The Mainland Pouākai claimed the inaugural Rapid League title, boasting an impressive 10-2 record.
2023 Rapid League Award Winners
MVP – Pahlyss Hokianga (Whai)
All-Star Five – Grace Hunter (Queens), Pahlyss Hokianga (Whai), Esra McGoldrick (Pouākai), IImar’I Thomas (Kāhu), Jennifer O’Connell (Hoiho)
BNZ Northern Kāhu have been crowned 2023 GJ Gardner Homes Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa champions after defeating ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens in Sunday’s Grand Final at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua with a 98-72 victory.
Having been defeated by the Queens in last year’s showpiece event the Kāhu were able to turn the tables on their rivals winning all four quarters of the contest as they put together a thoroughly convincing display.
ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens were dealt a massive blow before the start of the game with their captain Stella Beck unavailable due to illness, a set back that proved too great to cover against a BNZ Northern Kāhu team that enjoyed outstanding contributions from all five starters in the 98-72 victory.
Grand Final MVP Ilmar’I Thomas dropped a game high 31 points (plus 11 rebounds) while Akiene-Tera Reed landed 21 points and also claimed 11 boards. Australian international Tess Madgen also had a double-double (19 points and 10 rebounds), Tall Ferns centre Penina Davidson scored 16 points while point guard Krystal Leger-Walker dished 9 assists and scored 9 points on a perfect 4 from 4 shooting display.
Chrislyn Carr, despite not scoring in the second half, top scored for the Queens with 19 points with Tegan Graham also in double figures (17 points). Grace Hunter tallied 9 points while Steph Watts scored 8 and Josie Trousdell 6 points.
Carr came up with 13 first quarter points but 14 from Tera Reed propelled Kāhu to a 34-19 first quarter lead.
Carr moved on to 19 points and Kalani Purcell made a couple of scores although triples from Thomas and Reed helped Kāhu to a 50-30 half-time advantage.
Watts scored her first points of the game but Kāhu continued to apply pressure in the paint – Davidson and Leger-Walker pushing the lead out to 63-36.
Paris Lokotui set the tone for an improved defensive showing from the Queens and when she and Trousdell made inside the scores the deficit was trimmed a shade but Kāhu had one hand on the trophy when Madgen dropped a triple on the three-quarter time buzzer – her team 74-49 ahead.
Queens weren’t thinking that way as Hunter and Graham nailed triples to the delight of the local supporters but the front court duo of Davidson and Thomas eased any nerves that there may have been on the Kāhu bench. The pair combined for ten points to push the lead back close to 30-points inside the final five minutes – victory sealed and new champions found!
Box Score: https://fibalivestats.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/u/NZBF/2311908/
Full List of 2023 Award Winners:
MVP – Ashten Prechtel (Hoiho)
Youth Player of the Year – Pahlyss Hokianga (Whai)
Defensive Player of the Year – Mikayla Cowling (Whai)
Most Improved Player – Zoe Richards (Hoiho)
Coach of the Year – Todd Marshall (Hoiho)
All Star Five – Chrislyn Carr (Queens), Paige Bradley (Hoiho), Mikayla Cowling (Whai), IImar’I Thomas (Kāhu), Ashten Prechtel (Hoiho)
Club Awards
Club of the Year – Tokomanawa Queens
Team GM of the Year – Angela Ruske (Southern Hoiho)
Best Game Presentation – Tokomanawa Queens
Best Social Media – Tokomanawa Queens
Best Fan Engagement – Mainland Pouākai
Officials Awards
Referee of the Year – Melony O’Connor
Rapid League
MVP – Pahlyss Hokianga (Whai)
All-Star Five – Grace Hunter (Queens), Pahlyss Hokianga (Whai), Esra McGoldrick (Pouākai), IImar’I Thomas (Kāhu), Jennifer O’Connell (Hoiho)
The inaugural Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa champions are the Tokomanawa Queens.
The Queens defeated Northern Kāhu 71-62 in the GJ Gardner Homes Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa Grand Final at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson on Saturday night.
