The Northern Group Tauranga Whai 82 def. ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens 76
Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua
In a rematch of last year’s Grand Final, The Northern Group Tauranga Whai beat ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens 82–76 in a thrilling G.J. Gardner Homes Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa semi-final at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua.
In a game where the Whai trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half, they were indebted to standout performances from Mikayla Cowling and Emme Shearer.
Cowling knocked down 7 of 10 threes on her way to 21 points, while Shearer equalled her season best with 26 points – her 3-point shooting clip an equally impressive 5 from 6. The Tall Ferns wing also added 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a superb all-round outing.
Trailing 60–58 at the outset of the fourth quarter, Cowling made triples on three consecutive Whai possessions and, when Shearer converted from beyond the arc, the Whai had grabbed a 72–66 lead.
The Whai lead was still five points with four minutes to play but, after a Tania Tupu timeout, the advantage evaporated when Brooke Basham made consecutive baskets and, when Kristy Wallace landed a sweet baseline jumper, the Queens led 76–74 with 74 seconds to play.
However, the defending champions were not finished. Hannah Hank converted an and-one play to restore the Whai lead then followed up with one-from-two free throws.
The Queens were left with 15 seconds to grab a win or force overtime but Shearer snared possession and converted a runaway layup to seal a dramatic win.
In addition to Cowling and Shearer, Hank was also in double figures with 10 points to go with 11 rebounds and 5 assists, while Laina Snyder, back after a three-week injury layoff, tallied 10 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals. As a team the Whai buried 15 of 33 threes and handed out 25 assists on 29 made field goals.
Stella Beck was tremendous in a losing cause, accumulating 19 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. Wallace added 16 points and a game-high 6 assists, Lou Brown was close to a double-double with 14 points and 9 rebounds, with Basham a spark off the bench in making 13 points. The Queens shot a tidy 45% from the field and outscored the Whai 32–28 in the paint, but were undone by the visitors’ long-range accuracy and a 17–11 Whai edge in points from turnovers.
Early on it was the Queens that made the opening seven points of the contest and, although Cowling and Shearer connected from deep, the Whai deficit increased after a Wallace jumper.
Beck and Pahlyss Hokianga combined for 13 first-quarter points, with the Queens ahead 28–14 at the first break.
A brace of Jade Kirisome corner threes and a Snyder transition basket negated a Beck score and cut the Queens advantage to 35–26 midway through the second spell.
The formidable front court duo of Brown and Penina Davidson kept the score ticking over for the Queens but a third three from Cowling and a first from Jess McDowell-White meant the Whai trailed by just six points at the interval (40–34).
The early stages of the third stanza belonged to the Whai, and Shearer in particular. The Tall Ferns wing scored 13 points in five minutes to tie the scores at 50 points apiece.
Hank then gave the Whai their first lead of the game, but it was Wallace that had the last say of the period as the hosts carried a 60–58 lead into the final ten minutes.
From there it was Cowling and Shearer that shared the limelight for the fast-finishing Whai, who closed the game with a 24–16 fourth quarter.
The Whai will face the winners of Sunday’s second semi-final featuring Southern Hoiho and Probuild ITM Mainland Pouākai.
Result and top performers:
ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens 76 – Beck 19pts, 6reb, 5ast; Wallace 16pts, 6ast; Brown 14pts, 9reb; Basham 13pts
The Northern Group Tauranga Whai 82 – Shearer 26pts, 5reb, 5ast; Cowling 21pts (7/10 3P); Hank 10pts, 11reb, 5ast; Snyder 10pts, 7reb, 4stl
Points off turnovers: Whai 17, Queens 11
Paint points: Queens 32, Whai 28
Second-chance points: Queens 12, Whai 8
Fast-break points: Whai 11, Queens 2
Bench points: Whai 14, Queens 2
Biggest lead: Whai 14; Queens 12
