Round Five closes in Auckland on Sunday as BNZ Northern Kāhu host ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens at Trusts Arena.
Kāhu return home carrying momentum after one of the most dramatic wins of the season, edging defending champions Tauranga Whai last Sunday to move to 2-3.
Talya Brugler led the way in the scoring column, Megan Mullings produced a strong double-double, and Erin Bollmann again influenced the game across the floor before converting the two late free throws that ultimately decided the result.
The Queens arrive still searching for their first win, but their recent performances suggest that breakthrough is close.
Tokomanawa pushed Mainland Pouākai all the way in Christchurch on Friday night before falling in another close, their third consecutive defeat by five points or fewer.
Jacinta Monroe produced her best Tauihi performance with a double-double, Charlisse Leger-Walker added a strong stat stuffing performance, and Krystal Leger-Walker delivered a double-double with assists
The first meeting between the teams came back in Round One, when Kāhu overturned an early double-digit deficit to win in Porirua.
A lot has changed since.
The Queens now have Monroe inside, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Hailey Van Lith fully integrated into the backcourt and an offence that has climbed to second in the competition in scoring.
Kāhu, meanwhile, have found increasing confidence themselves, lifting their offensive output across their last two appearances after averaging just 67 through their opening three.
Can Kāhu protect home court and build a three-game winning streak, or will the Queens finally turn the corner and grab their first victory?
When: Sunday 25 October
Where: Trusts Arena, Henderson
Rapid League: 2:00pm
Tauihi: 3:00pm
Watch Live: Sky Sport 4 and TikTok LIVE in New Zealand, ESPN+ in the United States and FIBA YouTube everywhere else internationally
Commentary: Maia Williamson and Casey Frank
Box Score Here
Buy Tickets Here
Kāhu expect to have Talya Brugler, Ella Fotu, Megan Mullings, captain Tayla Dalton and Erin Bollmann as their starting five.
Kayla Manuirirangi, Emily Monaghan, Shanique Lucas, Azure Anderson, Olivia Williams, Sienna Maurice and Imani Rasmussen make up the Rapid League group.
The Queens will likely go with Krystal Leger-Walker, Hailey Van Lith, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Taylor Mikesell and Jacinta Monroe as their starting five.
Aria Cowley, Grace Hunter, Alaska Rhebok, Jade Kirisome, Hana Lacey-Rameka, Nahala Toeleiu and Ameia Williams make up the Rapid League group.
Kāhu overturned an early double-digit deficit to claim a 75-69 victory when these teams met in Porirua in Round One.
The Queens made an excellent start, racing to a 22-13 first-quarter advantage behind Taylor Mikesell and Krystal Leger-Walker.
Northern gradually worked their way back into the contest through Brugler and Mullings and had reduced the margin to just one by halftime.
The game flipped in the third quarter.
Kāhu outscored the Queens 21-10, with Dalton, Kayla Manuirirangi and Bollmann helping Northern turn a halftime deficit into a 65-53 advantage entering the fourth.
Tokomanawa continued to fight and Mikesell cut the margin late, but Kāhu remained composed down the stretch to secure the six-point win.
Brugler led Northern with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Mullings added 15 points and eight boards.
For the Queens, Mikesell scored 22 and Krystal Leger-Walker came within one assist of a triple-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
Leading Players
Queens: Taylor Mikesell (22P, 7R, 2A), Krystal Leger-Walker (18P, 12R, 9A), Stella Beck (7P, 2R, 3A)
Kāhu: Talya Brugler (20P, 10R, 1A), Megan Mullings (15P, 8R, 2A), Erin Bollmann (10P, 7R, 4A)
The Queens came agonisingly close again in Christchurch.
Pouākai started strongly before Tokomanawa settled behind Charlisse and Krystal Leger-Walker, eventually turning the game around to take a narrow lead.
Mainland regained control before halftime before new signing Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis exploded after the break.
Mosqueda-Lewis knocked down three threes in little more than a minute and eventually finished with 30 points and eight made triples.
The Queens fell 10 points behind but refused to go away.
Monroe dominated inside, Charlisse continued to create and Krystal kept the offence moving as Tokomanawa reduced the margin to one possession late.
Mosqueda-Lewis converted two free throws to make it a three-point game with 1.6 seconds remaining, but the Queens could not find a final equaliser.
Monroe finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds, Charlisse added 19 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while Krystal had 15 points and 12 assists.
Leading Players
Queens: Jacinta Monroe (22P, 12R, 2A, 2S), Charlisse Leger-Walker (19P, 6R, 7A, 4S), Krystal Leger-Walker (15P, 5R, 12A, 3S)
Pouākai: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (30P, 5R, 2A, 8 3PM), McKenna Dale (23P, 7R, 5A), Mikayla Vaughn (13P, 5R)
Kāhu produced one of the comebacks of the season to claim their second win of the year.
Whai controlled much of the first half and carried a 12-point advantage into the break behind Emme Shearer and Laina Snyder.
Kāhu responded emphatically.
