The Stars are hitting momentum at the right time of the ANZ Premiership season after back to back wins over the weekend.
Maia Wilson Photo: www.photosport.nz
The South Auckland based side defeated the Pulse 49-44 in Wellington last night, following their 67-53 win over the Magic a day before.
The win now sees the Stars and Pulse locked up on 22 competition points, behind the table topping Mystics.
Last year the Stars went from top of the ANZ Premiership ladder for nine weeks after Round 10, to drop out of finals contention just four rounds later.
The Stars are starting to play to their potential and captain Maia Wilson said hitting form now was crucial as the finals series approaches.
"Last year we started off with a hiss and a roar and sort of petered off in the end and our goal this year is to really finish off really strong," Wilson said.
The Stars had a stop-start first half of the season as a result of postponements and players getting Covid.
They are not quite in the clear yet, with veteran defender Anna Harrison missing the weekend's games after coming down with Covid.
"It was a bit of a nerve wreck when we heard that she wasn't going to be here. But Elle [Temu] being able to step up playing with Storm Purvis yesterday, Leana De Bruin today, she's just showing that she has the potential to be world class."
Wilson herself looks like she's getting her mojo back after a few quiet games.
The 24-year-old was one of the Silver Ferns' players that got Covid on her return from January's Quad series.
"I probably would like to say I was on the easier side compared to some of my other mates. I was lucky when I was in MIQ, I had to just sit in there for two weeks and not really do anything."
It set her back fitness-wise but Wilson said she was well supported.
"I'm really lucky that the Silver Ferns' management group have been on board with that, not just for myself but for multiple people who have been hit with Covid.
"I'll see what I look like in my yoyo this week but I know I can play to an international standard and I'm pretty sure that my match fitness should be able to hold me over but it will just be a few tick over things to maintain."
Northern Stars wing attack Mila Reuelu-Buchanan Photo: Photosport
Wilson said it was important that she paced herself.
"That's the hardest thing as an athlete when you're used to training and pushing your body to the limits, it's the hardest thing to do is to pace yourself or actually to do nothing.
"You don't know where you're at until you've done those types of fitness testing. Last time I did it I was only quite fresh out of having Covid so it wasn't great but I knew it was going to be like that.
"It's probably been about a month and a half so I'm really looking forward to seeing where I'm at and if I'm not hitting it I've got a couple of weeks to get under my belt I think it's just trying to get that muscle memory again."
Wilson feels like she's starting to get some of her sharper movements back.
"I think for me once I stopped looking at the defenders and I just focus on my own job I'm starting to find my groove again, last night I was really happy, tonight I felt like I built on it a little bit more so here's to more games like that."
Last night Wilson was up against in-form defender Kelly Jury, who had another big game.
But Wilson got the better of Jury in the final quarter.
"Kelly is having one of the most outstanding seasons but I know I can beat her in foot speed and just being a bit smarter with the ball. So when I see my middies doing some triangles and then opening up into space I'm able to get out of her but hey you never know we might be meeting each other again further down the track."
Midcourter Mila Reuelu-Buchanan is having a big season for the Stars and put in another MVP performance last night.
Wilson said she brought so much energy.
"If you've seen her on court you should see what she's like dancing in the changing room before the game.
"She's really relished having the opportunity to go away with the Ferns in the Quad series, didn't get as much court time as she potentially wanted but just being in the environment has really brought I don't know an extra edge for her and she's been really relishing the opportunity to play with Gina [Crampton] so that connection is working really well."
