The race for the Final Four takes centre stage on Thursday night when BNZ Northern Kāhu host ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens at Eventfinda Stadium.
Originally scheduled earlier in the season before being postponed, the game returns to the calendar with post season implications riding on it.
Kāhu and The Northern Group Tauranga Whai currently sit on three wins, while the Queens are trying to chase one of them down after breaking through for their first victory of the season on Sunday.
That makes Thursday a genuine swing game.
A Kāhu win would move Northern to 4-4 and open a two-win advantage over the Queens with just two rounds left to play.
A Queens victory would move them to 2-6 and leave them just one win behind both Kāhu and Whai, with games still to be played against both opponents.
With points percentage the first and only tiebreaker, every result, and every point, is becoming increasingly important.
Both sides arrive riding waves of momentum
Kāhu produced one of their best performances of the season last Friday night, defeating ProcureX Mainland Pouākai behind a balanced offensive display from Megan Mullings, Tayla Dalton, Erin Bollmann and Ella Fotu.
The Queens then delivered the most emphatic performance of their season on Sunday, beating Tauranga Whai for their first win.
The return of reigning MVP Kristy Wallace immediately added another dimension to the Tokomanawa backcourt, while Taylor Mikesell exploded for 29 points and nine three-pointers.
The first meeting between Kāhu and Queens went Northern’s way, after Kāhu overcame an early double-digit deficit in Porirua.
Now, with the Final Four race tightening, the stakes are considerably higher.
When: Thursday 12 November
Where: Eventfinda Stadium, Auckland
Tip-off: 7:00pm
Watch Live: Sky Sport in New Zealand, ESPN+ in the United States and FIBA YouTube everywhere else internationally
Commentary: Maia Williamson and Casey Frank
Rapid League: The Rapid League game will not be replayed
Box Score Here
Buy Tickets Here
Kāhu list Talya Brugler, Ella Fotu, Megan Mullings, captain Tayla Dalton and Erin Bollmann as their expected starting five.
Kayla Manuirirangi, Emily Monaghan, Shanique Lucas, Azure Anderson, Olivia Williams, Sienna Maurice and Imani Rasmussen are available off the bench.
The Queens list Krystal Leger-Walker, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Taylor Mikesell, Penina Davidson and Jacinta Monroe as their expected starting five.
Reigning Tauihi MVP Kristy Wallace, Grace Hunter, Jade Kirisome, Alaska Rhebok, Hana Lacey-Rameka and Briarley Rogers are also available for the Queens off the bench.
Aria Cowley is unavailable due to NZ 3x3 selection, Stella Beck and Matangiroa Flavell are not selected, while Nahala Toeleiu and Ameia Williams are unavailable for personal reasons.
The first meeting was a game of two distinctly different halves that took place way back in round 1.
The Queens made a flying start in Porirua, racing to a 22-13 first-quarter lead behind Taylor Mikesell and Krystal Leger-Walker.
Kāhu steadily worked their way back into the game before taking control during a dominant third quarter.
Northern outscored Tokomanawa 21-10 in the period, with Talya Brugler, Megan Mullings, Tayla Dalton and Erin Bollmann helping turn the game.
The Queens fought back late, but Kāhu held their nerve to secure the six-point victory.
Mikesell finished with 22 points for Tokomanawa, while Krystal produced 18 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
Brugler led Kāhu with 20 points and 10 rebounds, Mullings added 15 points and eight boards and Bollmann finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and four 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), Megan Mullings (15P, 8R, 2A), Erin Bollmann (10P, 7R, 4A)
Kāhu produced one of their most complete performances of the season to defeat the Pouākai in Auckland.
They raced to a 13-1 advantage before Pouākai gradually worked their way back into the contest through the middle two quarters.
Mainland threatened again during the fourth, but Kāhu responded with a decisive run, highlighted by a barrage of three-pointers from Ella Fotu en route to a career high 15, all scored on triples.
Mullings led with 23 points and nine rebounds, Dalton added 22 points and seven assists, while Bollmann produced 21 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, just shy of the first triple double in Tauihi history.
Leading Players
Kāhu: Megan Mullings (23P, 9R), Tayla Dalton (22P, 3R, 7A, 3S), Erin Bollmann (21P, 12R, 9A, 3S), Ella Fotu (15P, 5 3PM)
Pouākai: Morgan Yaeger (24P), Allysyn Becki (17P, 10R, 5A, 2S), Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (17P, 7R, 2A)
After six consecutive losses, the Queens broke through in emphatic fashion.
The return of Wallace had an immediate impact, with Tokomanawa producing their most dominant performance of the season.
The Queens broke the game open with a 29-11 second quarter and never looked back.
Mikesell led the way with 29 points and nine made threes, Davidson produced 18 points and 11 rebounds and Krystal added 13 points, six assists and a remarkable 10 steals.
Wallace finished with 12 points, four rebounds and six assists in her first game back.
