There will be no shortage of star power at Te Rauparaha Arena on Sunday evening as the Tokomanawa Queens welcome ProcureX Mainland Pouākai to Porirua.
For Queens fans, the wait is over.
Charlisse Leger-Walker and Hailey Van Lith will make their Tauihi debuts, joining Krystal Leger-Walker and Taylor Mikesell in a dramatically strengthened Queens backcourt as Tania Tupu’s side looks to respond to its opening-round loss to Kāhu.
Charlisse returns to New Zealand after a remarkable collegiate career that produced 2,061 NCAA Division I points, the most by a Kiwi, before she was selected 18th overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2026 WNBA Draft. She will also take the court alongside older sister Krystal, with whom she previously played at Washington State University.
Van Lith brings an equally impressive résumé. The 11th pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft played 29 games for the Chicago Sky before joining the Connecticut Sun as a development player in 2026. Her five-year college career included stops at Louisville, LSU and TCU, where she was named Big 12 Player of the Year, while she also won Olympic bronze with the USA 3x3 team in Paris.
But waiting for them is a Pouākai team that made one of the biggest statements of Round One.
McKenna Dale and Mikayla Vaughn each equaled a season high scoring mark as Pouākai beat the Southern Hoiho, while Morgan Yaeger and Mikayla Pivec supplied the playmaking around them.
Will the talent of the Queens coalese quickly to see the squad hit the ground runnng, or will the Pouākai take their form on the road to stay top of the Tauihi table?
When: Sunday 4 October
Where: Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua
Rapid League: 5:00pm
Tauihi: 6:00pm
Watch Live: Sky Sport 4 and TikTok LIVE in New Zealand, ESPN+ in the United States and FIBA YouTube everywhere else internationally
Commentary: Nathan Limm and Jaycin
Box Score Here
Buy Tickets Here
The Queens will unveil a completely reshaped starting five from their opening game.
Captain Krystal Leger-Walker starts at point guard alongside Hailey Van Lith, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Taylor Mikesell and Mimi Collins. All five are available.
Aria Cowley, Grace Hunter, Alaska Rhebok, Hana Lacey-Rameka, Victoria Ikenasio, Matangiroa Flavell and Nahala Toeleiu make up the Rapid League group. They aren't quite at full strength yet with Penina Davidson and Jade Kirisome remain overseas.
Pouākai retain the starting five that defeated Hoiho: Morgan Yaeger, Mikayla Pivec, McKenna Dale, Rebekah Frisby-Smith and Mikayla Vaughn.
Maddy Timms, Ava Jones, Emilia Ainley, Sari Mowbray, Eva Jeffries, Ruby Cutbush and Bella Kraenzlin are available through the Rapid League group. Esra McGoldrick remains in return-to-play protocols while Sarah Mortensen is unavailable with a back issue.
The Queens took the first meeting in Porirua, holding Pouākai to 69 points on the way to a 12-point victory.
Jihyun Park and Louise Brown scored 17 points apiece for the Queens, with Brown also pulling down 14 rebounds. Marena Whittle led Pouākai with 21 points, while Esra McGoldrick grabbed 11 rebounds.
Pouākai responded emphatically in Christchurch.
They shot 54 percent from the field and became one of only two teams to reach 100 points during the regular season, pulling away for a 24-point victory.
Whittle led Pouākai with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Park paced the Queens with 19 points and Penina Davidson added 10 boards.
The final meeting was a much tighter affair.
Pouākai returned to Porirua and escaped with a 93-89 victory in front of a packed house.
McKenna Dale scored 20 points for Pouākai while McGoldrick collected 10 rebounds. Kristy Wallace led the Queens with 21 points, with Davidson and Brown each grabbing 10 boards.
The Queens appeared in control early in their season opener, racing to a 22-13 first-quarter lead behind Taylor Mikesell and Krystal Leger-Walker.
That advantage disappeared after halftime.
Kāhu held the Queens to just 10 points in the third quarter while scoring 21 themselves, turning the game and building a 65-53 lead heading into the fourth.
Mikesell finished with 22 points and seven rebounds, while Krystal Leger-Walker came within one assist of a triple-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
The Queens mounted a late push but could not recover from the third-quarter swing, eventually falling 75-69.
