Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua
Rapid League 6:30pm, Tauihi 7:30pm
Live on Sky Sport 3 in NZ. ESPN3 USA. FIBA YouTube global.
Tickets here
Queens: Fantastic all around play and strength inside allowed the Queens to push ahead by 18 but a 40 point 3rd quarter explosion by the Pouākai allowed them to chase down the home side to take a 93–89 win. Penina Davidson logged 20 points and 10 boards as she dominated the post, Kristy Wallace had 21 and 8 assists as she orchestrated the offense, yet a late and-one from Marena Whittle and McKenna Dale’s free throws flipped it in the final seconds as the Queens slipped from the top spot on the ladder with the loss.
Kāhu: A revamped roster led to a better start and more cohesive lineup allowed the home team to carry a 31-23 lead at the half, but the Hoiho turned up the heat in transition in the second half to take a 73–59 win. Despite 16 apiece from Haleigh Reinoehl and Lauren Mansfield the Kāhu couldn't sustain enough offense as the Hoiho droped 50 second half points to close strong behind Bec Pizzey 20, Lil Dart 19, and a Paige Bradley double-double 11 and 10 assists to seal the victory.
Projected starters
Queens: Brooke Basham, Stella Beck, Jihyun Park, Penina Davidson, Lou Brown
Kāhu: Tahlia Tupaea, , Haleigh Reinoehl, Abigail Curtin, Lauren Mansfield, Amy Jacobs
Paint and glass control -Davidson and Brown have been relentless on the boards. Reinoehl and Curtin must limit second chances while staying out of foul trouble to give the Kāhu a chance
Mansfield v ??- Wallace v Mansfield was supposed to be the key matchup here, but early news is that Kristy Wallace is unavailable leaving the question of will pick up the slack at the point for the Queens. The turnover battle will be pivotal, and Mansfield will be up to the challenge, but who will she be marking?
Arc answers - Beck and Park create space for the Queens with their gravity, can Tupaea and Curtin find timely threes to keep pace?.
Queens notes
Wallace is the top facilitator in the league with 7 assists a game
Brown is two points from 300 for her Tauihi career.
Kāhu notes
Club losing streak is 8 this season and 10 overall dating back to 2024.
Tupaea is 18 points from 600 career.
Mansfield crossed 50 assists this season and currently sits third in the league
Last time out Rapid:
Queens erased a double digit hole to top Pouākai 41–38 in OT behind Pahlyss Hokianga's 13. Kāhu made it back to back Rapid wins, 33–22 over Hoiho with 11 each to Emma-Kaye Schroeder and Keeley Tini. Sienna Maurice scored on debut.
Projected starters
Queens: Keriana-Marie Hippolite, Pahlyss Hokianga, Paige Burrows, Josie Trousdell, Briarley Rogers
Kāhu: Azure Anderson, Emma Schroeder, Vitolia Tuilave, Mary Morton-Jones, Keeley Tini
Streak v Streak. Queens are 8–1 with six straight. Kāhu have won two straight with Schroeder in rhythm.
Boards. Trousdell has stacked 8 rebounds in two straight. Kāhu must finish possessions.
Edgar Centre, Dunedin
Rapid League 2:00pm, Tauihi 3:00pm
Live on Sky Sport 4 in NZ. ESPN3 USA. FIBA YouTube global.
Tickets here
Hoiho: Down by as many as 16 the Hoiho stormed back down the stretch and tied the game with a Lil Dart triple with only seconds remaining. But seconds were too long for Emme Shearer’s buzzer beater as she knocked down a bucket with no time on the clock to take the 83-81 lead. Jessie Edwards posted 17 and 10, Bradley 11, 8 and 4, and Dart 18 after tying it inside the last 10 seconds but it was Shearers 26 that led the way for a Whai starting 5 that all hit double digits.
Queens: They will be coming off their first game of the round vs the Kāhu but in the last round the were edged late by Pouākai 93–89 after leading big. Wallace 21 and 8 assists, Davidson 20 and 10, Park 18.
Projected starters
Hoiho: Paige Bradley, Claire Jacobs, Taylah Simmons, Rebecca Pizzey, Jessie Edwards
Queens: Brooke Basham, Stella Beck, Jihyun Park, Penina Davidson, Lou Brown
Interior duel: Edwards and Pizzey versus Davidson and Brown. Both duo's have been strong on the glass and can carry the load offensively but it will their defensive nous that will be tested. Will it be the power of the Queens or the length and speed of the Hoiho that will take this frontcourt battle?
PG matchup: Bradley has been a premiere PG since she arrived on Aotearoa's shores, but with with the availability of Kristy Wallace in question who will be her foil? Will the Queens be able to impact the playmaking of Bradley or will she have free reign with no Wallace is sight?
