Round Four tips off in Porirua on Friday night with the ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens back at Te Rauparaha Arena as they host defending champions The Northern Group Tauranga Whai.
For the Queens, the search for a first Tauihi win continues, but there were significant signs of progress in Dunedin last weekend.
Tokomanawa pushed Southern Hoiho all the way before Paige Bradley’s three-pointer at the buzzer handed the home side a hard-fought win. Charlisse Leger-Walker produced one of the performances of the season as she powered the offence from deep, while Hailey Van Lith provided ample scoring and rebounding support.
The result left the Queens at 0-3, but their offensive profile continues to improve as the pieces come together, especially with another significant change in the frontcourt.
The Queens have added experienced 6’5” forward-center Jacinta Monroe as they look to strengthen their interior presence, with Mimi Collins moving on from the group.
Monroe brings extensive professional experience, including time in the WNBA and across leagues around the world, and gives Tokomanawa genuine size, rebounding and another scoring option around the basket.
Whai arrive at 2-1 after a dramatic road victory of their own, defeating Mainland Pouākai in Christchurch with some late-game heroics from Carla Pitman. Emme Shearer powered the offence punch, Laina Snyder produced across the board and the defending champions showed their composure late after surrendering a double-digit first-half advantage.
The Queens possess one of the deepest perimeter groups in Tauihi, while Whai have combined strong defence, rebounding with a balanced attack to win two of their first three games.
Will the Queens’ perimeter prowess find its way to the winning side of the ledger, or will Whai continue their winning ways to keep pace with the top of the table?
When: Friday 16 October
Where: Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua
Rapid League: 6:30pm
Tauihi: 7:30pm
Watch Live: Sky Sport 5 and ThreeNow in New Zealand, ESPN+ in the United States and FIBA YouTube everywhere else internationally
Commentary: Kayla Manuirirangi and Lindsay Tait
Box Score Here
Buy Tickets Here
The Queens are set to start Krystal Leger-Walker, Hailey Van Lith, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Taylor Mikesell, with new signing Jacinta Monroe listed in the starting five.
Monroe replaces Mimi Collins in the Queens roster and gives Tokomanawa a 6’5” forward-center with significant professional experience and a strong track record as an interior scorer and rebounder.
Aria Cowley, Grace Hunter, Alaska Rhebok, Jade Kirisome, Hana Lacey-Rameka, Nahala Toeleiu and Ameia Williams make up the Rapid League group and are available.
Penina Davidson remains overseas while Stella Beck is unavailable for personal reasons.
Whai will start Emme Shearer, Laina Snyder, Ashlee Strawbridge, Nicci Gilday and Patty Brossmann.
Eva Langton, Carla Pitman, Carly Ohia, Sophie Rogers, Emilee Tahata, Charis Broughton and Shamar Broughton form the Rapid League group.
Keija Miringaorangi, Riley McClenaghan and Isabella Gillard are unavailable due to national duties.
The Queens came agonisingly close to their first win of the season before Paige Bradley delivered a spectacular finish in Dunedin.
Hoiho made the stronger start and led 26-21 after the first quarter, with Lil Dart and Marie Bertholdt helping the home side establish an early advantage.
Tokomanawa settled in the second, with Charlisse Leger-Walker finding her range from deep as the Queens reduced the margin to 45-41 at halftime.
The visitors then produced their best stretch of the night in the third quarter.
Van Lith and Mikesell helped push Tokomanawa ahead 63-61 entering the fourth and from there the teams traded blows down the stretch.
Bec Pizzey tied the game at 79 before the teams reached the final seconds locked at 81.
The Queens had the first opportunity to win it, but a Charlisse Leger-Walker three missed with 10 seconds remaining.
Hoiho secured the rebound, advanced the ball following a timeout, and Bradley buried the game-winning three as time expired.
Charlisse finished with a career-high 32 points and seven made threes, just the fourth kiwi to cross the 30 point plateau in Tauihi, while Van Lith added 20 points and seven rebounds.