Shanique Lucas provided a huge lift from the bench as Kāhu poured in 33 third-quarter points while holding Whai to 18.
The game remained tight throughout the fourth and Whai moved one point ahead in the final seconds.
Bollmann then attacked the basket, drew the foul and converted both free throws to give Kāhu the lead.
Whai were unable to successfully inbound from the ensuing possession and Northern held on for the one-point victory.
Brugler scored 20 points, Mullings added 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Bollmann finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists and four steals.
Leading Players
Kāhu: Talya Brugler (20P, 4R), Megan Mullings (17P, 11R, 4A, 2S), Erin Bollmann (15P, 7R, 3A, 4S, 1B)
Whai: Emme Shearer (25P, 6R, 3A), Laina Snyder (21P, 10R, 5A, 2S), Nicolette Gilday (12P, 3R, 6A)
The record says 0-5 but recent performances tell a story of team that is on the verge of victory.
After heavy defeats in their opening two games, Tokomanawa have lost their last three games by a combined 11 points.
Their offence has improved with every outing.
The Queens average 79.2 points per game, second in the league, and are coming off a season-high 90 points in Christchurch.
Charlisse Leger-Walker remains one of the competition’s premier scorers at 25.3 points per game, while Monroe has averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds through her first two appearances.
Krystal Leger-Walker is another leading light, topping Tauihi at 10.6 assists per game.
The most pressing challenge is turning that production into a complete four-quarter performance.
Kāhu sit fifth in scoring at 74.6 points per game, but that figure hides how much the offence has changed.
Kāhu scored 60, 75 and 66 through their first three games but have dropped 87 against Pouākai and 85 against Whai in their last two outings.
Mo Mullings has been central to that improvement.
She has scored 25 and 17 in her last two outings and is shooting 50 percent from the field for the season.
Brugler remains the team’s leading scorer at 15.4 points, while Bollmann is contributing in all categories with 14.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists.
Will this lift be enough to stay with a team that has as many weapons as the Queens?
The Queens hope the addition of Monroe will make the rematch feel completely different.
Brugler and Mullings caused significant problems inside in the first game.
Brugler finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Mullings added 15 and eight. Monroe was not part of the Queens roster at that stage, making the interior an area of concern.
But the arrival of the 6’5” big gives Tokomanawa a genuine interior defender and rebounder who is finding her feet quickly.
The Queens still sit last in rebounding margin at -10.8 per game, but Monroe has helped close that gap.
Her battle with Brugler and Mullings will be a key factor in the outcome of the game.
Krystal is putting together an extraordinary playmaking season.
She averages 10.6 assists per game after producing 53 assists through five appearances.
The Queens as a team average just 10.4 turnovers and lead Tauihi with a +4.6 turnover margin and 2.17 assist-to-turnover ratio, thanks in large part to the guidance of their point guard.
That becomes particularly relevant against Kāhu.
The Kāhu can be disruptive defensively, averaging 9.6 steals while maintaining a positive turnover margin.
If Krystal can control the tempo and consistently get Tokomanawa into their offence, the Queens have enough scoring around her to put enormous pressure on Kāhu.
The teams the Kāhu beat earlier in the year bears little resemblance to the current roster..
Tokomanawa added Charlisse and Van Lith on the perimeter and Monroe on the block, providing the very size and firepower that was missing the first time around.
The Queens average nine made threes per game and shoot 33 percent from deep while the Kāhu are allowing opponents to shoot 35 percent from three, the second highest mark in the league.
Charlisse has made 13 triples through four appearances, Mikesell has hit 14 and Krystal is shooting 40 percent from outside.
This means the Aucklanders cannot afford to collapse too aggressively on Monroe to limit her impact down low without leaving those shooters unattended.
If the Kāhu can find a way to control the boards and limit the looks on the perimeter they will be one step closer to win number three. If not, the Queens will likely break through for the first time this year.
Both sides have been involved in tight games.
Kāhu found a way to finish against Whai.
The Queens have repeatedly come close without quite getting over the line.
Tokomanawa led Hoiho entering the fourth, were level with Whai with five minutes remaining and were within one possession of Pouākai in the final moments.
Those experiences should make this another fascinating late-game test if it is tight down the stretch again. If the scores are close entering the final five minutes, Kāhu will have confidence from last weekend but the Queens will believe they are overdue.
We'll get to see which matters more.
This is a premium two-way matchup.
Charlisse averages 25.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 42 percent from three.
Bollmann is one of the leagues most versatile defenders and averages 14.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and three steals.
Kāhu need Bollmann to make Charlisse work without taking away from everything else she provides them on the offensive end of the court.
Tokomanawa will look to use Charlisse’s size and shot creation to attack wherever they can find an advantage.
This matchup changes the complexion of the rematch.
Brugler leads Kāhu at 15.4 points per game, and in the first match scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as she dominated physically to get to the free throw line for 18 attempts in the first meeting.
Monroe was not there.
She enters Sunday averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 64 percent from the field.
Both players want to establish themselves around the basket.
