Round Seven continues in Tauranga on Sunday afternoon as The Northern Group Tauranga Whai host ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens at QEYC.
Whai return home looking to arrest a three-game slide as a difficult stretch has seen them slide from top of the table to fourth on the ladder.
Their latest loss came to the Pouākai, where the visitors created separation before halftime and Whai were unable to recover despite strong performances from Laina Snyder, Emme Shearer and Patricia Brossmann.
For the Queens, the sense of urgency is palpable.
Tokomanawa remain in search of their first win, and BNZ Northern Kāhu’s victory over Pouākai on Friday night has increased the gap to the top four and finals qualification.
Kāhu now hold a three-win advantage over the Queens in the Tauihi win column, while their unbeaten Rapid League side provides a significant boost.
If Tokomanawa want to force their way back into the Final Four race, the wins need to start coming now.
They could hardly have gone closer last weekend, leading Southern Hoiho inside the final seconds before Julie Wojta scored the go-ahead basket with half a second remaining.
Taylor Mikesell led the scoring, Penina Davidson made an immediate impact in her season debut and Krystal Leger-Walker again controlled the flow of the offence.
There is another major change this weekend, with reigning Tauihi MVP Kristy Wallace returning to the Queens roster in place of the departed Hailey Van Lith.
Wallace was central to Tokomanawa’s run to the 2025 regular-season crown, averaging 19.9 points and 6.6 assists while shooting 44 percent from three. Her return gives the Queens another proven creator who already knows Tania Tupu’s system.
She'll join the recently arrived Davidson in a new look lineup while both teams may look different in the post.
The Whai won the first meeting in Porirua, but this Queens group now looks considerably different.
Can the defending champions rediscover their winning form at home, or will Tokomanawa claim the victory they desperately need to ignite their Final Four chase?
When: Sunday 8 November
Where: Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre, Tauranga
Rapid League: 2:00pm
Tauihi: 3:00pm
Watch Live: Sky Sport 1 and TikTok LIVE in New Zealand, ESPN+ in the United States and FIBA YouTube everywhere else internationally
Commentary: Nathan and Lindsay
Box Score Here
Buy Tickets Here
Whai list Emme Shearer, Laina Snyder, Ashlee Strawbridge, Nicolette Gilday and Carla Pitman as their likely starting five.
Eva Langton, Maya Taingahue, Carly Ohia, Riley McClenaghan, Emilee Tahata, Charis Broughton and Shamar Broughton make up the Rapid League group.
Patty Brossmann is away on national duties, while Sophie Rogers is unavailable with a nose injury.
The Queens list Krystal Leger-Walker, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Taylor Mikesell, Penina Davidson and Jacinta Monroe as their likely starting five.
Monroe is questionable with injury.
Reigning Tauihi MVP Kristy Wallace has been added, stepping back into the roster in place of Hailey Van Lith.
Wallace averaged 19.9 points, 6.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 44 percent from three in 2025, leading Tokomanawa to the regular-season crown before being named league MVP.
Grace Hunter, Ameia Williams, Alaska Rhebok, Jade Kirisome, Hana Lacey-Rameka and Nahala Toeleiu make up the Rapid League group.
Whai claimed a five-point win when the teams first met in Porirua.
The Queens made the stronger start and carried a narrow advantage into halftime behind Charlisse Leger-Walker and Taylor Mikesell.
Whai gradually took control after the break, with Shearer, Snyder and Brossmann providing the balance required to turn the game.
Charlisse led Tokomanawa with 31 points and eight rebounds, while Mikesell added 23.
For Whai, Shearer scored 22, Snyder produced 19 points and 12 rebounds and Brossmann added 14 points and 16 boards.
Leading Players
Queens: Charlisse Leger-Walker (31P, 8R, 4A), Taylor Mikesell (23P, 6R), Jacinta Monroe (12P, 8R)
Whai: Emme Shearer (22P, 5R, 3A), Laina Snyder (19P, 12R, 4A), Patricia Brossmann (14P, 16R, 2A)
Whai’s losing run reached three games after the Pouākai proved too strong in Tauranga.
The new look Pouākai squad was powerfull offenseively as Mosqueda-Lewis and Dale lead from the front to create the decisive separation during the second quarter as the Whai were unable to recover despite lifting after halftime.
Snyder finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Shearer added 17 points and eight rebounds.
