Round Four continues in Christchurch on Saturday night with a clash between two of the early pace-setters as ProcureX Mainland Pouākai host Southern Hoiho at Parakiore.
Both teams enter at 3-1 with the table topping match getting the honour of sitting atop the ladder heading into the mid-point of the season.
Pouākai remain the competition’s most potent offensive team, averaging more than 93 points per game and coming off a hard fought road win over BNZ Northern Kāhu in Auckland. Morgan Yaeger continued her outstanding start with 26 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while Mikayla Pivec and Esra McGoldrick provided important support.
Hoiho arrive riding a three-game winning streak after Paige Bradley’s buzzer-beating three handed them a thrilling victory over the Queens in Dunedin.
Lil Dart scored was the highest scoring Hoiho, Bec Pizzey remained incredibly efficient in her clutch performance, and Bradley once again controlled the game with 17 points and nine assists.
There is also recent history between these teams.
Pouākai won their Round One meeting 87-80, but Hoiho have not lost since.
Saturday gives Pouākai the chance to prove themselves on their homecourt once again, while Hoiho are looking to level the season series and defend their place at the top of the table.
When: Saturday 17 October
Where: Parakiore, Christchurch
Rapid League: 6:30pm
Tauihi: 7:30pm
Watch Live: Sky Sport 5 in New Zealand, ESPN+ in the United States and FIBA YouTube everywhere else internationally
Commentary: Nathan Limm and Tera Reed
Box Score Here
Buy Tickets Here
Pouākai will look to make several changes from their win over Kāhu.
Morgan Yaeger, Sari Mowbray, McKenna Dale, Esra McGoldrick and Mikayla Vaughn are listed to start.
Vaughn returns to the starting five after missing the Kāhu game, while Mowbray also moves into the opening group.
Mikayla Pivec is unavailable with an Achilles injury, Rebekah Frisby-Smith is out with concussion and Sarah Mortensen remains unavailable with a back injury.
Emilia Ainley, Maiyah Lavea-Martin, Ava Jones, Eva Jeffries, Ruby Cutbush, Maddy Timms and Bella Kraenzlin make up the Rapid League group.
Hoiho have listed all players as available and will likely start Paige Bradley, Bec Pizzey, Julie Wojta, Marie Bertholdt and Lil Dart.
Zoe Richards, Tia Pavihi, Alexa Duff, Millie Simpson, Abby Harris, Samara Gallaher and Casey Valenti-Paea make up the Rapid League group.
Pouākai took the first meeting of the season 87-80 in Christchurch, with Mikayla Vaughn and McKenna Dale combining for a dominant frontcourt performance.
Vaughn set the tone early, scoring 13 points in the opening quarter as Mainland repeatedly found her inside. She had 19 by halftime and eventually finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds.
Hoiho stayed in the contest through defensive pressure, with Paige Bradley and Lil Dart creating turnovers and turning them into transition opportunities. Southern reduced an 11-point third-quarter deficit to a single point, but that was when Dale began to take over.
Dale matched Vaughn with 30 points of her own, adding 11 rebounds, three assists and four steals as the pair combined for 60 points and 23 rebounds.
Bradley and Dart continued to push Hoiho late, but Pouākai’s size and scoring inside proved too much as they closed out the seven-point victory.
Leading Players
Pouākai: McKenna Dale (30P, 11R, 3A, 4S, 1B), Mikayla Vaughn (30P, 12R, 2A, 1S, 1B), Morgan Yaeger (12P, 7A, 1S, 1B)
Hoiho: Lil Dart (22P, 7R, 6A, 4S), Paige Bradley (13P, 4R, 13A, 7S), Bec Pizzey (14P, 6R, 6A, 3S, 2B)
Pouākai survived a high-scoring battle at Eventfinda Stadium to improve to 3-1.
The teams traded blows throughout the first half, with Pouākai leading 31-28 after the opening quarter before Kāhu responded to tie the game 48-48 at halftime.
