Backed by a home crowd, the Trident Homes Tactix are up for a super Elimination Finals clash in Christchurch where victory will give them a shot at the ANZ Premiership title.
The Tactix host the league’s must-win match against the MG Mystics at Wolfbrook Arena on Saturday with the winner earning a spot in the Grand Final on 4 August.
Bouncing back from the 14-goal loss to the Pulse earlier this week had not been an issue coach Marianne Delaney-Hoshek said, with the team keen to have another opportunity to take on the Pulse next month.
“Everyone’s come in really excited this week for finals. Obviously, we would have loved to win that game (against the Pulse) but we’ve moved on quickly and need to make the most of this week,” she said.
“We’re grateful to be in this position – the girls know that three other teams would love to be in this position, so we’ve got there and have to put our best foot forward for this game.
“We’d love to play the Pulse again in the Grand Final.”
Standing in their way is a Mystics side back to full strength and ready to defend the Premiership crown they won last year.
The imposing connection between shooter Grace Nweke and playmaker Peta Toeava is an area many have struggled to break over the last few weeks where the Mystics have rattled up 260 goals in four rounds to cement third spot and a place in the Elimination Final.
Delaney-Hoshek said they acknowledged the threat the duo brought to the court but believed they couldn’t focus on them alone.
“I think it’s more than just that connection – obviously it’s a big part of it, but it’s more about us working as a unit than trying to stop an individual and the strategies that we use,” she said.
The Tactix have beaten the Mystics twice this year, but the last time they met was in Christchurch in Round 12 when the northerners turned the tables.
Footage has been pored over since then and the Tactix will be wary of the “fast start” that has worked well for the Mystics in recent weeks.
Delaney-Hoshek said it would also be important for her team to “nail those critical moments” when the pressure went on.
“Last week we were tracking really well with our centre pass conversion rate and had got ourselves back into the game,” she said. “But we just needed to score the critical moments and there were a few that we missed.
“The Mystics always start really fast in that first quarter so it’s making sure that we get on top of that.”
The Tactix coach could be forgiven for letting emotions bubble to the surface this week in what will be the last time she will guide the team at home.
But Delaney-Hoshek, who steps down from the coaching role at the end of the season, said there was nothing shifting her focus from extending their season.
“I’m really happy that we’ve got this opportunity, but I feel the job’s not over because we want to be in that final,” she said. “I haven’t thought about it too much it being the last home game because I want another week of training. My minds too much on the game in front of us.”
It will however be a special moment for the Tactix who have achieved a club first in bringing the Elimination Final to Christchurch.
Delaney-Hoshek believed Saturday’s game was as much about the loyal Tactix supporters who lifted the team whenever they played on their home court at Wolfbrook Arena.
“We’d love to do it for our fans and putting out our best performance in front of our crowd would be something special.”
- The Trident Homes Tactix meet the MG Mystics in the ANZ Premiership Elimination Final at Wolfbrook Arena on Saturday, starting at 4pm.