Leading Players
Whai: Laina Snyder (18P, 8R, 4A, 3S), Emme Shearer (17P, 8R, 2A, 2S), Patricia Brossmann (13P, 10R, 2A, 2S)
Pouākai: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (28P, 5R, 3A), McKenna Dale (24P, 8R, 5A), Mikayla Vaughn (11P, 8R, 3A)
For the second time this season, Hoiho broke Queens hearts in the closing seconds.
Tokomanawa moved one point ahead late before Paige Bradley attacked the basket and found Wojta for the go-ahead finish with 0.5 seconds remaining.
Mikesell finished with 22 points, Davidson scored 18 in her return, while Charlisse added 17 points and eight rebounds.
Leading Players
Queens: Taylor Mikesell (22P), Penina Davidson (18P, 6R), Charlisse Leger-Walker (17P, 8R, 3A)
Hoiho: Lil Dart (23P, 4R, 4A), Paige Bradley (21P, 4R, 13A), Julie Wojta (14P, 6R, 2A, 2S, 2B)
Tokomanawa can no longer afford to simply point to encouraging performances.
They have to have wins.
Kāhu’s victory over Pouākai on Friday moved the squad equal with the Whai at three wins clear of the Queens in the Tauihi win column, while their unbeaten Rapid League side has created further separation.
The Queens have repeatedly been within touching distance, with their last four losses coming by a combined 12 points.
Now those performances have to become victories.
Wallace’s return, Davidson’s presence inside and a perimeter group featuring Krystal Leger-Walker, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Mikesell give Tokomanawa the tools to make a run.
The margin for error, if there still is one, has shrunk considerably.
Three straight losses have changed the shape of Whai’s season, as they now sit behind the Kāhu on the ladder in fourth positiion on points percentage.
The defending champions still own one of the best defensive profiles in Tauihi, sitting second in scoring defence and first in both defensive field-goal percentage and three-point percentage defence.
The challenge has been at the other end.
Whai rank fifth in scoring, making an efficient start from Shearer and Snyder particularly important. If the duo aren't firing then buckets will be at a premium, leaving the question who can step up in support?
The 2025 MVP gives the another proven creator who can also fill it up on the perimeter.
Wallace averaged 19.9 points and 6.6 assists last season while shooting 44 percent from three.
Her familiarity with the system should help the Queens integrate her quickly, and her ability to handle the ball could also reduce some of the playmaking load on Krystal.
How Tania Tupu intergrates Wallace alongside Krystal, Charlisse and Mikesell will be key for a team that has to hit its stride immediatetly.
Davidson immediately showed why her return matters for the Queens, scoring 18 points against Hoiho. Her presence becomes even more important with Monroe questionable.
Whai will be without Brossmann, leaving Snyder with an even greater responsibility on the glass and on the block on both ends of the court.
That frontcourt battle will be decisive, but the Queens would get a palpable boost if Monroe is able to suit up.
Charlisse Leger-Walker enters Sunday second in Tauihi scoring average at 23.6 points per game and topped 30 in the first meeting.
Whai, however, have held opponents to just 29 percent from three, the best mark in Tauihi, and held Leger-Walker to 3-10 from deep in the initial matchup.
How Whai contain Charlisse, and the rest of the Queens shooters, without opening opportunities for Mikesell, Wallace and Davidson will be an early indicator of how this game could finish.
Whai currently sit fourth in turnover margin at -3.0 per game.
Without Patty Brossman in the lineup to bolster the offensive glass to create possesions the Whai will need to be even more precious with the ball.
The Queens sit second at +3.2.
Tokomanawa protect possessions well and now add another experienced ball-handler in Wallace, but inserting a player who has proven to be MVP calibre with the ball in hand could come with some growing pains.
Neither team can afford to give away transition opportunities through live-ball turnovers and both will need to impact the offensive glass to even the equation if they do.
Two of the competition’s premier scorers.
Shearer averages 19.3 points while shooting 50 percent from the field.
Charlisse averages 23.6 points and scored 31 in the first meeting.
Charlisse averages 23.6 points and shoots 46 percent from the field.
Both can score from deep, attack closeouts and create their own shot late in possessions.
Their first meeting produced 53 combined points.
Another high-scoring duel would not surprise, but who gets the edge could influence the winner.
Two experienced forwards capable of controlling the game around the basket.
Snyder leads Tauihi in rebounding and is also Whai’s second-leading scorer but Whai may need Snyder’s rebounding even more with Brossmann overseas.
Davidson returned with 18 points and six rebounds against Hoiho but may take on an even bigger role if Monroe cannot play.
This could become the most physical matchup on the floor and will be instrumental on the rebound equation.
Two primary organisers who need to keep the offence humming.