Leading Players
Queens: Taylor Mikesell (22P, 7R, 2A), Krystal Leger-Walker (18P, 12R, 9A), Stella Beck (7P, 2R, 3A)
Kāhu: Talya Brugler (20P, 10R, 1A), Megan Mullings (15P, 8R, 2A), Erin Bollmann (10P, 7R, 4A)
The Pouākai opening round victory was built around a spectacular performance from their frontcourt.
Mikayla Vaughn and McKenna Dale scored 30 points apiece, combining for 60 points and 23 rebounds.
Vaughn set the tone with 13 first-quarter points and had 19 by halftime, repeatedly finding space around the basket as Yaeger and Pivec created opportunities.
Hoiho fought their way back from an 11-point deficit and eventually reduced the margin to one, helped by defensive pressure that forced Pouākai into 24 turnovers.
That was when Dale took control.
She finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and six made threes, while Vaughn added 30 points and 12 rebounds. Yaeger supplied 12 points and seven assists.
Leading Players
Pouākai: McKenna Dale (30P, 11R, 3A, 4S), Mikayla Vaughn (30P, 12R), Morgan Yaeger (12P, 7A)
Hoiho: Lil Dart (22P, 7R, 6A, 4S), Paige Bradley (13P, 4R, 13A, 7S), Bec Pizzey (14P, 6R, 6A)
The Queens already received 40 combined points from Mikesell and Krystal Leger-Walker in Round One. Now Tupu adds Charlisse Leger-Walker and Van Lith to the same starting lineup.
Charlisse brings size, playmaking and the ability to create her own shot while her combination with Krystal adds a needed layer of familiarity to the Queens backcourt that is trying to bring together a ton of talent.
Van Lith gives the Queens another aggressive ball-handler and scorer with extensive high-level experience.
The challenge won't be talent. It will be immediately establishing roles and rhythm within a group playing together for the first time.
With four guards named in the starting five, the Queens will look to play fast, switching creators to put constant pressure on the defence.
How quickly that combination clicks will be a determining factor in who takes this game.
The opening game for the Pouākai provided a warning shot
Vaughn shot 12-from-16 from the field on her way to 30 points and 12 rebounds as she dominated early, while Dale powered the offence late to match her scoring total while adding 10 rebounds.
Pouākai outrebounded Hoiho by 19 in Round One with those results putting the mainlanders atop Tauihi in rebounding margin.
That becomes particularly interesting against a Queens starting group that will give up size as they start a guard heavy lineup.
Mimi Collins will have an important role controlling the paint, but the guards will also need to rebound collectively.
Krystal Leger-Walker demonstrated that ability in her first game in Queens colours, collecting 12 boards against Kāhu.
If Pouākai establish Vaughn and Dale early, the Queens cannot afford to give them repeated second opportunities.
The Queens held Kāhu to 32 percent shooting in their opening game despite going down on their homecourt.
Pouākai, by contrast, shot 47 percent against Hoiho, but their major problem was ball security.
They gave the ball away 24 times.
The addition of Charlisse and Van Lith gives Tupu even more athleticism at the point of attack alongside Krystal Leger-Walker and Mikesell.
Pouākai have enough passing in Yaeger and Pivec to break pressure, but protecting possession will be essential. If the Queens can turn defence into transition offence, their new-look guard rotation could become particularly difficult to contain.
Charlisse’s first Tauihi game brings an immediate test against one of Pouākai’s most versatile additions.
Pivec opened her season with nine points, seven rebounds and five assists while shooting 3-from-4 from the field.
Both guards can influence the game in multiple areas and both have the size to defend across positions.
For Charlisse, it will be the first opportunity to translate an extensive international and NCAA résumé into Tauihi in front of a crowd that has been waiting for this debut.
Another debutant meets one of the league’s established creators.
Yaeger finished the opening round with 12 points and seven assists, continuing the playmaking role she held for Pouākai last season and the Whai a season before that.
Van Lith arrives with WNBA and Olympic 3x3 experience to give the Queens another player capable of breaking down defenders off the dribble while stretching the court with her ability from range.
The pace and pressure generated by these two guards could help determine which side controls the game.
Vaughn’s Tauihi debut could hardly have been more impressive.
Thirty points. Twelve rebounds. Seventy-five percent shooting.
The Queens now have to find a way to prevent her from establishing the same position around the basket.
