Photo Credit: Richard Connelly
Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua: Rapid League 6:30pm, Tauihi 7:30pm
Watch: Live on Sky Sport 2 (NZ). International: ESPN3 (USA) and FIBA YouTube (other global markets)
Tauihi probable starters
QUEENS: PG Kristy Wallace, SG Riley Lupfer, SF Jihyun Park, PF Lou Brown, C Penina Davidson
KĀHU: G Tahlia Tupaea, G Lauren Mansfield, W Jasmyne Roberts, F Abi Curtin, F Haleigh Reinoehl
Last time out
The Queens traveled to the deep south hoping to continue their unbeaten start to the season and stormed to a 4-point quarter time lead as the partnership of Lou Brown and Penina Davidson found space on the interior while Jihyun Park was her usual influential self. But as the game rolled on the powerful Hoiho front began to impose themselves defensively while Paige Bradley and Claire Jacobs kept the scoreboard turning as the home side took an 8-point lead at the half. Defense came to the forefront in the second term but the Hoiho took the upper hand, holding the Queens to 38% shooting from the floor while carving out a 48-32 advantage on the glass. The Queens would rally, with Stella Beck cutting the lead to 1 with just over a minute to play, but the Paige Bradley would respond for the home side, scoring 6 straight points to hand the Queens their first loss of the season, 80-73.
The Kāhu came out determined to find their first win of the year against a surging Whai. Despite improved form the visitors front line showed it's class early as Hannah Hank and Laina Snyder found their way to the cup and held court on the boards as they built a 14 point halftime lead. The Kāhu battled hard with Tahlia Tupaea and Aliyah Matharu finding form offensively to keep within touch distance while the defense lifted to slow down the Tauranga attack. But the home side couldn't crack the Whai defensive code down the stretch, as the visitors defense held the Kāhu to 31% shooting overall and 21% from 3, eventually succumbing 85-63.
What to look for
Queens paint presence vs Kāhu pace: Davidson and Brown on the glass against Reinoehl and co. If the Queens control boards they can control tempo, but if the Kāhu can stay even on the glass they should be able to push the tempo and force the Queens out of their preferred half court attack.
Point of attack advantage: Wallace/Lupfer/Burrows vs Tupaea/Mansfield/Matharu sets the tone. The backcourt that deals best with the pressure to win the turnover battle will get the upper hand early. Conversely, if either side succumbs to heat on the ball to give away possession will find themselves in for a long and frustrating night.
Can the guards get going?: With less than ideal shooting form for both squads backcourts to tip off the season both teams will be looking to get their guards going. Will Wallace and Lupfer find some get right juice or will Tupaea, Mansfield and Roberts find the range to get the Kāhu into the winners circle for the first time this year?
Rapid League probable line-ups
QUEENS: Keriana-Maria Hippolite, Pahlyss Hokianga, Paige Burrows, Jo Trousdell, Briarley Rogers
KĀHU: Azure Anderson, Emma-Kaye Schroeder, Mary Morton-Jones, Keeley Tini, Vitolia Tuilave
Rapid League — what to look for
Live-ball turnovers: Hokianga and Hippolite hunt steals. Anderson and Schroeder have the skillset to deal with the pressure, but can they do it consistently enough to keep apace a high scoring squad?
Boards decide pace: Trousdell and co. vs Tini, Tuilave and Morton-Jones. One-and-done defensive stands that finish with control of the glass can fuel scoring runouts. The team able to impose their will on the boards will find itself on top come the end of the game.
Corner threes: Both groups generate corner looks with consistency but the team that does it early to set the tone for the game could swing swing the result their way.
Cowles Stadium, Christchurch: Rapid League 2:00pm, Tauihi 3:00pm
Watch: Live on Sky Sport 3 (NZ). International: ESPN3 (USA) and FIBA YouTube (other global markets)
Tauihi probable starters
POUĀKAI: PG Taylor Mikesell, SG Morgan Yaeger, F Marena Whittle, F McKenna Dale, C Abigail Fogg
WHAI: PG Jessica McDowell-White, W Mikayla Cowling, W Emme Shearer, PF Laina Snyder, C Hannah Hank
Last time out
The Pouākai hosted this very Whai squad a round ago, looking to keep their unbeaten streak to start the year going, and the game was going according to script at the half as they held a 7 point advantage as Marena Whittle and Morgan Yaeger found space. But the strength of the Whai frontcourt had other ideas and a determined defensive effort in the 3rd quarter helped fuel offensive efficiency. The Whai put the clamps on the Pouākai offense, holding the home side to just 12 points in the 3rd while scoring 24 of their own. Led by a powerful Hannah Hank (31pts, 10rbs) the Whai took control on the interior, holding even on the glass while forcing their way to the free throw line to keep the offense flowing. The Pouākai would steady the offense down the stretch, but the hole was too deep to dig out of. The Whai taking the win, 85-77, to swim to the top of the table while setting the table for a mouth watering rematch.
What to look for
Glass battle 2.0: Hank and Snyder (18 combined boards) dominated the glass last week and the Pouākai must answer through Fogg and Whittle (10 combined boards) to keep the road team at bay. If the Pouākai front line get the job done their speed and shooting will be set loose, if not the Whai will look to lock down the d and execute in the half court to tilt the game in their favour.