Mainland edged back in front through the third and took a 68-67 advantage into the final period.
From there the game remained on a knife edge.
Kāhu repeatedly cut the margin to one possession, but Pouākai remained composed in the final minute.
Yaeger and Dale converted six consecutive free throws down the stretch and the visitors closed out a seven-point victory to remain top of the table
Yaeger produced another polished performance with 26 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
Pivec finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, while Dale added 11 points and six boards on a cold shooting night.
The victory continued Yaeger’s remarkable opening month, carrying an average of 20.3 points and 6.3 assists through the first quarter of the season.
Leading Players
Pouākai: Morgan Yaeger (26P, 6R, 7A), Mikayla Pivec (15P, 12R, 5A), McKenna Dale (11P, 6R, 2A)
Kāhu: Megan Mullings (25P, 1R, 2A), Talya Brugler (17P, 7R, 1A), Erin Bollmann (15P, 7R, 9A)
Hoiho gave us one of the moments of the season to extend their winning streak to three games.
The home side made a fast start in their first game of the season at the Edgar Centre, leading 26-21 after the first quarter before the Queens responded behind Charlisse Leger-Walker.
Tokomanawa cut the margin to four at halftime and then moved ahead 63-61 heading into the final period.
From there the game became a possession-by-possession battle.
Bec Pizzey hit a crucial three to tie the game at 79 before the teams reached the final seconds locked at 81.
The Queens had the first opportunity to break the tie late, but a Charlisse Leger-Walker three was off the mark.
Hoiho secured the rebound for the final possesion of the game, advanced the ball and Bradley buried the game-winning three as time expired.
Dart led the Hoiho with 20 points and six assists, while Bradley finished with 17 points and nine assists. Bertholdt added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Pizzey scored 17 on perfect 6-of-6 shooting from the field.
Leading Players
Hoiho: Lil Dart (20P, 3R, 6A), Paige Bradley (17P, 3R, 9A), Marie Bertholdt (16P, 7R, 3A)
Queens: Charlisse Leger-Walker (32P, 3R, 4A), Hailey Van Lith (20P, 7R, 3A), Taylor Mikesell (11P, 3R, 5A)
Pouākai have set the offensive standard so far.
They average 93.3 points per game, rank first in field-goal percentage at 46 percent and carry the league’s best scoring margin at +11.8.
Even without Vaughn against Kāhu, they still scored 94.
Now their leading scorer returns.
Vaughn is averaging 24.7 points while shooting 71 percent from the field through three appearances.
Hoiho present one of the best defensive tests Pouākai have faced.
Southern sit second in scoring defence at 73.3 points allowed and second in defensive field-goal percentage, holding opponents to 41 percent shooting.
This is strength against strength.
Pouākai want to play with pace, generate paint touches and create enough pressure to open their perimeter shooting.
Hoiho want to disrupt rhythm, create turnovers and force Mainland into possessions late in the shot clock.
Pouākai get one major piece back but lose another.
Vaughn returns after missing the Kāhu game, restoring the competition’s second-leading scorer to the lineup.
Pivec, however, is unavailable with an Achilles injury after producing 15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in Auckland.
How will this change the balance of the Pouākai rotation?.
Vaughn gives Pouākai an elite interior finisher and one of the competition’s most efficient scorers, but Pivec has contributed 9.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while providing versatility at both ends.
Sari Mowbray moves into the starting five, while McGoldrick will again carry an important role alongside Dale and Vaughn inside.
This may be the clearest statistical contrast in the matchup.
Pouākai lead Tauihi with a +15.5 rebounding margin.
They are averaging 48.8 rebounds per game and have collected more than 15 offensive rebounds a night.
Hoiho sit at -4.5 on the boards.
But the Southerners compensate by creating possessions with their defence.
They lead Tauihi in turnover margin at +3.5 and steals at 13.8 per game.
That gives the game a fascinating battle for possession.
Pouākai want to dominate the glass.
Hoiho want to create mistakes before a rebound is ever required.
