In a keenly contested match, the Steel maintained a slight edge for the majority of the game and weathered a late resurgence, finishing the season in sixth place with seven wins from 13 games.
The Firebirds' chances of making the play-offs faded when the Melbourne Vixens dispatched the Northern Mystics 56-47 at home yesterday. The Vixens' win guaranteed them a place in the playoffs.
The Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic demolished the Canterbury Tactix 69-44 and has likely secured a home semifinal. It has to wait for the outcome of the Sydney-based Swifts' game against the West Cost Fever in Perth tonight to confirm a home venue, but the Swifts need a huge win to wrestle the top spot away from the Magic.
The Adelaide Thunderbirds have sealed a spot regardless of whether they beat the Central Pulse in Napier tonight or not.
While the Steel's win amounted to little more than a nice way to finish the season, coach Robyn Broughton was delighted with the character her side showed.
"It was just nice to see us finish when we were six up in the last quarter," she said.
"I would have been really disappointed if we'd let it go."
Perseverance was the key, she said.
"I felt we withstood the pressure and that is what I was asking for during the last break."
Reflecting on the season, Broughton pinpointed one week early in May when the Steel lost winnable games to the Mystics and the Tactix in Invercargill.
Steel co-captain Jenny-May Coffin was still fuming about it.
"We know with those two wins our season would have been at least another game longer."
Coffin and midcourt partner Liana Barrett-Chase worked tirelessly to feed shooters Daneka Wipiiti and Megan Dehn. Some deft touches helped the home side build an early 5-1 lead.
Wipiiti missed her first two attempts on goal but bounced back to score 29 of her 41 attempts.
Jamaican shooter Romelda Aiken was the class shooter on display, though, scoring 35 from 39.
While Aiken was not having any trouble putting the ball through the hoop, her feeders struggled to find her, with the Steel's defensive duo of Megan Hutton and Katrina Grant hunting for any scraps of possession.
Firebirds coach Vicki Wilson made a host of personnel changes with her side trailing 26-29.
The move looked to have backfired, with the Steel posting five unanswered goals midway through the period, but the visiting side rallied and closed the gap to four goals with 15min remaining.
Of the changes, goal attack Janelle Lawson made the most impact. Her extra height gave her an edge over Grant and the Firebirds clawed their way back, levelling the game 48-48.
But having helped put her side in a position to win the match she went from hero to villain when she broke early from a Firebirds' centre pass with 3min remaining.
The Steel converted the turnover and held its nerve in the final moments to win by two goals.
• Southern Steel 54 (Daneka Wipiiti 29 goals from 41 attempts, Megan Dehn 25/28) Queensland Firebirds 52 (Romelda Aiken 35/39, Janelle Lawson 10/13, Tasmin Greenway 7/13). Quarter 15-14, half-time: 29-26, three-quarters 42-38.