Leading Players
Queens: Charlisse Leger-Walker (32P, 3R, 4A), Hailey Van Lith (20P, 7R, 3A), Taylor Mikesell (11P, 3R, 5A)
Hoiho: Lil Dart (20P, 3R, 6A), Paige Bradley (17P, 3R, 9A), Marie Bertholdt (16P, 7R, 3A)
Whai ended Pouākai’s unbeaten start with a composed road performance in Christchurch.
The defending champions established control early, taking a 25-18 lead through the opening quarter before extending the margin to 48-36 at halftime.
Pouākai responded after the break behind Morgan Yaeger and closed within two at 63-61 entering the fourth quarter.
The momentum continued to swing late and the scores were tied at 78 before Carla Pitman delivered the biggest shot of the night.
Pitman knocked down a three to put Whai ahead before Ashlee Strawbridge added the sealing free throw.
Shearer led Whai with 24 points, while Snyder finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds and Brossmann added 12 points and seven assists.
Leading Players
Whai: Emme Shearer (24P, 3R, 2A), Laina Snyder (16P, 15R, 3A), Patty Brossmann (12P, 2R, 7A)
Pouākai: Morgan Yaeger (28P, 6R, 4A), Mikayla Vaughn (12P, 2R, 2A), McKenna Dale (11P, 10R, 5A)
This is now one of the biggest questions heading into Friday night.
Tokomanawa have not lacked in the perimeter talent department.
Charlisse Leger-Walker, Krystal Leger-Walker, Hailey Van Lith and Taylor Mikesell give the Queens one of the most dangerous groups in the competition.
What they have lacked is consistent interior presence.
Monroe changes that immediately.
At 6’5”, she gives the Queens genuine size around the basket, a stronger rebounding presence and another player capable of scoring inside.
Her experience is key.
Monroe was the sixth overall selection in the 2010 WNBA Draft and has spent more than a decade playing professionally across Europe, Asia and Australia.
Most recently she averaged 8.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in Russia, after producing 11.7 points and 6.8 rebounds in EuroCup Women the previous season.
The Queens have been one of the competition’s weaker rebounding teams through the opening rounds.
Monroe has been brought in to help change that.
The question that needs answering is how quickly she can integrate into a team whose offence has increasingly become perimeter driven.
If she can provide a reliable interior target, set strong screens and create second possessions, she could make life significantly easier for the Queens’ guards.
Tokomanawa’s record remains 0-3, but their offence has clearly moved forward.
The Queens scored 81 points against Hoiho after producing 77 against Pouākai, lifting their season average to 75.7 points per game.
They shot 45 percent from the field and 41 percent from three in Dunedin, easily their most efficient shooting performance of the season.
It's easy to see that the biggest change has been the addition of Charlisse Leger-Walker and Van Lith.
Charlisse is averaging 25.5 points through two appearances while shooting 48 percent from the field and 56 percent from three. Van Lith is averaging 20.0 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the floor.
With Mikesell averaging 15.3 points and Krystal Leger-Walker continuing to create at a high level, Tokomanawa now have multiple ways to generate offence.
The next step is sustaining it for fourty minutes.
This may be the matchup that decides the game.
The Queens made 11 threes against Hoiho, seven of them from Charlisse Leger-Walker.
Whai have been one of the better defensive teams through the opening rounds, allowing 68.3 points per game and holding opponents to 38 percent shooting overall but just 22% from three, a league best mark.
They have also defended the three particularly well, with opponents shooting just 22 percent from beyond the arc through three games.
That creates a fascinating contrast.
Tokomanawa want to spread the floor and allow their guards to attack.
Whai will want to make every catch difficult, stay connected through screening actions and prevent the Queens from finding the same rhythm they produced in Dunedin.
This has been one of Tokomanawa’s biggest issues through the opening three rounds.
