It was always going to be tough for the defending champions without their star shooter.
But when Nweke’s sidekick Peta Toeava missed crucial games, many said that was the defending champions’ title hopes snuffed out.
All those doubters were put to bed when the Mystics beat the Central Pulse 54-53 in the dying seconds at TSB Bank Arena yesterday.
Down by two with one minute to go, the Mystics came from nowhere to go back to back.
"I can’t even put into words what it means for our team", Nweke told Sky Sport through tears.
"That game was just crazy. There was a moment there that I thought we’d lost it.
"I actually can’t believe we’ve just won that."
Against all odds, the Mystics went on a six-game winning streak to keep the title in Auckland.
It was a tense final quarter when Phoenix Karaka was suspended.
She was cited for dangerous play against Pulse centre Whitney Souness, who had already taken an earlier knock.
That could have been a turning point for the Mystics — who only won the first quarter — but their experienced spine held strong.
Nweke started strongly, holding the front space on Pulse goal keep Kelly Jackson.
Jackson and Parris Mason double-teamed Nweke, but that did not faze the experienced Silver Fern.
Toeava and Tayla Earle let the ball go early and that speed split the defenders.
At the other end, Michaela Sokolich-Beatson led by example.
The Mystics’ captain was challenged against Souness, but Sokolich-Beatson kept the pocket-rocket feeder quiet in the opener.
Considering Souness’s dominance this season, that pressure rippled throughout the Pulse as they found themselves down by six.
Amelia Walmsley and Maddy Gordon were injected and made an impact for the Pulse to trail 14-9.
After a slow-burn season, Karaka fired at the right time for the Mystics picking up ball.
Her side extended to a seven-point lead at one stage, but then things started to unravel.
Souness and Sokolich-Beatson clashed heads leaving Souness with a nasty split above her eyebrow.
Spurred on by their star midcourter’s absence, the Pulse rallied to turn a game that was slipping through their fingers back in their favour.
Fa’amu Ioane intercepted the Mystics’ centre pass and the feeders found Walmsley under the post easily.
They went on a five-goal run to claw back at the deficit and take their first lead since the early minutes.
But the Mystics, despite looking frantic on attack, withstood the Pulse and retained a 27-25.
Gordon started to come into her own at wing attack and found the back space for her feeds.
The Mystics continued to just chip away and showed their strengths, known for working the ball around and then letting it go when it was on.
Nothing separated the two for most of the third quarter, but the Mystics held a 42-41 lead at the break.
ANZ Premiership
The scores
Northern Mystics 54
Grace Nweke 48/55, Dani Binks 2/4, Filda Vui 4/4.
Central Pulse 53
Martina Salmon 3/3, Tiana Metuarau 11/12, Amelia Walmsley 39/46.
Quarter scores: Northern Mystics 14-9, 27-25, 42-41.
