win four games in a row to claim its prize after a slow start to the tournament almost cost it a place in the semifinals.
Losses to Auckland Waitakere and Wellington in rounds two and three respectively, and a draw with Waikato in its opening game, left its title prospects perilously poised.
Waikato cut through a nine-goal deficit to draw with Otago in Dunedin in game one and looked to be mounting a similar comeback yesterday.
"I felt we were in control even when the clock appeared to slow down at the end. The girls just had so much composure. It was amazing to see them play without any panic at all," Tasi-Cordtz said.
Goal attack Kate Shearer and defender Zoe Walker made an impact off the bench but Tasi-Cordtz said it was another outstanding team effort with the simple things like "grabbing rebounds and picking up loose ball" that made the difference.
Otago captain Shannon Francois showed her class with some polished performances in the midcourt and was named in the tournament team alongside Selby-Rickit.
"Everyone really believed that we could do it but we weren't playing to the best of our ability and needed to lift at halftime," Francois said. "That is what the girls did. It was a huge team effort.
"But I was holding my breath right to that last goal. When Te Paea gets the ball I always head back to the centre circle because I know she usually puts it straight through. It is pretty easy when you have her shooting the goals."
In the playoff for third, Auckland Waitakere upset defending champion Canterbury, 53-51.
Wellington, the No 5-ranked side, avoided relegation with a 63-39 win against North, and Bay of Plenty avoided the same fate with a 41-40 win against Western.
In the bottom four, Eastern avoided the wooden spoon with a 58-51 win against Tasman, and Counties Manukau beat Southland 48-37.
National final
The scores
Otago ... 59
Te Paea Selby-Rickit 42 from 44, Kate Shearer 9/11, Olivia Bates 8/12
Waikato ... 57
Elsa Brown 30/37, Jessie Waitapu 27/28
Quarter 16-15, halftime 29-30, third quarter 45-41
