Northern Mystics have outlined their credentials to defend their ANZ Premiership title, coming from behind to steal a 62-61 victory against Central Pulse in Auckland.
The Mystics' win was their third win in succession after losing their season opener to Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, and sees the Auckland side top of the table - albeit being the only team to have played four matches.
Down 57-51 in the final quarter, the Mystics refused to lie down, and fought back to level the scores in the final minute, before an ice-cool Grace Nweke landed the decisive goal to give her side a one-goal victory and avoid extra time.
Nweke led the way for the Mystics inside the shooting circle, landing 55 goals from 60 attempts, with Filda Vui (four from six) and Monica Falkner (three from eight) providing support.
For the Pulse, shooting pair Alyiah Dunn (38 from 41) and Tiana Metuarau (23 from 30) impressed, but will rue missed opportunities after falling short by a single goal.
Defeat leaves the Pulse third on the ladder after Sunday's results.
Northern Mystics 62 (Nweke 55/60, Falkner 3/8, Vui 4/6)
Central Pulse 61 (Dunn 38/41, Metuarau 23/30)
Elsewhere, a phenomenal shooting display from English import George Fisher fired Southern Steel to second place on the table, defeating Northern Stars 71-62.
The win lifts the Steel two points clear of the Pulse behind the Mystics, with two wins and one defeat from their first three games.
Fisher, 23, landed 51 from 52 attempts as the majority of the Steel's goals, while Silver Ferns shooter Maia Wilson shone for the Stars with 45 from 49.
In support, Saviour Tui scored 11 from 14 attempts, and Georgia Heffernan had nine from 10 for the Steel, while Jamie Hume landed 17 from 22 for the Stars.
Defeat leaves the Stars fourth on the ANZ Premiership ladder, with one win and one defeat from their opening two matches of the 2022 season.
Southern Steel 71 (Fisher 51/52, Tui 11/14, Heffernan 9/10)
Northern Stars 62 (Wilson 45/49, Hume 17/22)
