photo credit: Blake Armstrong
In Sky Broadband Rapid League Round 3 action The Northern Group Tauranga Whai completed a successful road trip with victories in Dunedin against Southern Hoiho and in the capital against ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens. The other winner in the round was fellow table toppers, BNZ Northern Kāhu. Go through those games in detail and everything else that you need to know as Mike Lacey takes you through this week's Rapid Wrap
ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens v The Northern Group Tauranga Whai
Despite trailing at quarter time The Northern Group Tauranga Whai outscored ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens 30-10 over the remainder of the contest to prevail 39-24 and racking up their highest Rapid score in the process.
Both teams scored with their first possession’s – Sophie Rogers with a corner three for the Whai and Alana Paewai for the Queens. Lauryn Hippolite scored five straight points midway through the period enabling the hosts to carry an 11-9 lead into the quarter time break.
Eva Langton, against her former club, made a couple of scores in the second as the Whai turned around with a 19-14 lead.
Seven points from Tall Fern McKenna Dale in the third frame swung the game decisively in the way of Whai; 29-15 the advantage to the Tauranga outfit with four minutes to play.
The hosts made a mini-run courtesy of Keriana-Marie Hippolite in the fourth but Sophie Rogers made her fourth trey – from just six attempts – to see off any threat of a revival and condemn the Queens to a third straight defeat.
Final Score:
ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens 24 – Paewai 5pts, L Hippolite 5pts/5rebs, K Hippolite 5pts
The Northern Group Tauranga Whai 39 – S Rogers 14pts, Dale 9pts/5rebs, Smiler 7pts
Haswell Timber Mainland Pouākai v BNZ Northern Kāhu
On the back of 13 points from Bailey Flavell (13 points) and an outstanding all-court performance from Azure Anderson (11 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks) BNZ Northern Kāhu recorded a third straight win as they defeated Haswell Timber Mainland Pouākai 36-24 at Cowles Stadium, Christchurch on Saturday.
With Maddie Timms opening the scoring the Pouākai had made the better start as they forged a 6-0 lead and with Ash Strawbridge adding points either side of quarter time the hosts were out to an 11-4 advantage.
However from there it was largely all Kāhu. Chloe Forster and Flavell combined for nine straight points and although Strawbridge landed a triple Anderson replied in kind to give Kāhu a 16-14 lead at the interval.
Anderson continued her good scoring form in the third as Kāhu took a firm grip on the contest in establishing a double figure lead (24-14).
Strawbridge and Tara Manumaleuga nailed triples for the Mainlanders in the fourth but Flavell’s 9 points in the period closed out a comfortable Kāhu victory.
Final Score:
Haswell Timber Mainland Pouākai 24 – Strawbridge 11pts/5rebs, Manumaleuga 7pts/3assists
BNZ Northern Kāhu 36 – Flavell 13pts, Anderson 11pts/4rebs/4steals/2blks
Southern Hoiho v The Northern Group Tauranga Whai
Northern Group Tauranga Whai demonstrated their partiality for the three-ball as they defeated Southern Hoiho 36-28 at the Edgar Centre on Sunday.
Approaching three quarter time the scores were knotted at 21 points apiece and the Whai had made just 1 from 15 three-point attempts at just 7%.
Undeterred by those numbers they continued their blitz from deep and that policy played dividends as Eva Langton and Kaylee Smiler (twice each) and Sophie Rogers drained shots from behind the arc. Those successes made for a 15-5 run and delivered the Whai a second win in three days.
Early on a scooped layup from Langton, the game’s top scorer with 13 points, was the pick of the action as Whai developed a 7-5 lead.
Tyler Mitchell drained her second three of the opening half but it was an Anika Hyland triple that separated the two teams at the interval – Whai ahead 16-14.
Former BYU standout Kaylee Smiler (10 points) added to the Whai advantage before And-1 plays from Chelsea D’Angelo and Allyah Dunn tied proceedings in the shadows of three-quarter time.
From there it was the Whai’s potency from deep that prevailed.
Final Score:
Southern Hoiho 28 – Mitchell 7pts, Dunn 7pts
The Northern Group Tauranga Whai 36 – Langton 13pts, Smiler 10pts, Kuka 6rebs
Rapid Express
The 39 points from Whai in the 15-point win against Queens was the highest Rapid League score by the Tauranga club.
Rapid Fire
Teenagers were to the fore again as Sophie Rogers (14 points) and Bailey Flavell (13 points) top scored for the Whai and Kāhu respectively as they registered decisive away victories.
Rapid Leading Scorers (total score)
37 Steph Bairstow (Kāhu)
32 Sophie Rogers (Whai)
31 Tyler Mitchell (Hoiho)
30 Bailey Flavell (Kāhu)
29 Chelsea D’Angelo (Hoiho)
28 Eva Langton (Whai)
27 Azure Anderson (Kāhu)
Rapid Leading Rebounders (total rebounds)
18 Aliyah Dunn (Hoiho)
16 Chelsea D’Angelo (Hoiho)
16 Millie Simpson (Hoiho)
15 McKenna Dale (Whai)
14 Steph Bairstow (Kāhu)
14 Eliana Tuaiti (Kāhu)
14 Azure Anderson (Kāhu)
13 Eva Langton (Whai)
Sky Broadband Rapid League Standings after Round 3
3-1 Northern Kāhu, Tauranga Whai
2-2 Southern Hoiho
1-2 Mainland Pouākai
0-3 Tokomanawa Queens
