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YTT: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow – Round 2

photo credit: Brad John

One game down, two games to go. Here's where we sit with R2 underway.

YESTERDAY

The BNZ Northern Kāhu outlasted The Northern Group Tauranga Whai last night in a physical battle that drew 52 fouls and resulted in a whopping 68 free throws at the Chemist Warehouse stripe. Just 3 points separated the teams at the half, and the Whai trailed 64-65 with just over 7 minutes to play in the last, but a 15-1 run over the next 4 minutes put the game to bed.

Tahlia Tupaea and Iimar'I Thomas led the way for the Kāhu, while Ashley Joens (29 points) filled it up again for the Whai before leaving late in the game with an ankle tweak.

The two key stories out of the game were:

1. Physicality - there didn't look to be much love lost in this clash, especially between Tahlia Tupaea and Laina Snyder who tangled a few times. In fact, Tupaea got under the skin of a few Whai players. It was a busy night for the Qoin Officials with 52 fouls being dished out.
2. Injuries - Megan Mullings (Kāhu) didn't suit-up due to a knee injury and there is a strong watch on her going forward as it looks a little more menacing than what the Kāhu may have hoped. Meanwhile, the Whai can't catch a trick when it comes to injuries - already without Mikayla Cowling (foot) and Morgan Yaeger (broken wrist), the Whai coaching staff must have been looking for the black cat when star American Ashley Joens left the game late after rolling her ankle. 

TODAY

We head to the deep south today where the Southern Hoiho and ProBuild ITM Mainland Pouākai both look for their first win of the season. Despite two losses on the road last week the Hoiho were competitive though shot poorly, while unfortunately it was a little worse for the Pouākai after they suffered a large defeat in Tauranga.

The Pouākai possess a very solid starting unit and coach Paul Flynn will be hoping they gel a bit better in this game, but the key match-up could feature two Kiwis with Zoe Richards (Hoiho) and Esra McGoldrick (Pouākai) set to lock horns.

A key watch will be on Hoiho star guards Paige Bradley and Ahlise Hurst, who haven't clicked together at the same time yet, both suffering from inconsistency in R1. Bradley and Hurst form a big part of this team and must get going in unison for the Hoiho to maximise their chances,

It might only be round 2, but with everyone already talking about the Queens, Whai and Kāhu as the teams to beat this season, neither the Hoiho nor Pouākai want to be too far from the same conversation. 

Expect tonight's game to be one of early-season desperation.

TOMORROW

The G.J. Gardner Homes Tauihi competition may only be just over 70 games old since its inception in 2022, but the rivalry already built between the ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens and BNZ Northern Kāhu is extreme. The two teams have already clashed in the competition's only two grand finals, each team taking a championship each, which has no doubt increased the tension.

It seems like every game between the Queens and Kāhu has an added storyline, and this time around it's our first look at WNBA star Jordan Horston who arrived in Wellington on Friday morning and will suit-up for her first game with the Queens.

Horston is elite, her current 76-game stretch with the Seattle Storm is more than enough evidence, and though it may take her a week or two to find her legs after travelling halfway around the world, the fans will be out in force on Sunday afternoon to get their first glimpse of the highest-ever WNBA drafted player to visit Aotearoa.

A massive crowd is expected in Porirua and will likely be a new Tauihi record attendance haul.