Final Four Locked In for GJ Gardner Homes Tauihi
The GJ Gardner Homes Tauihi regular season is in the books and the Final Four is officially set, with the Tokomanawa Queens, Mainland Pouākai, Southern Hoiho and Whai all advancing to Finals.
A tense final round confirmed the seedings, with percentage ultimately separating three teams locked on seven wins.
Queens claim top seed and home semi
The ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens closed out the campaign at 8–4, securing the No.1 seed and the right to host a semi-final at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua.
The defending champions have been the league’s most consistent outfit across the season, finishing with a competition-best points percentage of 111 (1449 points for, 1300 against). That edge on both ends of the floor has earned them home court for the opening weekend of Finals and, if they advance, the right to host the Grand Final as well.
As the top seed, the Queens will face The Northern Group Tauranga Whai, who finish fourth, in Semi-Final 1.
Pouākai secure second, Hoiho edge Whai
The Probuild ITM Mainland Pouākai locked up the second seed with a 7–5 record and a points percentage of 107. Their ability to score in bunches (a league-leading 1470 points for) has powered them back into the Final Four and will make them a dangerous prospect at home in Christchurch.
Behind them, the race for third went right down to the wire.
Both Southern Hoiho and the Whai finished at 7–5, and with identical win-loss records the tie was broken on points percentage.
-
Hoiho: 1405 points for, 1407 against for - 2 points total - percentage 99.8%
-
Whai: 1381 points for, 1385 against for - 4 points total - percentage 99.7%
That slender margin sees Hoiho claim third place, with Whai slotting into fourth, rounding out the Final Four with just a single bucket making the difference between the two teams on the season.
The BNZ Northern Kāhu finish in fifth spot at 1–11 and bow out of Finals contention, despite pushing teams for stretches throughout the season.
Full final standings are available at: https://tauihi.basketball/standings/
Semi-final schedule confirmed
With positions locked in, the semi-final matchups and hosts are confirmed as follows:
Home Semi-Finals
-
Semi 1
-
Queens (1st) vs Whai (4th)
-
Saturday 6 December – 3:00pm (Tauihi Time)
-
Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua
-
-
Semi 2
-
Pouākai (2nd) vs Hoiho (3rd)
-
Sunday 7 December – 3:00pm (Tauihi Time)
-
Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
-
The winners of those two clashes will advance to the Grand Final.
Home Grand Final
-
Grand Final – Winner Semi 1 vs Winner Semi 2
-
Sunday 14 December – 3:00pm (Tauihi Time)
-
Hosted by the higher-seeded finalist under Tauihi’s home-grand-final format.
Three of the four finalists finished separated only by percentage, underlining just how competitive the 2025 regular season has been. With the Queens and Pouākai now rewarded with home semis, and Hoiho and Whai both arriving in form after strong back halves of the season, next weekend’s Final Four promises another thrilling chapter in the G.J. Gardner Homes Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa 2025 season.