The Queens are averaging 37.3 rebounds per game while allowing opponents 49.3.
That has placed significant pressure on a perimeter-heavy lineup and frequently forced the Queens to defend multiple possessions.
Monroe’s arrival is clearly designed to address that.
At 6’5”, she gives Tokomanawa another genuine frontcourt body alongside Hana Lacey-Rameka and brings a long track record as a professional rebounder.
Her timing could hardly be more relevant.
Whai are averaging 40 rebounds per game and Snyder has been one of the competition’s dominant players on the glass at 12.3 rebounds per game.
The Queens can't expect Monroe to solve the problem on her own.
But if she can help secure the defensive glass, occupy Snyder and give Tokomanawa more physical presence inside, it could significantly change the balance of this matchup.
Shearer has started the season exactly as Whai would have hoped.
The captain is averaging 20.0 points while shooting 44 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and 89 percent from the free-throw line while totalling 60 points through three games, including 24 last time out.
The Queens have plenty of perimeter defenders to throw at her, but Shearer’s ability to score from multiple areas of the floor makes her difficult to scheme against.
Keeping her away from the free-throw line will also be key.
This is the balancing act for Tania Tupu’s side.
Whai have several players capable of attacking the basket, while Brossmann and Snyder create physical pressure inside.
Committing too much help creates open perimeter opportunities.
Staying home leaves defenders exposed one-on-one and can make rebounding more difficult.
The Queens have improved offensively, but they are still conceding 91.0 points per game.
Friday is another opportunity to show progress at the defensive end.
Two of the competition’s leading scorers meet in Porirua.
Charlisse is averaging 25.5 points and is coming off 32 in Dunedin.
Shearer sits at 20.0 points per game and has been remarkably consistent through Whai’s opening three games.
Charlisse’s perimeter shooting makes her especially dangerous, while Shearer attacks from a wider variety of areas and gets to the line consistently.
Whichever player can impose themselves without disrupting the wider offence will give their team a major advantage.
This is a battle between two guards charged with organising their teams.
Krystal is averaging 8.3 assists and 8.7 rebounds while also producing 3.3 steals per game.
Gilday leads Whai at four assists per game and has been an important part of a balanced starting unit.
Krystal’s ability to control tempo is particularly important for the Queens while Whai will want Gilday to keep the game organised and ensure the ball continues to find Shearer, Snyder and Brossmann in favourable spots. The guard that controls the tempo may control the shape of the game.
Van Lith has scored exactly 20 points in each of her first two Tauihi appearances and is shooting 50 percent from the floor.
Strawbridge doesn't have that shooting volume but has had a tremendous impact on the perimeter gravity. She is averaging seven points but has shot 6-of-9 from three through three games.
Van Lith will look to attack off the dribble and create pressure around the rim, while the Queens cannot afford to lose Strawbridge when Whai move the ball around the perimeter.
This becomes one of the most intriguing matchups of the night, provided Monroe receives clearance to play.
Snyder enters averaging 13.7 points and 12.3 rebounds and has been one of the most consistent interior players in Tauihi.
Monroe brings a completely different level of size and experience to the Queens frontcourt.
At 6’5”, she gives Tokomanawa someone capable of matching Snyder physically around the basket while also providing a genuine target offensively.
The challenge will be immediate.
Monroe is joining a new team, in a new competition, with very little time to build combinations.
But her ability to rebound, protect the paint and create an interior scoring threat could become one of the most important factors in the game.
