photo credit Blake Armstrong
When Dunedin’s star Tall Fern Zoe Richards stepped out for the ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens at the 3X3 Cup in late 2023 there were a few heart flutters amongst Southern Hoiho fans, but fear not, the prospect of the rising forward leaving her home base was never in question.
A constant for the Hoiho since the inception of Tauihi back in 2022, the ever-smiling Richards is more than just the glue that holds the southerners together, she is a bona-fide star who loves coming home to play, as evidenced by claiming the competition’s most improved player award in 2023.
The 186-centiemtre forward turns 27 on the day the 2024 Tauihi season tips-off, October 4, a day she will celebrate with her twin sister, Brittany.
Of course, if she has written up a wish list of birthday presents you can be sure a Hoiho win on her birthday night against the Tokomanawa Queens will be top of the page. It sums up her ‘team first’ approach to the game she has loved from the moment she picked up a ball.
Across every statistic, Richards boomed in 2023 compared to 2022 – her Tauihi averages jumping to 16.6 points (up from 7.3), 9.3 rebounds (up from 5.5), 1.6 assists (up from 1), 1.6 steals (up from 1.1), free throws at 72.3% (up from 61.5%) and field goals at 51.4% (up from 30.4%).
With those numbers, no wonder she won the most improved player trophy.
After being off the pace in the competition’s inaugural season, 2023 was one of progress for the Hoiho, a move into the finals where Richards dropped double-doubles in both games (semi-final and playoff for third), performances her team needed given the untimely absence of injured star import Ashten Prechtel.
Her relentless running and courage are trademarks. Some might say her lack of fear in the contest needs to be tempered for her own safety, but it’s a natural asset that she should never let go of, a badge other players should crave to wear.
Richards has travelled the world, highlighting the global nature of the game she loves. A collegiate career amassing 100-plus games, pro stints in West Australia, Luxembourg and Hobart, and already 24 games with the Hoiho. It’s a career that has years still to run.
And then of course there are the Tall Ferns, which started with a debut against Japan back in 2019. Ask Richards about playing for her country and her face instantly lights up. It feels like wearing the black singlet if her happy place, though to be fair rarely does she look anything but happy on a basketball court.
As Tauihi rises and becomes a recognised pro league for players, which comes with the adulation of young Kiwis aiming for the stars by watching the stars, it’s a platform where Richards shines brighter than most. Ensuring she is accessible to young fans is a given, not an expectation – and that’s what makes her such a great role model. Reserving time for the kids isn’t a disruption, it’s a priority.
Despite her travels around the world, coming home is always a buzz for Richards. You can take the girl out of Dunedin, but you’ll never take Dunedin out of the girl. Her love for her local digs is supreme. She’s a Hoiho player through and through.
Season 2024 will see so many changes across Tauihi, a lift in talent is expected with higher player wages and increased roster spots for internationals, but amongst it all you can mark it down with great certainty that Richards will not only shine brightly, but she will be one of the most admired players in the competition for her competitiveness and never-say-die attitude.
Coach Todd Marshall will be the first in line to applaud the heroics of his team leader. The willingness of Richards to push above and beyond is unique, she is a gut-runner to the point of sheer exhaustion, just the sort of competitor Marshall wants leading his team from the front.
When kids today are looking for a local hero to look up to, the young hoopers in Dunedin have one of the best.
Simply put, Zoe Richards the heartbeat of the Hoiho.