Wing shot making. Jacobs and Dart threaten from deep while Beck and Park counter at the other end but who will find the range in this one? Will it be the well rested Hoiho duo or will it be the Queens sharpshooters playing in their second game of the weekend?
Hoiho notes
Bradley has 50 plus assists this season and leads the league all time in dimes while sitting 4th on the ladder this season.
Pizzey hit a season high 20 in the Kāhu win and will need to be on form to protect the home court.
Queens notes
Davidson has five double doubles this season.
Last time out Rapid:
Hoiho outlasted Whai 44–40 in a grind. Alana Paewai 10, Samara Gallaher 7 and 5, with a 23–14 rebound edge the difference. The Queens rallied to beat Pouākai 41–38 in OT behind Hokianga-Heather’s 13.
Projected starters
Hoiho: Tia Pavihi, Samara Gallaher, Lil Dart, Eva Langton, Zoe Richards
Queens: Keriana-Marie Hippolite, Pahlyss Hokianga, Paige Burrows, Josie Trousdell, Briarley Rogers
Possessions. Queens close games with composure. Hoiho need to win the glass and keep mistakes down.
Clutch threats. Dart’s shooting and Gallaher’s physicality versus Rogers perimeter punch and Trousdell boards.
Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre, Tauranga
Rapid League 5:30pm, Tauihi 6:30pm
Live on Sky Sport 4 in NZ. ESPN3 USA. FIBA YouTube global.
Tickets here
Whai: A broken play made things look grim but the Whai claimed an 83–81 thriller in Dunedin on Shearer’s baseline jumper off a Jessica McDowell-White dime. They held a double digit lead and at times looked well in control, but just when it looked like that had lost control of the steering wheel they made the big play to jump into first place on the ladder. Led by Shearer 26, Hank 15 and 9, McDowell-White 14 and 12 assists.
Pouākai: The Mainlanders were down big and looked unlikely to pull off a road win as they stumbled into halftime. But a powerful 40 point 3rd-quarter would power the Pouākai as they stunned the Queens 93–89 on Whittle’s late and-one after she produced a scoreless first half. The win keeping the squad in arms reach of the top of the ladder thanks to a collective effort led by Dale (20), Whittle (16 and 8) and McGoldrick (13 and 10).
Projected starters
Whai: Jessica McDowell-White, Mikayla Cowling, Emme Shearer, Laina Snyder, Hannah Hank
Pouākai: Morgan Yaeger, Taylor Mikesell, Marena Whittle, McKenna Dale, Abi Fogg
Boards and brawn. Snyder and Hank attack the glass but Whittle, Dale and Fogg bring size and length.
Shot making. Mikesell and Whittle stretch the floor. Shearer’s slashing and Cowling’s pace punish closeouts.
PG duel. McDowell-White table setting against Yaeger’s push. Live ball turnovers will swing momentum.
Whai notes
Shearer hit a season best 26 in Dunedin that was capped off with a game winner. A nice bounce back after coming off a season low 9 points in her previous outing, the only game she had been held under double digits all season long.
Snyder is first equal in the comp in rebounds per game and needs 10 rebounds to reach 300 for her career in Tauihi
Pouākai notes
McGoldrick is now in the 500 points and 300 rebound club and leads a multifaceted front line that will be keen for an opportunity to shut down the Tauranga forward pack
Have won 3 out of 4 to climb back into the chase for the top seed, but the bounce back came after a 3 game losing streak, including back to back losses to the Whai. Can they find a way to get their final matchup of the regular season over the line?
Last time out Rapid:
The Whai fell 44–40 at Hoiho despite 15 from Tayla Dalton and 14 from Jade Kirisome. Pouākai lost 41–38 in OT at Queens but Charlotte Whittaker 12 and Hana Lacey-Rameka 11 kept them in it.
Projected starters
Whai: Sophia Locandro, Sophie Rogers, Jade Kirisome, Graecyn Parahi, Laura Kuka
Pouākai: Emma Rogers, Olivia O’Neill, Ava Jones, Kavanah Lene, Charlotte Whittaker
Scoring questions. No one has scored more total Rapid points than Kirisome this season (77 Points in 8 games) so the visitors will need some firepower of their own. The Pouākai lean on Lene, Jones and Whittaker while Emma Rogers remains sidelined but will that offer enough offense to take this match?
Tight margins mean second chance points will be key, especially as late execution have tilted both teams’ recent games. Who does the little things while taking care of the rock will see the game tilt in their favour.
Rapid notes
Whai: Sophie Rogers is eight points from 100 Rapid career.
Pouākai: After taking just 5 bench players on the road they played long stretches short-handed in Porirua and still forced OT. Emilia Ainley provided 6 points, 6 boards and 4 blocks in her second Rapid outing showing the depth of the Pouākai programme.
