New Zealand's winless ANZ Championship run in Australia continues, with the Steel blowing a rare opportunity to win across the Tasman when it lost 59-48 to the West Coast Fever in Perth last night.
The Fever's win means Australian teams have won 19 consecutive games on home soil. You have to wonder if the courts are a different size over there.
Perhaps that would explain why New Zealand teams have struggled to foot it with their neighbours, and why the experienced Steel side succumbed to an inexperienced Fever which had lost its last three matches.
The 8-hour flight to Perth and the 4-hour time difference took its toll on the Steel's players, who fell
away in the last quarter to lose by 11 goals.
The defeat has left the combined Otago-Southland side's semifinal prospects in the balance.
It is tied in fourth place with the Queensland Firebirds and the teams have a showdown scheduled in Brisbane later this month.
The winner will likely join the Waikato Magic, Melbourne Vixens and Adelaide Thunderbirds in the lay-offs.
Steel shooter Daneka Wipiiti started well with a clever look-away pass to Donna Wilkins. The Steel's shooting combination has been improving with every game but Fever goal keep Susan Fuhrmann used her 1.96m frame to haunt the pair, getting her hands on the ball and creating havoc with her reach.
Down the other end, Bianca Franklin and Caitlin Bassett made a sharp beginning. Franklin stretched to reach an overhead pass and, with a deft touch, deflected it to Bassett.
Steel goal keep Megan Hutton, who has been struggling with an Achilles injury, was trusted with the job of shutting down the prolific Bassett.
The classy shooter dominated the early exchanges, and with Franklin also shooting well, the Fever ook a 17-16 lead into the first break.
Both sides treasured possession but the Fever was a tad more accurate inside the shooting circle.
The Steel's combative style on defence was attracting attention from the umpires, with Hutton, in particular, drawing a lot of whistle.
The Fever capitalised on a rare turnover and stretched the lead to four goals midway through the second period.
With 5min left in the half, Sheryl Scanlan limped off with a calf injury, thus reducing Steel coach Robyn Broughton's options on defence.
Katrina Grant replaced Scanlan and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit came on for Hutton after half-time.
The Steel had its opportunities to close the gap with the defence lifting its game and picking up more ball. But some uncharacteristic simple errors undermined its rally.
Still, with 15min remaining and only four goals separating the sides, the Steel was well-placed to reate history.
But the Fever had looked the hungrier of the two sides and eased away.
The Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic comprehensively outplayed the Melbourne Vixens 55-48 in its match in Tauranga last night, NZPA reports.
The Vixens could find no answer to some phenomenal shooting backed up by outstanding defence, and lost every quarter on the way to their first defeat of the season.
With Australian coach Norma Plummer and New Zealand's Ruth Aitken in the crowd, the Magic stepped up and delivered its most complete game of the season.
Both teams had 58 shots on goal but the Magic's accuracy saw the side through, with the outstanding Irene van Dyk landing 35 from 36 attempts, and Maria Tutaia 20 from 22.
West Coast Fever 59 (Caitlin Bassett 45, Bianca Franklin 14), Southern Steel 48 (Daneka Wipiiti 5, Donna Wilkins 23).