The Queens were powered by a Grand Final MVP performance from dynamic Argentinian point guard Florencia Chagas (22 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists) with other notable contributions from Jamie Nared (14 points) and captain Stella Beck (11 points, 7 points and 5 steals.
Her tussle with fellow Tall Fern Micaela Cocks (14 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists) was a major highlight of the final.
In addition to Cocks Northern Kāhu were well served by Tera Reed (9 points and 10 rebounds) while Marte Grays and Tahlia Tupaea scored a dozen points apiece.
The two most successful teams in Tauihi 22 had produced a fitting climax to a wonderful first season of women’s professional basketball – the Queens deservedly crowned at the end of a right royal tussle.
SCORE: Kāhu 62, Queens 71
Kāhu: Cocks 14 PTS | Tupaea 12 PTS | Grays 12 PTS | Reed 9 PTS & 10 REBS
Queens: Chagas 22 PTS & 6 ASSISTS | Nared 14 PTS | Beck 11 PTS & 5 STEALS | Gustavsson 10 PTS
Full box score HERE.
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2022 Award Winners
MVP – Tahlia Tupaea (Kāhu)
Youth Player of the Year – Florencia Chagas (Queens)
Defensive Player of the Year – Nikki Greene (Whai)
All Star Five – Kyra Lambert (Whai), Micaela Cocks (Kāhu), Tahlia Tupaea (Kāhu), Jaime Nared (Queens), Laina Snyder (Hoiho)
Coach of the Year – Jody Cameron (Kāhu)
Club Awards
Club of the Year – Northern Kāhu
Team GM of the Year – Matt Lacey (Kāhu)
Best Game Presentation – Tokomanawa Queens
Best Social Media – Tokomanawa Queens
Best Fan Engagement – Mainland Pouākai
Officials Awards
Referee of the Year – Hayden Pipe
Platinum Homes Harbour Breeze defeated Waikato Wizards 70-59 in the 2020 Sal’s NBL 18IN18 Grand Final at Pulman Arena in South Auckland. The final proved to be a fitting climax to18 days of continuous action featuring the top six women’s team in the country.
Due to Covid restrictions all 18 games were held at the Pulman Arena. In addition, in a first for women’s basketball in New Zealand, every fixture was shown live on Sky Sport.
Letava Whippy was one of the stars of the competition. Named to the NBL All-Star 5 the Capital Swish captain finished Top-10 in the NBL in points scoring (12.7ppg), assists (4.3apg), rebounds (9.8rpg) and steals (3.7spg). Swish, defeated by the Breeze in the semi-final, were also well served by Grace Simi Vaofusi and Paris Lokotui.
The other beaten semi-finalists were surprise package Otago Gold Rush. Beaten in their opening two games Gold Rush then won three straight with Bronwyn Kjestrup, Olivia O’Neill, Lisa Wallbutton, Zoe Ricards and NBL Youth Player of the Year Te Araroa Sopoaga particularly impressive for the 2018 champions. Kjestrup deserves special mention – the Gold Rush captain played every game despite having to balance her junior doctor commitments at Dunedin hospital.
Waikato Wizards defeated Gold Rush 68-63 in one semi-final with Esra McGoldrick, Arielle Parai and Kayla Manuirirangi each in double figures.
In the second semi Harbour Breeze got the better of Capital Swish 77-64 with Zara Jillings, Ash Kelman-Poto, Ella Fotu and Keeley Tini making major contributions.
In the Grand-final Breeze, runners-up in 2019, went one better as they completed 18IN18 with an unbeaten seven game campaign. Led by captain Ash Kelman-Poto (18 points, 14 rebounds and 6 steals) Breeze held off a furious Wizards comeback in the championship game.
Also prominent for Breeze were Tiarna Clarke (16 points and 5 assists), Jazz Kailahi-Fulu (8 points and 9 rebounds) and League MVP Brooke Blair (10 points).
