photo credit: Blake Armstrong
When you're dealing with basketball players shoes are a big deal, the kicks game is serious business, but what happens when you come into a season having big shoes to fill?
The BNZ Northern Kāhu might have the biggest to fill in the league this year. Those shoes belong to Tera Reed, and how they're going to be filled will be firmly on the minds of the Kāhu coaching staff and fans.
The Kāhu have recruited well ahead of T3 (Tauihi season 3), the reigning champs look like a frontrunner once again, but any seed of doubt through the recruiting process would have centered on ... 'what if Tera doesn't return'?
That seed is now a tree. Reed isn't returning this season, instead she will suit-up for the Southside Flyers in Melbourne.
You can be assured the Kāhu did all they could to entice Tera Reed back home for a third Tauihi season, however the dynamic and versatile wing has decided to stay in Australia for a second WNBL season and given her debut season on Aussie soil it isn't hard to see why she has elected to remain there.
Off the back of a huge 2023 Tauihi season Reed hit the Aussie market and her stats with the Melbourne Boomers were very solid - 22 games (9 starts) under tough and demanding coach Chris Lucas for a return of 8.2 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
That's a handy rookie season right there and from all reports it wasn't just the Kāhu and Flyers chasing her signature.
When you pick apart Reed’s Tauihi stats across 23 games in New Zealand's pro league (across the first two Tauihi seasons) you quickly see the gap being left vacant at the BNZ Northern Kāhu, and the challenge for coach Jody Cameron might need to view filling her role as a job to be completed by committee, rather than from any single player.
Tera Reed x 23 Tauihi Games
Such are Reed’s Tauihi exploits, league-wide she ranks all-time 2nd for points, 2nd for rebounds, 8th for assists, and 7th for steals.
Those are some very impressive numbers.
Though Kāhu teammate Iimar'I Thomas claimed the Grand Final MVP last year, and deservedly so, the gap in voting back to Reed in second was small. Very small.
Arguably, Reed's 14-point opening quarter haul set the path to glory for the Kāhu, while her defence was next level on the biggest stage of the season. She put in a blinder, true leadership stuff.
So how will the Kāhu adapt and cover Reeds' all-round game, especially her high IQ and ability to space the floor?
There are two players to immediately look for, the first an obvious choice in Tahlia Tupaea. After an injury-plagued 2023 Tauihi season, the tough Kiwi guard has endured an extensive rebuild of her damaged shoulder and undergone a 10-month rehab.
The good news is Tupaea is back to full fitness, is primed and ready to go and a big season beckons for the 2017 WNBA drafted Kiwi guard. While Tupaea may not grab the same rebounding figures as Reed, she will certainly cover the points and assists, maybe even the steals depending on what is required from her on that end of the court.
The second player to look for is American Megan Mullings. The 185-centimeter forward from Arizona averaged 14 points and 8.5 rebounds with Nunawading in NBL1 earlier this year and has built an impressive playing resume with stints in Germany, Luxembourg, Finland, Romania.
Her build and length is eerily similar to that of Reed.
Mullings is a hard-working two-way runner, much in the same mould as Reed. Coach Cameron will be hoping Mullings can bring the same heat and work ethic as her former star wing.
And as for those shoes that need filling ... the absence of Reed and how the Kāhu go about finding the feet for those shoes will be one of the more fascinating stories to unfold this season.
The Tauihi action starts this week with every game live on Sky 2 (NZ), ESPN 3 (United States) and FIBA You Tube (globally).
Friday October 4 – Queens vs Hoiho – Te Rauparaha Arena – Rapid 6:30pm / Tauihi 7:30pm - tickets HERE.
Saturday October 5 – Whai vs vs Pouākai – QEYC – Rapid 6:30pm / Tauihi 7:30pm - tickets HERE.
Sunday Oct 6 – Kāhu vs Hoiho – Eventfinda Stadium – Rapid 2:00pm / Tauihi 3:00pm - tickets HERE.
