Northern Stars have beaten Mainland Tactix 56-48 to claim their first home win of the ANZ Premiership at Pulman Arena.
Just days after completing a 12-goal rout against the same opposition, the hosts were forced to repel repeated runs from an improved Tactix outfit to close out a convincing victory and complete a 3-0 series sweep over the southerners, which came on the back of a dominant final quarter.
Silver Ferns shooter Maia Wilson was at the forefront of that charge for the Stars, sinking 31 of her 34 attempts at goal, while Elle Temu wreaked havoc at the defensive end of the court.
With just a two-goal difference at halftime, the Stars ramped up their intensity in the third quarter, as midcourters Mila Reuelu-Buchanan and Gina Crampton gained the upper hand over their counterparts.
That momentum grew in the fourth quarter, when the Stars cashed in on a slew of turnovers to extend their buffer and close out the contest.
The result sees the Stars move into fourth on the competition ladder with games in hand, with the Tactix one spot below with just one win from five games.
The Stars move on to face Northern Mystics in the first Auckland derby of the 2022 season on Sunday.
Stars 56 (Maia Wilson 31/34, Jamie Hume 17/24, Amorangi Malesala 8/12) Tactix 48 (Ellie Bird 21/24, Te Paea Selby-Rickit 17/21, Hannah Glen 10/11)
