Wagga Blaze brought up their first win of the season and knocked off the undefeated ladder leaders in the process.
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A strong fourth quarter from the Blaze handed Maitland Mustangs a 75-58 loss at Bolton Park Stadium on Saturday night.
There was little between the two teams throughout the game and coach Peter O’Leary was impressed by how the team stepped things up late for the victory.
“The real telling factor was our intensity and our defence increased dramatically particularly in the last quarter,” O’Leary said.
“It was driven mainly by Steph Male and Summa Stephens, who are part of our leadership group, and really lifted our intensity in the last quarter.
“We went into a full court press and that seemed to work very well for us and were able to get a number of intercepts and score off that.”
After losses to Shoalhaven and Coffs Harbour to start the season, O’Leary hopes the win will give the team plenty of confidence.
“It was good to get that win on the board and will give them a lot more confident in what they were doing,” he said.
“We have been close all the way through and have only played three games.
“In both previous games we have only lost in the last 60 seconds or so in the game, so we have been close, but this one the girls made a hard grind of it from the first three quarters, and it could have been anybody’s from there, but the really stepped up in the fourth to get over the line.”
US imports Khiani Clark (18) and Shakera Barnes (17) top scored alongside Male (17).
O’Leary is pleased there has been an even spread of contributors with Maddison Clyne and Stephens also scoring 10 points.
The Blaze host Newcastle Hunters on Saturday before a three-week break.
Meanwhile Wagga Heat made it two wins on the trot with a 83-75 victory over Queanbeyan Yowies.
US import Connell Crossland led the way again with 27 points while a big fourth quarter from captain Zac Maloney helped score the come-from-behind win.
Maloney only had nine points after three quarters but finished with 23.
He was pleased to come take another win.
“It was another physical game so for us to hold strong and come away with the win shows we have improved from the Sutherland game,” Maloney said.
“It is three real physical games in a row so it is something we have to brace for for the rest of the season, but we will take confidence from it.”
The Heat’s next game is against Lithgow Lazers on May 12.