Shot profile clash: Pouākai volume threes vs Whai’s paint touches and free throws. With the top two scorers in the league facing each off (Hank 23.7ppg, Whittle 21.7ppg) both will be looking to impose their style of basketball on the opposition. Whichever team (and scorer) wins the efficiency math will take the upper hand early, and quite possibly the result.
Transition lanes: Cowling has been putting her matchup on lockdown (bread and water only, no buckets) and if she has the same impact it will go a long way towards igniting Whai fastbreaks and securing a victory. The Pouākai collective will need early floor balance to force Tauranga into rotation and chip away in the half court, gaining the upper hand on the glass and behind the arc in the process.
Rapid League probable line-ups
POUĀKAI: Olivia O’Neill, Emma Rogers, Ava Jones, Kavanah Lene, Charlotte Whittaker
WHAI: Sophia Locandro, Sophie Rogers, Jade Kirisome, Graecyn Parahi, Shamar Broughton
Rapid League - what to look for
Paint protection vs spacing: Whittaker and McGoldrick size patrolling the paint against Locandro post ups while the shooters space will be a key theme.
Sisters subplot part 2: Emma vs Sophie Rogers will get a chance to match up again. Whichever Rogers rhythm finds the beat first could tilt momentum in their teams favour.
Second-chance points: Whittaker and co. on the o-glass vs Locandro and co. lookng for boxouts to fuel transition defense. The d-boards will be crucial for the Whai as they look to slow down a record setting (tying but who's counting) offense.
Edgar Centre, Dunedin: Rapid League 2:00pm, Tauihi 3:00pm
Watch: Live on Sky Sport 3 (NZ). International: ESPN3 (USA) and FIBA YouTube (other global markets), and Sky Sport NZ TikTok livestream
Tauihi probable starters
HOIHO: PG Paige Bradley, SG Claire Jacobs, SF Taylah Simmons, PF Rebecca Pizzey, C Jessie Edwards
KĀHU: G Tahlia Tupaea, G Lauren Mansfield, W Jasmyne Roberts, F Abi Curtin, F Haleigh Reinoehl
Last time out
The Hoiho hosted the Queens and the visitors came out strong, powering their way to 28-24 quarter time advantage. But the Hoiho bounced back in the second as Paige Bradley (20pts, 7ast) started pushing the pace while finding range from deep while Bec Pizzey, Taylah Simmons and Jessie Edwards stood up to the Queens talented front line to go up 8 at the half. The home side turned the screws defensively in the 2nd half, but the Queens battled back as Stella Beck pushed the Queens back to just a 1 point deficit with just over a minute to play. Ultimately the composure of the Hoiho held strong, as Bradley would find room for a triple, before drawing fouls to seal the 80-73 result with clutch free throws.
The Kāhu will be on their second leg of a weekend double header, but in Round 3 the squad came out determined to find their first win of the year against a surging Whai. Despite improved form the visitors front line showed it's class early as Hannah Hank and Laina Snyder found their way to the cup and held court on the boards as they built a 14 point halftime lead. The Kāhu battled hard with Tahlia Tupaea and Aliyah Matharu finding form offensively to keep within touch distance while the defense lifted to slow down the Tauranga attack. But the home side couldn't crack the Whai defensive code down the stretch, as the visitors defense held the Kāhu to 31% shooting overall and 21% from 3, eventually succumbing 85-63.
What to look for
Interior test: Edwards and Pizzey vs Curtin and Reinoehl. Can Kāhu gang rebound to negate the Hoiho size advantage? If not this one will be over before it starts, but if the Kāhu collective does keep the home team to a single opportunity every trip while finds a few second chances of their own they will be in much better stead.
Foul discipline: Keeping the stars on court is key to both teams chances, but foul trouble has been an early issue for both squads. Bradley stabilises Hoiho late-clock offense while fueling transition chances with her vision. Kāhu guards will pressure the handle of the Hoiho guards and look to get a bit more aggressive on offense. But foul trouble for either team will dampen their chances to take the victory.
Perimeter answers: The Hoiho attack is spearheaded by Jacobs prowess from deep while Bradley runs the show to pick the defense apart, can the Kāhu keep the efficiency low while forcing turnovers to get closer to their first win? Tupaea started to find the range last time out while the offense needs Mansfield to manipulate the defense with her passing to be at their best, but will they be able to get the Hoiho into rotations with penetration? The answer to those questions likely points to the games victor.
Rapid League probable line-ups
HOIHO: Alana Paewai, Samara Gallaher, Lil Dart, Eva Langton, Zoe Richards
KĀHU: Azure Anderson, Emma-Kaye Schroeder, Mary Morton-Jones, Keeley Tini, Vitolia Tuilave
Rapid League - what to look for
Tempo tug-of-war: Anderson and Schroeder want pace. Hoiho prefer to win the glass and play through Dart and Richards. Which way the balance shifts may also shift the result.
Free throws matter: Hoiho have been effective drawing contact but if the Kāhu keep them off the stripe, transition opens up. But to be effective the discipline will need to be there for the full 16 minutes.
Wing size: Langton and Dart have the tools and the mindset to bother corner shooters without giving up driving lanes. The Kāhu will try to use their perimeter prowess to force the Hoiho into rotation to take away the size advantage.