Whichever team gets the upper hand in that exchange will take the first step in controlling the game.
There may not be a more influential guard matchup on a game this round.
Bradley leads Tauihi at 10 assists per game and sits second in steals at 3.3.
Yaeger is third in the competition in scoring at 20.3 points and third in assists at 6.3.
Both are central to how their teams function.
Bradley controls tempo, creates quality looks for teammates and sets the tone defensively while keeping the ability to hit a big shot in her pocket for safekeeping.
Yaeger is asked to do more scoring as the primary creator with the ball in hand while still carrying a major playmaking load.
If Hoiho can make Yaeger work defensively and force the ball out of her hands, they can take some flow out of the Pouākai offence.
If Yaeger gets comfortable, Mainland become extremely difficult to contain.
Southern have become increasingly difficult to guard because the scoring can come from several places.
Dart averages 17.5 points, Bec Pizzey 15.3, Bradley 14.8 and Bertholdt 11.8.
Pizzey has been especially efficient, shooting an extraordinary 75 percent from the field.
Hoiho also lead Tauihi at 22.5 assists per game.
That balance will be key against a Pouākai defence allowing 81.5 points per game.
The Mainlanders offensive numbers are dominant, but opponents have been able to lift their scoring in the face of their pace.
If Hoiho continue to move the ball and avoid stagnant possessions, they have enough weapons to keep pace.
| Category | Pouākai | Hoiho |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 3-1 | 3-1 |
| Points | 93.3, 1st | 77.3, 2nd |
| Points Allowed | 81.5, 4th | 73.3, 2nd |
| Scoring Margin | +11.8, 1st | +4.0, 3rd |
| FG% | 46%, 1st | 44%, 2nd |
| Defensive FG% | 42%, 3rd | 41%, 2nd |
| 3P% | 31%, 3rd | 29%, 4th |
| Defensive 3PFG% | ||
| FT% | 70%, 5th | 77%, 2nd |
| Rebounding Margin | +15.5, 1st | -4.5, T-3rd |
| Assists | 19.3, 3rd | 22.5, 1st |
| Turnover Margin | -2.3, 4th | +3.5, 1st |
| Steals | 7.8, 4th | 13.8, 1st |
| Blocks | 2.0, 5th | 4.75, 1st |
| Assist/Turnover | 1.17, 3rd | 1.48, 2nd |
This matchup of guards will be on display.
Bradley is averaging 14.8 points, 10 assists and 3.3 steals while acting as a fulcrum for Hoiho activity on both ends of the court.
Yaeger enters at 20.3 points, 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds and pushes the pace of the Pouākai offense into high gear every chance she gets.
Bradley will want to dictate the pace on one end and disrupt ball movement on the other.
Yaeger will look to attack from the opening possession and force Hoiho’s defence to collapse around her.
The pg that imposes their will to a higher degree likely goes home with the win.
Two of the most efficient interior scorers in Tauihi meet in Christchurch.
Pizzey is averaging 15.3 points while shooting a phenomenal 75 percent from the field.
Vaughn averages 24.7 points and is shooting a just as impresive 71 percent.
Both thrive around the basket and punish defensive mistakes.
Vaughn’s return gives Pouākai another major offensive weapon, but Pizzey’s ability to score without dominating possession has been one of the keys to Hoiho’s strong start.
Dale enters averaging 20 points and 11.3 rebounds and has also made a league-leading 13 threes.
She has now moved to the top of the Tauihi career scoring list, with 11 points against Whai making her the first player to reach 700 Tauihi career points, and she will look to keep on adding toe that number.
Wojta gives Hoiho a versatile defender capable of competing with Dale inside while also shadowing her on the perimeter.
If Dale can get free in transiiton she could easily find another big night with her quick trigger, but if Wojta is able to limit her efficiency and help control the glass it may just be the Hoiho's night.
Dart has become Hoiho’s leading scorer at 17.5 points per game with her combination of shooting prowess and rim attacking skillset.
