photo credit: Katrina Parish
Round 5 of the Sky Broadband Rapid League saw BNZ Northern Kāhu move clear at the top of the standings while at the other end of the ladder ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens are still searching for its first win of the season. Mike Lacey takes you through the above and everything else you need to know about round 5 of the Rapid League.
Tauihi Rapid League Round 5
BNZ Northern Kāhu v The Northern Group Tauranga Whai
In the top of the table clash at Eventfinda Stadium on Thursday it was BNZ Northern Kāhu that prevailed beating The Northern Group Tauranga Whai 33-24.
For the Kāhu the league’s leading scorer Steph Bairstow posted 8 points with the Tall Ferns duo of Bailey Flavell and Krystal Leger-Walker adding 9 apiece.
Kaylee Smiler led the Whai scoring with 7 points and McKenna Dale added 4 rebounds to half a dozen points.
Kāhu establish an early 8-4 lead and with Flavell quickly up to 7 points the advantage was 15-6 at half-time.
Smiler, Dale and Pahlyss Hokianga pushed the score along for the Whai although a running floater from Lilly Rotunno, on the three-quarter time buzzer, gave the hosts a six-point buffer (22-16) with a quarter to play.
Five points in the final spell from Krystal Leger-Walker and a collective 11 from 11 from the free-throw line enabled Kāhu to close out a fifth consecutive win.
Final:
BNZ Northern Kāhu 33 – Leger-Walker 9pts, Flavell 9pts, Bairstow 8pts
The Northern Group Tauranga Whai 24 – Smiler 7pts, Dale 6pts/4rebs, Emma Rogers 5pts
The Northern Group Tauranga Whai v Southern Hoiho
Tauranga Whai bounced back from its defeat against Kāhu 48 hours earlier with a 26-24 victory against Southern Hoiho in Taupo on Saturday but had to withstand a late Hoiho comeback before securing victory.
Eva Langton and Sophie Rogers drained threes as Whai made a terrific start scoring the first 12 points of the contest and although Elise Gilbert and Tyler Mitchell dropped points for Hoiho the southerners trailed 14-5 at quarter time.
Despite 7 points from Pahlyss Hokianga it was Hoiho that had the better of the second quarter outscoring the hosts 12-7 to cut the deficit to 21-17 at half-time – Chelsea D’Angelo’s six points crucial.
Hokianga moved into double figures but on two occasions Hoiho closed to within two points.
An Abby Harris And-1 play early in the fourth made it a one possession game and although a driving Jade Kirisome pushed the Whai margin up to four points Hoiho weren’t finished.
Gilbert and Caitlin O’Connell free throws again made it a two point margin before a game tying effort from D’Angelo fell just short as time expired – Whai with the bounce back win and Hoiho suffering a fourth straight loss.
Final:
The Northern Group Tauranga Whai 26 – Hokianga 10pts/5rebs, Langton 5pts/4rebs
Southern Hoiho 24 – D’Angelo 7pts/4rebs, Harris 5pts, Gilbert 5pts/6rebs
Haswell Timber Mainland Pouākai v ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens
Vitolia Tuilave proved the difference maker as Haswell Timber Mainland Pouākai edged ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens 23-21 at Cowles Stadium on Sunday.
Tuilave produced 9 points and 8 rebounds but it was a defensive block on a layup from former Pouākai Lauryn Hippolite, with two seconds to play, that put the seal on the come from behind win.
Trailing 18-14 at three-quarter time Tuilave and Tara Manumaleuga fueled an 8-0 run from the hosts.
A Jacinta Beckley free-throw and a Tiarna Clarke turnaround jumper made it a one point game then with the clock winding down it looked as if Hippolite would punish her former team but Tuilave had other ideas as she swatted away the scoring attempt.
Earlier Beckley and Clarke scored 4 points apiece as Queens opened up an early lead.
Sharne Robati and Abby Cubillo advanced the Pouākai score but it was still Queens in the ascendancy at half-time leading 14-8.
Pouākai trimmed the margin to four (18-14) at the three-quarter mark before taking the lead and holding on in the fourth – the Queens still looking for that elusive first win of the campaign.
Final:
Haswell Timber Mainland Pouākai 23 – Tuilave 9pts/8rebs/2blocks, Manumaleuga 6pts/3assists, Cubillo 5pts
ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens 21 – Clarke 9pts, Beckley 9pts/5rebs
Rapid Express
There must be something in the air in Taupō! A week after Tokomanawa Queens had 26 points at half-time but managed a meager 3 points in the second half it was the turn of the Whai to put on a similar Jekyll and Hyde performance. Against the Hoiho, Whai scored 24 first half points but could muster just 5 in the second half.
Rapid Fire
Rookie forward Vitolia Tuilave posted an impressive stats line of 9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal against the Queens. The 20 year-old’s 8 rebounds are a Rapid League best for Pouākai.
Rapid Leading Scorers
60 Steph Bairstow (Kāhu)
44 Ash Strawbridge (Pouākai)
43 Eva Langton (Whai)
39 Tyler Mitchell (Hoiho)
39 Bailey Flavell (Kāhu)
37 Sophie Rogers (Whai)
36 Kaylee Smiler (Whai)
35 Chelsea D’Angelo (Hoiho)
33 McKenna Dale (Whai)
31 Azure Anderson (Kāhu)
31 Jacinta Beckley (Queens)
Rapid Leading Rebounders
23 Eva Langton (Whai)
23 Steph Bairstow (Kāhu)
21 Azure Anderson (Kāhu)
21 Millie Simpson (Hoiho)
21 McKenna Dale (Whai)
21 Kaylee Smiler (Whai)
20 Vitolia Tuilave (Pouākai)
20 Chelsea D’Angelo (Hoiho)
20 Emma Rogers (Whai)
18 Aliyah Dunn (Hoiho)
Sky Broadband Rapid League Standings after Round 5
Northern Kāhu - 5-1
Tauranga Whai - 5-2
Southern Hoiho - 2-3
Mainland Pouākai - 2-3
Tokomanawa Queens - 0-5