Leading Players
Queens: Taylor Mikesell (29P, 9 3PM), Penina Davidson (18P, 11R, 4A), Krystal Leger-Walker (13P, 6A, 10S)
Whai: Laina Snyder (15P, 13R, 5A, 2S, 2B), Nicolette Gilday (15P, 3S), Emme Shearer (12P, 9R)
Thursday will have a major impact on the shape of the bottom half of the standings.
Kāhu enter at 3-4, level with Whai in the win column. The Queens sit at 1-6.
If Northern win, they improve to 4-4 and create a two-win gap over Tokomanawa and keep themselves in the chase for a top two seed and the home court advantage that comes with it.
If the Queens win, they improve to 2-6 and will sit only one win behind both Kāhu and Whai, with each team having played eight games and one more game to come against each squad.
For Kāhu, this is an opportunity to create genuine separation.
For the Queens, it is a chance to turn Sunday’s breakthrough into the beginning of a late-season push before its too late.
Tokomanawa have threatened offensively throughout the season but never seemed to hit their stride for long.
On Sunday, everything finally came together.
The Queens now rank second in Tauihi scoring at 82.0 points per game, first in three-point percentage at 37 percent and second in assists at 23.1 per game.
They also lead the competition with a 2.03 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Wallace’s return gives Tania Tupu another elite creator alongside Krystal and Charlisse Leger-Walker.
Mikesell provides one of the competition’s most dangerous perimeter threats, while Davidson and Monroe give the Queens size inside.
The 97-point performance against Whai showed what that combination can look like when it clicks but leaves the question, can they do it again?
The Kāhu do not have one scorer carrying the offence.
Bollmann averages 15.0 points, Brugler 14.6 and Mullings 14.4, while Dalton contributes 11.7 along with 4.3 assists. That balance was on full display against Pouākai.
Four Kāhu players scored at least 15 points and three scored 20 or more.
Bollmann remains central to almost everything they do. She averages 15 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists while also sitting among the league leaders in steals and blocks, but if she is the sole weapon firing it will be difficult for the Kāhu to keep pace.
When Kāhu are getting production across the lineup, they become much harder to load up against defensively.
The contrast between the clubs from beyond the arc is stark.
The Queens lead Tauihi at 37 percent from three.
Kāhu sit fifth at 28 percent, and that is after their best shooting game of hte season.
Mikesell has made a league-high four three-pointers per game at 41%, while Charlisse and Krystal are both shooting above 39 percent from deep.
Kāhu, however, showed against Pouākai that they have the ability to generate perimeter scoring and will hope the Queens league worst 3pfg% defence (36%) will give them the opportunity to do so again.
Fotu hit five threes to help secure victory last time out against the Pouākai, while Mullings is shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc this season.
Kāhu also defend the three-point line better than Tokomanawa, holding opponents to 34 percent compared with the Queens’ 36 percent.
If the Queens continue shooting at Sunday’s level, Northern will have to find a way to keep pace, but will they be able to do it from deep in back to back games?
Perhaps their biggest statistical weakness remains on the glass.
The Queens sit last in Tauihi with a -8.1 rebounding margin, giving away possesion in an area that could be a strength with a full roster.
Kāhu are also below the water level at -2.1, the fourth best in the league, but they have found ways to be competitive on the glass more consistently of late, including a +10 their last time on the court in their victory over the Pouākai.
Davidson has strengthened the Queens considerably inside, averaging 8.5 rebounds through her first two games, one of those without fellow post-player Jacinta Monroe.
Monroe leads the Queens at 9 boards a game, giving Tokomanawa another major presence around the basket if she's back to full strength
For Kāhu, Bollmann, Brugler and Mullings all average between 6.7 and 7.6 rebounds, and they will need to continue working well as a collective if they hope to defend home court.
The Queens have quietly become one of the competition’s best teams at controlling possession.
They sit second in turnover margin at +3.6 and first in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Krystal Leger-Walker may be the biggest reason why.
She averages 10.6 assists per game and has a 3.52 assist-to-turnover ratio, and is also coming of a Tauihi league record 10 steals in a single game!
Kāhu sit third in turnover margin at +0.7.
Bollmann and Dalton give Northern multiple ball-handlers, but Tokomanawa’s ability to generate quality shots without giving away possessions on one end while taking the ball away on the other has become one of their biggest strengths.
If they can keep that two way activity up they will put themselves in great shape on the road.
Krystal enters Thursday after one of the more remarkable defensive performances not just of the season but in the history of the competition.
Her 10 steals against Whai established a new Tauihi single-game record to lift her average to 3.9 steals per game and she continues to lead the competition in assists.
Kāhu need to keep her out of passing lanes, protect the ball and avoid allowing Tokomanawa to turn deflections into transition opportunities, but also need to be mindful of her ability to set the table for a full contingent of talent.