Whichever side can do that and win this battle will dictate the rebounding and paint scoring for two teams in desperate need of both.
Two point guards with very different responsibilities required by their teams.
Dalton is charged with organising Kāhu, applying defensive pressure and getting Northern into their half-court actions.
Krystal is the engine of the Queens offence.
She is averaging a league-leading 10.6 assists and has an assist-to-turnover profile that has helped Tokomanawa become the best ball-security team in the competition.
Dalton’s ability to disrupt Krystal without picking up unnecessary fouls will be crucial, but if KLW is able to operate freely then the Queens offence will find a higher level.
| Category | Kāhu | Queens |
|---|---|---|
| Points | Talya Brugler, 15.4 | Charlisse Leger-Walker, 25.3 |
| Rebounds | Erin Bollmann, 6.8 | Jacinta Monroe, 10.0 |
| Assists | Erin Bollmann, 5.4 | Krystal Leger-Walker, 10.6 |
| Steals | Erin Bollmann, 3.0 | Jacinta Monroe, 4.0 |
| Blocks | Erin Bollmann, 1.8 | Grace Hunter, 0.6 |
| FG% | Kayla Manuirirangi, 53% | Jacinta Monroe, 64% |
| 3P% | Kayla Manuirirangi, 50% | Grace Hunter, 43% |
| 3PM | Megan Mullings, 1 pg | Charlisse Leger-Walker, 3.3 pg |
| Category | Kāhu | Queens |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 2-3 | 0-5 |
| Points | 74.6, 5th | 79.2, 2nd |
| Points Allowed | 81.2, 3rd | 90.0, 5th |
| Scoring Margin | -6.6, 4th | -10.8, 5th |
| FG% | 40%, 5th | 41%, 4th |
| Defensive FG% | 44%, 4th | 46%, 5th |
| 3P% | 26%, 5th | 33%, 3rd |
| 3P% Defence | 35%, 4th | 36%, 5th |
| FT% | 75%, 3rd | 74%, 4th |
| Rebounding Margin | -3.4, 4th | -10.8, 5th |
| Assists | 19.4, 4th | 22.6, 2nd |
| Turnover Margin | +1.4, 3rd | +4.6, 1st |
| Steals | 9.6, 3rd | 10.0, 2nd |
| Blocks | 3.2, 2nd | 2.0, 5th |
| Assist/Turnover | 1.39, 3rd | 2.17, 1st |
The Queens now own the second-best offence in Tauihi, lead the league in turnover margin and assist-to-turnover ratio and have become increasingly difficult to defend.
However, there remain issues to solve at the other end of the court.
Tokomanawa rank last in scoring defence, defensive field-goal percentage and rebounding margin.
Kāhu have an opportunity to attack those areas while continuing the offensive improvement they have shown across the last two rounds.
But they have issues of their own to solve on both ends of the court, sitting 2nd last in rebound margin, fg% def, 3pfg% def and last in fg% and 3pointers made.
The Rapid League matchup brings together the competition’s only unbeaten team and a Queens side coming off a road win.
Kāhu are a perfect 5-0 and have dominated at both ends of the floor.
Northern lead Rapid League in scoring at 38.2 points per game and defence at just 23.4 points allowed, giving them a massive +14.8 scoring margin.
The Queens sit at 2-3 after defeating Pouākai 28-22 on Friday.
Tokomanawa average 27.4 points, third in Rapid League, and rank second defensively at 27.4 points allowed.
The first meeting went Kāhu’s way 35-27.
Shanique Lucas led Northern with 14 points, while Nahala Toeleiu scored 15 for the Queens.
Both remain important pieces heading into the rematch.
Toeleiu leads Rapid League at 9.6 points per game.
For Kāhu, Sienna Maurice averages 8.3 points, Lucas 7.0 and Emily Monaghan 6.8.
Northern’s biggest advantage has been possession.
They lead Rapid League in assists, steals and turnover margin, turning the ball over only 5.2 times per game while forcing opponents into 10.6.
The Queens have also improved in that area and rank second in both steals and turnover margin.
If Tokomanawa can slow the pace and take care of the ball, they have a chance to make this far closer than Kāhu’s season numbers would suggest.
Kāhu enter Sunday with serious momentum on their homecourt.
A huge win has changed the feel of their season and their offence may have found another level.
Brugler remains productive, Mullings is in her best form of the year and Bollmann continues to influence every part of the game.
Across the floor is a Queens team whose record does not reflect how competitive they have become.
Tokomanawa have lost three consecutive games by a combined 11 points.
Charlisse Leger-Walker is one of the league’s premier scorers, Krystal Leger-Walker is controlling games as a distributor and Monroe has immediately changed the equation inside.
Kāhu won the first meeting.
The Queens have changed considerably since then.
Sunday is an opportunity for Kāhu to climb back to .500 and put some distance between themselves and the biggest challenger for the fourth and final post season position.
For Tokomanawa, it is another chance to turn progress into the result they have been chasing all season. But if the Queens want to change progress into results the time to act is now.
If they wait, it may be too late.
