In the end, it was not even close.
The Southern Steel was crowned ANZ Premiership champion in Invercargill last night with a comprehensive 69-53 over the Central Pulse.
It was all but over by halftime as it shot out to a 35-20 lead.
The performance across the first two quarters exemplified the dominance of this team all season, a mastery which had allowed it to go unbeaten right through and rarely be challenged.
The goals flowed as quickly as ever for the Steel, but it was at the other end that it did its damage.
Jane Watson, Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit and Wendy Frew were on another level as the Pulse just could not get the ball to its shooters.
That trio was key in holding the Pulse to just 10 goals in each of the first two quarters.
Crucially, the Steel was able to turn those chances into goals of its own at the other end.
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid proved too big and strong, while Te Paea Selby-Rickit was accurate in everything she did.
For Reinga Bloxham it was a result she had never dreamed of in her first year as head coach.
''When I took the job on I sort of knew that we had a bunch of girls who were committed to the cause and that were consistent.
''But [while I] hoped that we'd be able to get to the final and win it, [I] never dreamed that we'd go through unbeaten.
''So it was a bit of a juggernaut. We just carried on. We just went from week to week and strength to strength.
''A real focus and a real culture in our team was making sure that we were just always improving the whole time and just pushing each other.
''So I think that's the thing I'm proud of the most.''
The intensity in the first few minutes was at another level.
The defences both gave that little bit extra, the attacks forced to work that much harder.
Despite that, the Steel weathered the initial storm and then opened up its first four-point lead eight minutes in at 10-6.
The Pulse cut that to two briefly, before the Steel defence took over.
A commanding performance to end the quarter enabled it to lead 18-10 at the first break, Frew, Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit and Watson at their gritty and dynamic best.
Just one minute into the second quarter, it took that to a double-digit lead, then added another to make it 21-10.
The Steel midcourt had begun running rampant, making it near impossible to keep the ball away from its shooters.
At the other end, the Pulse was able to get up just 24 goal attempts.
That was never going to be enough against a Steel team which has topped 60 in all but one of its games this year. That was extended to 35-20 at halftime, the Steel in complete control.
A closer third quarter allowed the Pulse attack to find its flow as it scored 18 goals and kept the score to 55-38.
But the Steel never looked in danger of letting the game slip, managing 20 goals itself.
The Pulse pushed through to win the final quarter by a goal, but it was the Steel celebrating when the final buzzer sounded.