Two of the most productive all-round players in the competition.
Bollmann averages 15.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists and has become central to Kāhu at both ends of the floor.
Charlisse is second in Tauihi scoring at 22.0 points per game and remains one of the league’s most dangerous one-on-one scorers.
Bollmann’s size, versatility and ability to impact multiple areas will be important against a player who can score from deep, attack off the bounce and create for others.
A matchup between two guards who control the game in very different ways.
Dalton enters after scoring a career-high 22 points, her third straight game with a Tauihi career high, against Pouākai and is averaging 11.7 points and 4.3 assists.
Krystal leads Tauihi assists per game and is also the competition’s leading ball thief, two areas that are sure to come into play tonight.
Dalton will need to handle Tokomanawa’s pressure while still creating offence, while Kāhu must find a way to limit Krystal’s influence as both a distributor and disruptor.
This is where the game could become particularly physical.
Brugler averages 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds, while Mullings adds 14.4 points and 6.7 boards and has been one of Kāhu’s most efficient scorers.
The Queens counter with significant size in Davidson and Monroe. Davidson is averaging 18.0 points and 8.5 rebounds since returning, while Monroe averages 14.3 points and nine rebounds.
Kāhu will look to Brugler and Mullings to compete on the glass and keep Tokomanawa away from high-percentage looks around the basket.
For the Queens, Davidson and Monroe provide the size and interior scoring that can complement their loaded perimeter group and help address a rebounding margin that remains the team’s biggest statistical weakness.
| Category | Kāhu | Queens |
|---|---|---|
| Points | Erin Bollmann, 15.0 | Charlisse Leger-Walker, 22.0 |
| Rebounds | Erin Bollmann, 7.6 | Jacinta Monroe, 9.0 |
| Assists | Erin Bollmann, 6.1 | Krystal Leger-Walker, 10.6 |
| Steals | Erin Bollmann, 2.6 | Krystal Leger-Walker, 3.9 |
| FG% | Megan Mullings, 54% | Jacinta Monroe, 69% |
| 3P% | Megan Mullings, 44% | Krystal Leger-Walker, 43% |
| Category | Kāhu | Queens |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 3-4 | 1-6 |
| Points | 76.6, 4th | 82.0, 2nd |
| Points Allowed | 82.3, 3rd | 85.3, 5th |
| Scoring Margin | -5.7, 5th | -3.3, 3rd |
| FG% | 42%, 4th | 44%, 2nd |
| Defensive FG% | 44%, 4th | 45%, 5th |
| 3P% | 28%, 5th | 37%, 1st |
| 3P% Defence | 34%, 3rd | 36%, 5th |
| FT% | 74%, 4th | 75%, 2nd |
| Rebounding Margin | -2.1, 4th | -8.1, 5th |
| Assists | 19.4, 4th | 23.1, 2nd |
| Turnover Margin | +0.7, 3rd | +3.6, 2nd |
| Steals | 9.3, 3rd | 9.7, 2nd |
| Assist/Turnover | 1.35, 3rd | 2.03, 1st |
The Queens now own one of the league’s best offensive profiles, grown through their prolific work from three and quick ball movement.
Kāhu have been more consistent defensively and have already shown they can beat Tokomanawa when they disrupt the Queens’ rhythm. But that was against a vastly different lineup.
Can the Kāhu contiue their good form on the glass against a more physical frontcourt?
Can they find a way to slow a Queens offence that finally appears to have found its full range?
Krystal Leger-Walker will make her 50th Tauihi appearance on Thursday, becoming the fifth player to reach the milestone.
She enters the game after setting a new Tauihi single-game record with 10 steals against Whai that also pushed her to the top of the all time steals list with 114.
Penina Davidson is also closing on a major career mark.
She has 389 Tauihi rebounds and needs 11 against Kāhu to become just the second player, after Laina Snyder, to reach 400.
For Northern, Dalton enters after improving her Tauihi career scoring high for the third consecutive game, culminating in 22 points against Pouākai.
Fotu also produced a Tauihi career-high 15 points in that win, on a career best 5 three pointers.
Thursday night could reshape the Final Four race.
Kāhu have the opportunity to move to 4-4 and create a two-win advantage over the Queens.
Tokomanawa have the chance to move to 2-6 and pull within one victory of both the Kāhu and Whai.
With points percentage the only tiebreaker, there is value not only in winning, but in every point gained or conceded.
Kāhu arrive after one of their best performances of the season.
The Queens arrive after what was unquestionably their best result.
Northern have balance, size and the confidence of already beating Tokomanawa once this season.
The Queens now have Wallace back, Davidson and Monroe established inside and a perimeter group featuring Krystal, Charlisse and Mikesell that just produced 97 points with ease.
For Kāhu, this is a chance to create breathing room while keeping in touch distance of the top two.
For the Queens, it is an opportunity to turn one win into two, while creating real post-season momentum.