Mowbray moves into the Pouākai starting group and will be asked to handle a much larger defensive responsibility in her first start of the year.
Dart is at her best when she can attack gaps, get downhill and create momentum before the defence is set.
How Mainland contain her without Pivec and Frisby-Smith in the lineup will be a key factor. If Mowbray and co. are able to limit Dart, the Hoiho offensive ceiling falls. But if Dart gets loose this could be the visitors night.
| Category | Pouākai | Hoiho |
|---|---|---|
| Points | Mikayla Vaughn, 24.7 | Lil Dart, 17.5 |
| Rebounds | McKenna Dale, 11.3 | Julie Wojta, 6.0 |
| Assists | Morgan Yaeger, 6.3 | Paige Bradley, 10.0 |
| Steals | Mikayla Pivec, 1.8 | Paige Bradley, 3.3 |
| Blocks | Esra McGoldrick, 1.0 | Julie Wojta, 1.3 |
| FG% | Mikayla Vaughn, 71% | Bec Pizzey, 75% |
| 3P% | Ava Jones, 60% | Bec Pizzey, 50% |
| 3PM | McKenna Dale, 3.3 pg | Lil Dart, 2.3 pg |
The numbers tell the story of two very different contenders.
Pouākai own the competition’s best offence, shooting percentage, scoring margin and rebounding margin.
Hoiho counter with ball movement and disruption, ranking first in assists, steals and turnover margin while sitting second in scoring defence.
Mainland want volume and physical dominance.
Southern want pressure, movement and extra possessions played at their pace.
The Rapid League game also presents an important opportunity for both sides.
Pouākai sit at 2-2 after losing to unbeaten Kāhu last weekend, while Hoiho are 1-3 after dropping one to the Queens.
Mainland average 27.8 points per game, third in Rapid League, and allow 30.5, also third.
Hoiho average 24.8 points, fifth, and concede 35.0, also fifth.
Pouākai’s strongest Rapid feature has been work on the glass and in ball movement.
They rank first in offensive rebounds and second in assists at six per game.
Emilia Ainley has been outstanding in limited minutes, averaging 5.7 points and five rebounds while shooting 78 percent from the field.
Ruby Cutbush leads Mainland in scoring at 7.3 points per game and has made eight threes through four games.
For Hoiho, Alexa Duff remains the offensive leader at 8.5 points per game, while Zoe Richards is averaging 6.3 points and 3.3 rebounds.
Richards also created a piece of history last weekend when she became the first player to appear in 50 Tauihi games.
The Rapid matchup may come down to whether Hoiho can find enough offence to stay with a Pouākai group that has been more productive across the opening rounds.
McKenna Dale continues to rewrite the Tauihi record book.
She became the first player to reach 700 Tauihi career points in Round Three and enters the weekend as the competition’s all-time leading scorer.
Dale also became only the fourth player to reach 300 Tauihi career rebounds after collecting 10 against Whai.
On the Hoiho side, Bradley created history last weekend by becoming the first player to reach 300 career Tauihi assists.
She now needs just four rebounds to become the second Hoiho player, after Zoe Richards, to reach 200 career rebounds.
Saturday brings together two 3-1 teams with genuine claims to be the best in the competition.
Pouākai have been devastating offensively.
They score more than 93 points per game, dominate the glass and have multiple players capable of taking over a game.
Vaughn’s return gives them another major weapon, but losing Pivec and Frisby-Smith creates a challenge against a Hoiho team that can attack a lack of depth and decision-making.
Southern arrive with momentum.
They have won three straight since losing to Pouākai in Round One and have established an identity built around ball movement, defensive pressure and balanced scoring.
Bradley is controlling games, Dart continues to score, Pizzey has barely missed and Bertholdt and Wojta continue to influence both ends.
The first meeting belonged to Mainland.
This time Hoiho arrive in Christchurch carrying three consecutive wins and an opportunity to show just how far they have come since opening night.
Something has to give.