Gilday leads Whai with 4.7 assists per game and owns a strong 2.36 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Krystal is operating at another level as a distributor, leading the league with 11.3 assists with an even more impressive 4.00 ratio.
Whai need Gilday to maintain control against Tokomanawa’s pressure.
The Queens can thrive when Krystal dictates where and how the game is played.
Wallace’s return impacts the perimeter rotation immediately and the ability to hit the ground running could be a determining factor on the Queens finals chances.
She can initiate offence, play away from the ball and punish defenders from three, and at her best she has already proven to be MVP level.
Whai now have to manage assignments across Wallace, Krystal, Charlisse and Mikesell, a very different challenge from the first meeting, but one that must be met if the Whai want to hold off their pursuers.
| Category | Whai | Queens |
|---|---|---|
| Points | Emme Shearer, 19.3 | Charlisse Leger-Walker, 23.6 |
| Rebounds | Laina Snyder, 11.9 | Jacinta Monroe, 9.0 |
| Assists | Nicci Gilday, 4.7 | Krystal Leger-Walker, 11.3 |
| Steals | Laina Snyder, 2.3 | Krystal Leger-Walker, 2.8 |
| FG% | Emme Shearer, 50% | Jacinta Monroe, 69% |
| 3P% | Emme Shearer, 40% | Charlisse Leger-Walker, 38% (Davidson 1-1) |
| 3PM | Emme Shearer, 2.0 pg | Taylor Mikesell, 3.2 pg |
| Category | Whai | Queens |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 3-4 | 0-6 |
| Points | 75.7, 5th | 79.5, 3rd |
| Points Allowed | 76.9, 2nd | 88.7, 5th |
| Scoring Margin | -1.1, 3rd | -9.2, 5th |
| FG% | 42%, 5th | 43%, 3rd |
| Defensive FG% | 42%, 1st | 46%, 5th |
| 3P% | 34%, 2nd | 33%, 3rd |
| 3P% Defence | 29%, 1st | 35%, 5th |
| FT% | 75%, 2nd | 74%, 3rd |
| Rebounding Margin | 0.0, 2nd | -8.8, 5th |
| Assists | 18.7, 5th | 22.7, 2nd |
| Turnover Margin | -3.0, 4th | +3.2, 2nd |
| Steals | 8.6, 4th | 8.8, 3rd |
| Assist/Turnover | 1.22, 4th | 2.03, 1st |
Tokomanawa sit at 3-3 and enter with significant momentum after scoring an equal Rapid League-record 53 points against Hoiho.
Ameia Williams scored 14 in that win, Hana Lacey-Rameka added 12 and Alaska Rhebok finished with 11.
They join Nahala Toeleiu, who leads the Queens at 8.8 points per game, giving Tokomanawa considerably more scoring depth than they showed early in the season.
Whai sit at 3-4 and are led by Shamar Broughton at 7.7 points per game, with Eva Langton close behind at 7.4.
Whai’s biggest advantage comes on the glass, where they lead Rapid League with a +5.1 rebounding margin.
The Queens counter with better ball movement and defensive pressure, ranking second in assists, steals and turnover margin.
If Whai control the glass, they have a clear route to success.
If the Queens create turnovers and get the game moving, their improving offensive depth becomes difficult to contain.
Snyder enters Sunday on 655 career Tauihi points.
She needs 15 to move past Ilmar’l Thomas and into second on the all-time scoring list, behind only McKenna Dale.
She has already become the first player to reach 400 career Tauihi rebounds.
Davidson sits on 546 career points and needs eight to pass Stella Beck and move into seventh on the all-time scoring list.
Krystal’s 15 assists against Hoiho gave her two of the top four single-game assist performances in Tauihi history this season, after previously recording 16 against Whai.
Whai need to stop their slide. while the Queens need a breakthrough, and increasingly, they need it now.
The Kāhu win over Pouākai on Friday has increased the pressure on the Final Four race, giving the Whai and Kāhu a three-win advantage over the Queens in the Tauihi win column, before taking into account the significant Kāhu boost over both teams provided by their unbeaten Rapid League side.
The Queens cannot control what Kāhu do from here.
They can control whether they begin putting wins of their own on the board while keeping the Whai from increasing the distance.
There are plenty of reasons to believe they are capable.
Charlisse gives them elite scoring. Krystal controls the offence. Mikesell stretches the floor. Davidson strengthens the frontcourt.
And now the reigning league MVP is back.
For Whai, Sunday is an opportunity to halt a three-game losing run and protect their own position in the post-season race.
For the Queens, the chase for the Final Four may need to start now if it is going to start at all.
