A potentially serious injury to the Southern Steel's star shooter, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, cast a shadow over what was a gutsy 64-60 win against the Tactix in Dunedin last night.
The Jamaican international hobbled from the court after just 12 minutes, nursing her left knee.
''We don't know yet, but it does not look great at this stage,'' Steel coach Janine Southby said shortly after the game.
''We need to give it a bit of time and see what happens in 24 hours.''
Judging by the way she gingerly left the court, it would be hard to imagine her playing against the Melbourne Vixens in Invercargill on Saturday.
The loss of Fowler-Reid pretty much meant the Steel had to rethink its entire game plan. The team had got into a hole and trailed by as many as eight goals during the second period.
''It took us a while to get over the shock of it. We haven't played without Jhaniele all season.''
The Steel adjusted reasonably quickly and discovered you can still get the ball into the shooting circle with short, snappy passes. The rhythm returned and the Steel turned around the deficit to go into the halftime break ahead 33-31.
Otago shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit stepped up in Fowler-Reid's absence, landing 27 from 32 attempts.
''I was confident that TP could go out there and do well. It was just her connection [with Jodi Brown] because they have not had a lot of time together.
''The thing I like about Jodi and Te Paea in the circle is it is a mobile circle which makes it hard from a defensive perspective. The Tactix had to do different things.''
Indeed, Tactix coach Leigh Gibbs used all four defenders as she searched for a way to slow the Steel's scoring.
There were no such problems at the other end, with Tactix shooter Mwai Kumwenda landing 52 from 58. Wing defender Hayley Saunders also had an excellent game and made some telling intercepts.
Experienced Steel wing defence Wendy Frew had been laid low with the flu most of the week and started from the bench.
Her spot went to Stacey Peeters, who was in the action early when she intercepted a poor pass from Kumwenda. Peeters turned transgressor later in the period when she tossed away possession after Phoenix Karaka used her physicality to rip the ball free from her opponent.
The home side shot out to an early 6-2 lead only for the Tactix to snatch back the lead.
Fowler-Reid's departure presented the Tactix with an opportunity to assert some pressure and it took a five goal lead into the break. Frew came on for Peeters and Rachel Rasmussen replaced Karaka.
The Steel appeared vulnerable without Fowler-Reid and the lead blew out to eight goals. But the home side rallied, outscoring its opponent 18-11.
Former Otago players Zoe Walker and Hannah Broderlow came on for Jane Watson and another former Otago player, Louise Thayer, as the Tactix looked for answers on defence.
With just four goals separating the teams with 15 minutes remaining, the game was in the balance.
The Steel's much-maligned defence came up with the ball when its side needed it most. Rasmussen made a critical rebound and Storm Purvis picked off a pass with three minutes remaining.
That helped the Steel maintain a slim but useful buffer which eased any nerves which may have otherwise crept in.
Former NSW Swifts coach Julie Fitzgerald labelled her old club the form team of the ANZ Championship after her apprentice enjoyed a 55-43 win over her Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic side, AAP reported.
The Swifts wrapped up their first semifinal spot since 2011 with a fifth straight win, their longest victory streak since a six-match run in 2012.
The victory last night meant Swifts coach Rob Wright, who spent two years as an assistant to Fitzgerald, steered the franchise to a semifinal spot in his first season in charge.
The Swifts are just behind ladder leaders the Melbourne Vixens on percentage going into next week's final round.
The result left the Magic two points behind the Vixens and the Swifts and level with the Queensland Firebirds, whom it hosts next week.
ANZ Championship
The scores
Steel 64
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid 11 from 11, Jodi Brown 26/37, Te Paea Selby-Rickit 27/32
Tactix 60
Mwai Kumwenda 52/58, Anna Thompson 8/12
Quarter scores: 15-20, 33-31, 49-45