For the Queens, even reducing Snyder’s influence on the glass would be a significant win.
| Category | Queens | Whai |
|---|---|---|
| Points | Charlisse Leger-Walker, 25.5 | Emme Shearer, 20.0 |
| Rebounds | Krystal Leger-Walker, 8.7 | Laina Snyder, 12.3 |
| Assists | Krystal Leger-Walker, 8.3 | Nicolette Gilday, 4.0 |
| Steals | Krystal Leger-Walker, 3.3 | Laina Snyder, 3.0 |
| Blocks | Grace Hunter, 1.0 | Emme Shearer, 1.0 |
| FG% | Hailey Van Lith, 50% | Shearer/Brossmann/Strawbridge, 44% |
| 3P% | Charlisse Leger-Walker, 56% | Ashlee Strawbridge, 67% |
| 3PM | Charlisse Leger-Walker, 4.5 pg | Shearer/Strawbridge, 2.0 pg |
| Category | ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens | The Northern Group Tauranga Whai |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 0-3 | 2-1 |
| Points | 75.7, 3rd | 74.0, 4th |
| Points Allowed | 91.0, 5th | 68.3, 1st |
| Scoring Margin | -15.3, 5th | +5.7, 2nd |
| FG% | 40%, 4th | 42%, 3rd |
| Defensive FG% | 44%, 5th | 38%, 1st |
| 3P% | 33%, 2nd | 36%, 1st |
| Defensive 3P% | 33%, 4th | 22%, 1st |
| FT% | 75%, 3rd | 79%, 1st |
| Rebounding Margin | -12.0, 5th | +3.3, 2nd |
| Assists | 20.3, T | 19.0, 4th |
| Turnovers | 12.3 pg, 1st | 17.3 pg, 4th |
| Steals | 7.7 pg, 5th | 10.3 pg, 2nd |
| Blocks | 2.7 pg, 4th | 4.3 pg, 2nd |
The biggest statistical difference between the teams is at the defensive end.
Whai are allowing 68.3 points per game at 38% shooting (both league bests), while the Queens are conceding 91.0 at 44% shooting (both league worsts).
Tokomanawa do have a clear advantage in ball security and have now developed one of the competition’s most dangerous perimeter attacks.
The addition of Monroe gives them an opportunity to address the other side of the equation.
If she can help improve their defensive rebounding, protect the paint and provide an interior scoring option, the Queens could begin to look like a much more balanced team.
The Rapid League matchup brings together two teams that found the winner’s circle for the first time in Round Three.
The Queens are 1-2 after an impressive 31-19 road win over Hoiho, while Whai are also 1-2 following a 35-25 victory over Pouākai.
Tokomanawa are averaging 26.7 points per game and allowing 27.7.
Whai sit slightly higher offensively at 28.3 points per game but are conceding 32.3.
Nahala Toeleiu has been outstanding for the Queens.
She leads the team at 10.7 points per game while shooting 60 percent from the field and is coming off 13 points and eight rebounds against Hoiho.
Whai have received their most efficient scoring from Eva Langton, who is averaging 8.7 points while shooting 64 percent from the field and 50 percent from three.
Langton also enters the round just six points short of becoming the second player to reach 200 Rapid League career points and, if she plays both Whai games in Round Four, could become the first player to reach 40 Rapid League appearances.
Both teams will see Friday as an opportunity to build on their first win.
The Queens may still be looking for their first Tauihi victory, but this is a roster that looks to be evolving.
The arrivals of Charlisse Leger-Walker and Hailey Van Lith transformed their perimeter offence.
Now Jacinta Monroe has been brought in to address the other end of the floor.
At 6’5”, with WNBA experience and a professional career spanning more than 16 countries, Monroe gives the Queens genuine size, rebounding and an interior presence they have been missing.
That could prove particularly important against a Whai team built around physicality, defensive discipline and one of the league’s best rebounders in Laina Snyder.
The Queens showed in Dunedin that their offence is beginning to come together.
Charlisse is scoring at an elite level, Van Lith has produced 20 points in each of her first two games, Mikesell remains dangerous and Krystal Leger-Walker continues to control the tempo.
The question has been whether they can find enough stops and finish enough defensive possessions.
Monroe has been brought in to help answer that question.
For Whai, Friday remains an opportunity to reinforce their standing as one of the competition’s most complete teams.
For the Queens, it could be the first look at what this roster was ultimately built to become.
