The Northern Kāhu tightened their grip on top spot with a seventh straight win, Tauranga Whai held off a spirited Tokomanawa Queens comeback, and Yellow i Glass Mainland Pouākai stayed second after another close battle in Dunedin. There was also another milestone performance from Emilia Ainley as the Rapid League season continued to gather momentum. Mike Lacey takes you through all that and more in this week’s Rapid Wrap.
Northern Kāhu maintained their unbeaten record with a 38-28 victory over Yellow i Glass Mainland Pouākai at Eventfinda Stadium on Friday night.
After a probing opening quarter, Kāhu gained control in the second period, with five points from Olivia Williams and a buzzer-beating reverse layup from Kayla Manuirirangi carrying them to a 21-11 half-time advantage.
Three-point plays from Rebekah Frisby-Smith, Ava Jones and the diminutive Ruby Cutbush helped Pouākai reduce the margin to 27-22 with three minutes to play.
A brace of baskets from Emily Monaghan thwarted further Pouākai progress, and a seventh successive Kāhu victory was sealed in the dying seconds by Sienna Maurice and Azure Anderson.
Northern Kāhu 38 – Emily Monaghan 13pts, Olivia Williams 5pts, Imani Rasmussen 5pts, Sienna Maurice 5pts, Azure Anderson 5pts
Yellow i Glass Mainland Pouākai 28 – Ava Jones 8pts, Maddie Timms 6pts, Ruby Cutbush 5pts, Sari Mowbray 5pts, Rebekah Frisby-Smith 3pts & 7rebs
In a classic case of a game of two halves, Tauranga Whai held off Tokomanawa Queens to win 24-19 at Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre in the early game on Sunday in Tauranga.
Six points each from Eva Langton and Shamar Broughton enabled the Whai to open up a 20-5 half-time lead before the Queens stormed back into the contest after the interval.
They held the Whai scoreless in the third period and, with Hana Lacey-Rameka and Alaska Rhebok making inroads, the margin was cut to 20-13 early in the fourth.
Langton gave the Whai some breathing space with her second triple of the game and, although Nahala Toeleiu and Rhebok added further points for the Queens, that first-half deficit proved too great to overcome.
Tauranga Whai 24 – Eva Langton 9pts & 5rebs, Shamar Broughton 6pts
Tokomanawa Queens 19 – Hana Lacey-Rameka 6pts, Nahala Toeleiu 5pts & 5rebs, Jade Kirisome 4pts & 4stls
Yellow I Glass Mainland Pouākai maintained second spot on the Rapid League ladder with a 25-22 win against Southern Hoiho in Dunedin in the later Sunday fixture.
The scores were tied at six points apiece at quarter-time and 12 each approaching half-time before Ruby Cutbush put Pouākai ahead.
A brace of Tia Pavihi scores and a make from Abby Harris pushed Hoiho ahead, and they led 19-18 heading into the fourth quarter.
On her way to double-figure rebounds, Emilia Ainley edged Pouākai ahead, only for Alexa Duff to snatch the lead back for the hosts.
However, it was Pouākai who had the final say, with a triple from Maddie Timms and a pair of free throws from Rebekah Frisby-Smith edging them to a fifth win of the campaign.
Southern Hoiho 22 – Tia Pavihi 9pts, Millie Simpson 2pts, 7rebs & 3asts
Yellow I Glass Mainland Pouākai 25 – Rebekah Frisby-Smith 7pts, Emilia Ainley 6pts & 10rebs, Maddie Timms 5pts
Pouākai teenage forward Emilia Ainley pulled down double-figure rebounds for the second time in her short career. Having tallied 14 boards in the final game of last season against Kāhu, she claimed 10 against Hoiho on Sunday.
61 Eva Langton (Whai)
58 Nahala Toeleiu (Queens)
57 Emily Monaghan (Kāhu)
52 Shamar Broughton (Whai)
50 Alaska Rhebok (Queens)
| Position | Team | GP | W | L | %won | For | Agst | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Northern Kāhu | 7 | 7 | 0 | 100 | 278 | 170 | 163 |
| 2 |  |
Mainland Pouākai | 9 | 5 | 4 | 55 | 239 | 252 | 94 |
| 3 |  |
Tauranga Whai | 8 | 4 | 4 | 50 | 225 | 227 | 99 |
| 4 |  |
Tokomanawa Queens | 7 | 3 | 4 | 42 | 209 | 194 | 107 |
| 5 |  |
Southern Hoiho | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 220 | 328 | 67 |
