photo credit: Cameron Walker
There is every chance the highest scoring games in G.J Gardner Homes Tauihi this season will feature the Tauranga Whai.
Recruiting 'points' has clearly been a priority for new head coach Alex Stojkovic with 2022 league-leading scorer Laina Snyder (20.6 points per game) being snapped up to join 2023 Whai stars Mikayla Cowling (23.1 points per game) and McKenna Dale (17.7 points per game).
Then let's add the new imports - WNBA (19 games) guard Ashley Joens who averaged 19.4 points per game across 158 games at Iowa State and amassed more than 3000 points during her collegiate career, and Australians Morgan Yaegar (16 points per game) and Lara McSpadden (17 points per game), who both played for Rockhampton in the NBL1 in 2024.
We are looking at some seriously high-end scoring talent here.
And while scoring won't be a problem, finding a way to feed so many scorers might be the biggest challenge for incoming head coach Alex Stojkovic.
The Whai will also come into Tauihi ’24 with a better grasp of what’s needed to go all the way after making the semi-finals in 2023.
For new head coach Stojkovic, who has moved from the general manager's chair at the Whai and replaced Mel Bennett on the sidelines, the task of taking this dynamic team to the top is a challenge he will be embracing.
Stojkovic's move to the coach's chair is an interesting one given in sport the coach is usually a bit closer to the exit door than the general manager, but change brings opportunity and the Whai have wasted little time in building a formidable roster for 2024.
The first piece of the puzzle was the critical one - bring back WNBA ace Mikayla Cowling. The American dynamo delivered the goods last season, her standout play earning her a spot in the All Star 5, plus Defensive Player of the Year.
Coach Stojkovic didn't need to look too far in his search for more firepower with Laina Snyder's name still fresh in everyone's mind after her explosive season with the Southern Hoiho in 2022 where she made the All-Star 5 as the league's leading scorer.
Teaming Snyder with Cowling has the potential to be a championship-winning move.
Bringing back rising Kiwi McKenna Dale was a must, the hard-working wing is a massive scoring threat from deep where she nailed 3.4 triples at 38.5% per game last season. This time around, with a clear increase in talent around her, Dale will be able to do less of the grunt work and get up more shots. An ominous thought for opposition teams.
Australian pair Yaeger and McSpadden are a nice combination and have history together having played in NBL1 together earlier this year, while WNBA player Joens is an elite shooting guard with a nose for points and a big engine. It's a very nice international trio to add to Cowling and Snyder.
On the local front, Eva Langton joins the Whai after two seasons with the Queens. The rangy lefty will play a lot of Rapid League and poses as another scoring threat off the bench in Tauihi, especially from deep.
Jade Kirrisome returns after building her resume with a stint in Australia during the winter months. After a number of good performances for the Whai last season, she will be one to watch this time around.
Excitingly, young stars Pahlyss Hokianga, the returning Rapid League MVP, and Anika Hyland return, while the rise of Emma and Sophie Rogers will be fun to watch. All four local youngsters will feature heavily in Rapid League where they will continue to develop at pace.
Back-up center Maka Daysh is back, with Kaylee Smiler, Laura Kuka and Mayako Taingahue rounding out a quality roster.
The big question mark will be the line-up the Whai start with. Their unique roster does come with a question mark, which may provide us with a strong indication of the style they intend to play this season.
Under Tauihi rules this season there must always be a Kiwi on the court, so you can lock it in that McKenna Dale will start.
McSpadden is a prized center, and at 193-centimeters is the second tallest player in the competition, but she is likely to come off the bench given the need for Yaeger to start as point guard alongside Joens at shooting guard, with Dale slotting into the small forward role where she excels.
The only possible change would see Joens start at the point and Dale move to the shooting guard spot leaving Yaeger to come off the bench, but this would make the Whai susceptible to some better guard line-ups across the league.
If McSpadden does come off the bench, Snyder will move into the small forward spot, leaving Cowling to jump up into the starting center position. Starting Snyder and Cowling is also a given, you would think.
Whilst starting McSpadden off the bench will make the Whai a little undersized defensively, you need to factor in that some of the bigger teams will need to defend the versatile and dynamic Whai back the other way. Easier said than done.
The Whai could look to play a bit of small ball with a lot of scoring punch. Expect the Whai to be up-tempo and pushed to run at speed as much as possible. Slow possessions are unlikely.
The tactical match ups for and against the Whai will be one of the key strategies to watch unfold this season.
If the Whai and head coach Stojkevic can get the better of the chess game coaches love to play at this level, then there is every chance the Whai will make the grand final this season, and from there anything can happen.
2024 Whai Home Games
Saturday Oct 5 – 6:30pm Rapid / 7:30pm Tauihi – Whai vs Pouākai – QEYC (Tauranga)
Friday Oct 11 – 6:30pm Rapid / 7:30pm Tauihi – Whai vs Kāhu – QEYC (Tauranga)
Saturday Oct 26 – 6:30pm Rapid / 7:30pm Tauihi – Whai vs Queens – Taupo
Saturday Nov 2 – 4:00pm Rapid / 5:00pm Tauihi – Whai vs Hoiho – Taupo
Thursday Nov 7 – 6:30pm Rapid / 7:30pm Tauihi – Whai vs Pouākai – QEYC (Tauranga)
Saturday Nov 23 – 6:30pm Rapid / 7:30pm Tauihi – Whai vs Kāhu – QEYC (Tauranga)
Whai Tickets
Tickets: Whai Tauihi 2024 Season tickets | Tours and Events | Ticketek New Zealand
2024 Whai Roster
3. Mikayla Cowling (USA – import)
4. Pahlyss Hokianga-Heather (NZ – amateur)
5. Kaylee Smiler (NZ – professional)
6. Lara McSpadden (Australia – FIBA Asia import)
7. Eva Langton (NZ- professional)
8. Emma Rogers (NZ – amateur)
9. Sophie Rogers (NZ – amateur)
10. Anika Hyland (NZ – amateur)
11. Jade Kirrisome (NZ – professional)
14. Laina Snyder (USA – import)
16. Laura Kuka (NZ – professional)
18. Mayako Taingahue (NZ – professional)
20. Ashley Joens (USA – import)
24. Morgan Yaeger (Australia – FIBA Asia import)
44. McKenna Dale (NZ – professional)
99. Makayla Daysh (NZ – professional)
Predicted Starting 5
PG: Morgan Yaeger
SG: Ashley Joens
SF: McKenna Dale
PF: Laina Snyder
C: Mikayla Cowling
All-Time Stats Leaders
Total Games Played: Mikayla Cowling, McKenna Dale, Jade Kirrisome (14)
Total Points: Mikayla Cowling (324)
Total Rebounds: Nikki Greene (153)
Total Assists: Kyra Lambert (61)
Total Steals: Mikayla Cowling (27)
Total Blocks: Esra McGoldrick (20)
Single Game Records
Points: Tiarna Clarke (34)
Rebounds: Nikki Greene (15)
Assists: Mikayla Cowling (10)
Steals: Mikayla Cowling (6)
