Defenders shine as Otane win Bay's Super 8 netball title
Otane coach Annemarie Kupa had every right to heap kudos on Briar Chalmers and Valentine Kahukura after her team won Hawke's Bay's Super 8 Club netball title tonight.
Kahukura and Chalmers were outstanding in the defensive circle during Thirsty Whale Otane Force's 44-39 victory over defending champions Napier Girls' High School in the final played at Taradale's Pettigrew-Green Arena. They proved why they will have their respective defensive bibs for the Hawke's Bay team during the coming weeks.
"Briar and Valentine were prominent in a top team effort. I was rapt with the team," Kupa said.
"It was good to have Millie back this week too," Kupa said referring to goal shoot Millie Ironside who missed Otane's one goal win against NGHS the previous week.
Ironside finished with a 92 per cent success rate after sinking 36 of her 39 attempts.
"Our connections between the midcourters and the shooting circle were a lot better than last week too. We were patient with the ball and the girls let the ball go a lot more," Kupa added.
The NGHS shooters picked the wrong match to have an off night. They had a 67 per cent success rate with 39 successes from 58 attempts while Otane had a 90 per cent success rate with 44 successes from 49 attempts.
Regular goal shoot Caitlin Smith was the best of the NGHS players in the shooting circle with 20 successes from 28 attempts for a 71 per cent success rate.
Kupa's daughter, Parris Petera, was the pick of the NGHS players with polished stints at wing attack and goal attack. When Petera was goal attack she sunk seven of her 10 attempts.
Goal defence Katie Beal had a massive workrate for NGHS were aiming for a third consecutive title against Otane who were unbeaten this season. Promising Year 10 shooter Braxton Gallagher did well to sink seven of her 11 attempts for NGHS when used as a fourth quarter goal attack.
Otane led 11-9 after the first quarter, 21-18 at halftime and 32-29 at the start of the final quarter.
The playoff for third saw Tremains All In Elusive beat BM Accounting HHSOG Huia 45-32 and Optimise Physio Outkast Sports beat Vet Services Central Sports 46-35 in the playoff for fifth.
