Fittingly the destination of the 2024 Sky Broadband Rapid League trophy was not decided until the 30th and final game of the season. With the Northern Group Tauranga Whai winning its game against Southern Hoiho on Saturday it meant BNZ Northern Kāhu had to avoid defeat (by a large margin) against ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens at McKay Stadium in Whangarei 24 hours later. Our man on the sideline Mike Lacey takes you through the highs and lows of the last edition in 2024 of the TauihiRapid Wrap.
BNZ Northern Kāhu v ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens
Kāhu banished any thoughts of defeat and put on a stylish performance in front of their Northland fans as they ran up a Tauihi Rapid record score to win 50-25.
Initially, with Jacinta Beckley scoring 7 points, Queens were well in the contest trailing 24-16 before Kāhu put a collective foot to the pedal in the second half.
They outscored the Queens 13-5 in the third quarter and by a similar margin in the fourth with Azure Anderson scoring a season high 15 points on 7 from 9 shooting. Steph Bairstow, the leading scorer in the competition, was close to a double-double with 9 points and 11 rebounds while Bailey Flavell, Krystal Leger-Walker and Chloe Forster tallied 8 points each.
Alana Paewai scored 8 points for Queens and the dependable Beckley 9 but they were decidedly second best to the champions on this occasion.
BNZ Northern Kāhu 50 – Azure Anderson 15pts, Steph Bairstow 9pts & 11rebs, Krystal Leger-Walker 8pts, Bailey Flavell 8pts, Chloe Forster 8pts & 5asts
ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens 25 – Jacinta Beckley 9pts, Alana Paewai 8pts
Southern Hoiho v The Northern Group Tauranga Whai
As mentioned previously Kāhu were pushed all the way during the season by The Northern Group Tauranga Whai, who to their credit relied on Kiwi talent throughout the season.
Needing to keep the pressure on Kāhu, Whai scored the first 9 points of the contest and never looked back as they went on to wallop Southern Hoiho 35-9 at the Edgar Centre, Dunedin on Saturday.
Teenage Tall Fern Pahlyss Hokianga led the way for Whai with a season high 15 points, Jade Kirisome added 6 and Kaylee Smiler was all energy with 4 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.
Hokianga and Eva Langton knocked down early threes but after scores from Millie Simpson and Abby Harris the Whai advantage was just five points (12-7). However from there it was one way traffic with Hoiho having few answers to the pace of the Whai offence.
It was a ninth win of the season for Whai but sadly for Hoiho a tenth consecutive loss after they had opened the season in encouraging fashion with consecutive wins.
Southern Hoiho 9 – Elise Gilbert 2pts & 5rebs, Elise Carline 8rebs
The Northern Group Tauranga Whai 35 – Pahlyss Hokianga, 15pts, Jade Kirisome 6pts, Kaylee Smiler 4pts, 7rebs, 3asts & 2blks.
Haswell Timber Mainland Pouākai v ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens
The third game of the round was a free scoring affair, one in which Jacinta Beckley, against the team she played for in 2023, equaled the Rapid League single game record with 19 points as ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens beat Haswell Timber Mainland Pouākai 43-35 at Cowles Stadium, Christchurch on Friday.
Beckley scored 8 points in the opening half although with Vitolia Tuilave answering with 6 points and Ash Strawbridge landing from deep it was Pouākai with a narrow advantage at the half; 18-17.
Despite a Tessa Morrison triple, 9 points in the third quarter from Tiarna Clarke swung the advantage the way of the Queens as they hit the three-quarter mark with a 32-25 lead.
Tara Manumaleuga kept Pouākai in the contest but Beckley was in dominant form and a further 7 points from the former Tall Fern carried Queens to victory.
Haswell Timber Mainland Pouākai 35 – Tessa Morrison 10pts, Ash Strawbridge 8pts, Tara Manumaleuga 7pts & 3rebs
ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens 43 – Jacinta Beckley 19pts & 5rebs, Tiarna Clarke 9pts, Keriana Hippolite 6pts
Rapid Express
Not only did Jacinta Beckley equal the Rapid League single game record of 19 points against Pouākai but she also became the second player after Steph Bairstow to score 100 points this season.
Rapid Fire
Northern Kāhu rounded out its championship season with a 50-25 win against Queens – the first team to score 50 points in the Rapid League and the 75 points aggregate score the highest of the season.
Leading Scorers
119 Steph Bairstow (Kāhu)
104 Jacinta Beckley (Queens)
82 Azure Anderson (Kāhu)
72 Ash Strawbridge (Pouākai)
72 Eva Langton (Whai)
67 Sharne Robati (Pouākai)
58 Tyler Mitchell (Hoiho)
58 Kaylee Smiler (Whai)
58 Tara Manumaleuga (Pouākai)
56 Alana Paewai (Queens)
54 Emma Rogers (Whai)
53 Pahlyss Hokianga (Whai)
53 Abby Harris (Hoiho)
Leading Rebounders
55 Steph Bairstow (Kāhu)
45 Kaylee Smiler (Whai)
43 Emma Rogers (Whai)
41 Jacinta Beckley (Queens)
37 Eva Langton (Whai)
37 Millie Simpson (Hoiho)
31 Vitolia Tuilave (Pouākai)
31 Azure Anderson (Kāhu)
30 Elise Gilbert (Hoiho)
30 Sharne Robati (Pouākai)
29 Lauryn Hippolite (Queens)
27 Ash Strawbridge (Pouākai)
Most Assists
22 Lilly Rotunno (Kāhu)
21 Emma Rogers (Whai)
18 Krystal Leger-Walker (Kāhu)
Most Steals
14 Azure Anderson (Kāhu)
13 Lilly Rotunno (Kāhu)
11 Tara Manumaleuga (Pouākai)
Most Blocks
9 Eva Langton (Whai)
9 Steph Bairstow (Kāhu)
7 Vitolia Tuilave (Pouākai)
Sky Broadband Rapid League Final Standings
10-2 BNZ Northern Kāhu
9-3 The Northern Group Tauranga Whai
6-6 Haswell Timber Mainland Pouākai
4-8 ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens
2-10 Southern Hoiho