Collins draws an immediate physical assignment, but this will need to be a team effort. Preventing deep catches and finishing defensive possessions with rebounds will be essential.
Two players who filled every column of the box score in Round One.
Krystal Leger-Walker produced 18 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, while Dale opened with 30 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and six made threes.
Neither needs to dominate possession to influence the game.
Their ability to rebound, create for others and make timely defensive plays could be just as important as the scoring numbers.
| Category | Queens | Pouākai |
|---|---|---|
| Points | Taylor Mikesell, 22.0 | Dale/Vaughn, 30.0 |
| Rebounds | Krystal Leger-Walker, 12.0 | Mikayla Vaughn, 12.0 |
| Assists | Krystal Leger-Walker, 9.0 | Morgan Yaeger, 7.0 |
| Steals | Krystal Leger-Walker, 3.0 | McKenna Dale, 4.0 |
| FG% | Stella Beck, 50% | Pivec/Vaughn, 75% |
| 3PM | Taylor Mikesell, 2 | McKenna Dale, 6 |
| Category | Queens | Pouākai |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 0-1, 5th | 1-0, 1st |
| Points | 69.0, 4th | 87.0, 1st |
| Points Allowed | 75.0, T-3rd | 80.0, 5th |
| Scoring Margin | -6.0, 4th | +7.0, 1st |
| FG% | 40%, 4th | 47%, 1st |
| Defensive FG% | 32%, 1st | 44%, 4th |
| 3P% | 28%, 3rd | 28%, 2nd |
| 3PM | 5.0, 4th | 9.0, T-1st |
| FT% | 59%, 5th | 67%, 4th |
| Turnover Margin | -6.0, 4th | -7.0, 5th |
| ORB% | 31%, 3rd | 36%, T-1st |
| DRB% | 70%, 4th | 82%, 1st |
| Rebounding Margin | +7.0, 2nd | +19.0, 1st |
| Assists | 20.0, T-2nd | 20.0, T-2nd |
| Steals | 5.0, 5th | 10.0, 3rd |
| Blocks | 5.0, T-3rd | 3.0, 5th |
Pouākai have been dominant on the glass, leading the league in rebounding margin at +19.0 and defensive rebound percentage at 82 percent, while also sitting equal first in offensive rebound percentage at 36 percent. The Queens have also rebounded well, ranking second in rebound margin at +7.0, but Pouākai’s opening-game advantage was substantial.
Both teams will want to clean up their ball security. The Queens have a -6.0 turnover margin, while Pouākai sit at -7.0 after giving the ball away 24 times in their opener.
Pouākai also made nine threes in Round One, tied for the league lead, compared with five for the Queens
The Rapid League matchup features last season’s two strongest teams.
The Queens went 11-1 in 2025, leading Rapid League in both scoring at 37.75 points per game and defence at 29.42 points allowed. Pouākai finished 7-5, ranking second in both categories.
Pouākai were also the only team to beat the Queens in the 2025 regular season, winning 37-32 in Porirua in their first meeting.
The Queens responded with a 33-31 victory in Christchurch before winning a 41-38 overtime contest in their third matchup.
Both teams have already played once in 2026.
Pouākai opened with a 36-23 victory over Hoiho, while the Queens fell 35-27 to Kāhu.
Nahala Toeleiu was the standout for Tokomanawa, scoring 15 points on 4-from-5 shooting, while Pouākai received eight points apiece from Maddy Timms, Ava Jones and Sari Mowbray.
Pouākai’s size was a major feature of their opening win, with both Timms and Emilia Ainley collecting seven rebounds.
The Queens will look for a stronger offensive start, while Pouākai have an opportunity to move to 2-0.
There are plenty of basketball reasons to watch this game.
Pouākai arrive atop the table after producing 87 points in their opener, with Dale and Vaughn combining for 60. They have size, rebounding strength and an established core that showed last season it can win on the road at Te Rauparaha Arena.
But Sunday is a significant night for the Queens and for Tauihi.
Charlisse Leger-Walker will play her first game in the competition, alongside her sister Krystal, while Hailey Van Lith makes her first appearance in New Zealand’s national women’s league.
Add Mikesell to that group and the Queens suddenly possess a backcourt containing a remarkable mix of Tall Ferns, WNBA, NCAA and Olympic experience.
How quickly that talent comes together is the question.
Pouākai will have no intention of giving them time to figure it out.