For the Wizards Kayla Manuirirangi scored 15 points, Esra McGoldrick put together a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds while Maka Daysh had 10 points and 9 rebounds.
Platinum Homes Taranaki Thunder claimed the D League Championship with a 78-68 victory against Rotorua Lady Geysers. A stirring contest, in which the lead changed hand no fewer than fifteen times, had many outstanding performers.
For the Geysers Awatea Leach scored 20 points, Waiata Jennings 19 points, Dekoda Roberts 11 points and Alyssa Webster 10 points.
Thunder enjoyed terrific contributions from Vanessa Weir (14 points), Gemma Walsh (12 points), Caitlin O’Connell (10 points) and Raquel Sampson (8 points and 12 rebounds).
However the standout performance came from teenage forward Lauren Tewhata who amassed 20 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks.
Also playing in the inaugural D League Championship were Tauranga City Coasters and Northland Phoenix.
Taranaki Thunder (78) defeated Rotorua Lady Geysers (68)
Canterbury Wildcats (68) defeated Nelson Sparks (58)
Waikato Lady Titans (87) defeated Harbour Breeze (62)
Full results and placings here.
Canterbury Wildcats defeated Otago
Photo: www.photosport.nz
Auckland (75) defeated Harbour Breeze (74)
Full results and placings here.
Harbour Breeze (82) defeated Waikato Women (63)
Wellington Swish (81) defeated Otago Gold Rush (62)
Full results and placings here.
Harbour Breeze (71) defeated Otago Gold Rush (66)
Referees: Raelene Ford, Hayden Pipe & Melony Wealleans
Taranaki Trojans (63) defeated Palmerston North Storm (56)
Full results and placings here.
Photo: www.photosport.nz
Otago Gold Rush (72) defeated Nelson Sparks (57)
Referees: Raelene Forde & Nick Naylor
Waikato Wizards (79) defeated NZ Force Women’s Academy (66)
Full results and placings here.
Nelson Sparks (61) defeated Waitakere West Auckland Rangers (40)
Referees: Melony Wealleans & Nick Naylor
Waikato Wizards (68) defeated Canterbury Wildcats (46)
Full results and placings here.
Photo: www.photosport.nz
Hutt Valley-Porirua Flyers (59) defeated Waikato Wizards (58)
Referees: Marty Davison & Gareth Teahan
Auckland Lady Hawks (54) defeated Canterbury Wildcats (48)
Full results and placings here.
North Harbour Breeze (62) defeated Waikato Wizards (56)
Referees: Ryan Jones & Hayden Pipe
Capital Flyers (71) defeated Canterbury Wildcats (62)
Full results and placings here.
Otago Gold Rush (67) defeated Auckland Counties Manukau Lady Hawks (43)
Referees: Gareth Teahan & Brent O’Hagan
Harbour Breeze (57) defeated Canterbury Wildcats (54)
Full results and placings here.
Alloyfold Canterbury Wildcats (68) defeated Waikato Wizards (54)
Referees: Marty Davison & Elliot Duncan
Capital Flyers (65) defeated Auckland Counties Manukau Lady Hawks (35)
Full results and placings here.
Alloyfold Canterbury Wildcats (57) defeated Taranaki Thunder (43)
Referees: Elliot Duncan, Jason McCabe & Sam Pan
Harbour Breeze (61) defeated Waikato Wizards (59)
Full results and placings here.
Otago Gold Rush (62) defeated Waikato Wizards (52)
Referees: Rhys Hamilton, Tayla Ammunson, Callum Welch
North Canterbury Spirit (85) defeated Rotorua Lady Vols (57)
Referees: Sherhon Martin, Duran Whiu, Brad Clive
Full results and placings here.
Auckland Dream (89) defeated Harbour Breeze (86)
Referees: Callum Welch, Brad Clive, Sherhon Martin
North Canterbury Spirit (74) defeated Harbour Zephyr (61)
Referees: Helaman Begman, Shelton Harris, Reagan Ashley
Full results and placings here.
