The halfway point of the Rapid League season brought another win for Tokomanawa Queens, a dominant second-half performance from Tauranga Whai in Dunedin, and a postponed fixture that ensured the Northern Kāhu stay atop the table undefeated. With the race for 50 points also heating up, there was still plenty to take from Round 5. Mike Lacey takes you through all that and more in this week’s Rapid Wrap.
Paced by 11 points from Alaska Rhebok, Tokomanawa Queens overcame a youthful Yellow I Glass Mainland Pouākai to win 28-22 at Parakiore Stadium in the opening game of the round.
Rhebok and Nahala Toeleiu shared the first 14 points before Grace Hunter chipped in with a three as the Queens forged a 17-10 half-time lead.
Jade Kirisome made it a double-figure lead before Ruby Cutbush and Ava Jones reduced the margin slightly.
Ahead 23-14 at three-quarter time, another Hunter triple extended the Queens’ lead at the outset of the fourth. Emilia Ainley and Jones put a dent in the deficit, although the Queens had little trouble completing their second win of the season.
Yellow I Glass Mainland Pouākai 22 – Emilia Ainley 6pts & 8rebs, Ava Jones 5pts, Maddy Timms 5pts, Sari Mowbray 4pts & 7rebs
Tokomanawa Queens 28 – Alaska Rhebok 11pts & 5rebs, Grace Hunter 8pts, Nahala Toeleiu 5pts
In the Saturday game, Tauranga Whai pulled away in the second half to comfortably beat Southern Hoiho 37-18 in Dunedin.
Threes from the Broughton sisters, Charis and Shamar, eased Whai ahead before an And-1 play from Kiana Brown and a layup from Tia Pavihi pulled Hoiho to within three. Eva Langton then beat the half-time buzzer with a deft left-hand finish to give Whai an 18-13 lead at the interval.
From there it was largely plain sailing for the Whai, who gave up only five second-half points while racking up 19 of their own. Carla Pitman and Shamar Broughton did most of the damage, with the pair combining to shoot 7-of-11 from the field.
Southern Hoiho 18 – Millie Simpson 5pts, Tia Pavihi 4pts, Zoe Richards 4pts
Tauranga Whai 37 – Shamar Broughton 12pts, Eva Langton 8pts & 5rebs, Carla Pitman 6pts
Due to court issues at Trusts Arena in Henderson, the Northern Kāhu fixture against Tokomanawa Queens was postponed in the interest of player safety.
Who will be the first player to score 50 Rapid League points this season? It looks to be a straight shootout between Queens teenage guard Nahala Toeleiu (48 points) and Whai veteran forward Eva Langton (47 points).
Rapid League Leaders
Scoring
1. Toeleiu, Nahala - Tokomanawa Queens 9.60 ppg
2. Broughton, Shamar - Tauranga Whai 8.40 ppg
3. Maurice, Sienna - Northern Kāhu 8.25 ppg
Field Goal Percentage
1. Ainley, Emilia - Mainland Pouākai 79%
2. Maurice, Sienna - Northern Kāhu 65%
3. Fotu, Gabriella - Northern Kāhu 63%
Rebounding
1. Moors, Katie - Northern Kāhu 9.00 rpg
2. Ainley, Emilia - Mainland Pouākai 5.80 rpg
3. Tahata, Emilee - Tauranga Whai 4.67 rpg
Assists
1. Pitman, Carla - Tauranga Whai 2.60 apg
2. Moors, Katie - Northern Kāhu 2.00 apg
3. Cowley, Aria - Tokomanawa Queens 1.80 apg
Steals
1. Moors, Katie - Northern Kāhu 3.00 spg
2. Lucas, Shanique - Northern Kāhu 2.80 spg
3. Paea, Casey - Southern Hoiho 2.00 spg
Blocks
1. Strawbridge, Ashlee - Tauranga Whai 2.00 bpg
2. Hunter, Grace - Tokomanawa Queens 1.00 bpg
3. Paea, Casey - Southern Hoiho 1.00 bpg
| Team | GP | W | L | Win% | Points For | Points Against | Points% |
| NORTHERN KĀHU | 5 | 5 | 0 | 100 | 191 | 117 | 163.2 |
| TAURANGA WHAI | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50 | 182 | 179 | 101.7 |
| MAINLAND POUĀKAI | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50 | 157 | 173 | 90.8 |
| TOKOMANAWA QUEENS | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40 | 137 | 137 | 100 |
| SOUTHERN HOIHO | 6 | 1 | 5 | 16.7 | 140 | 201 | 69.7 |
