Game On - Hoiho Flex
You cannot afford to sleep on any team in Tauihi. Facing the daunting task of playing against the Queens in Wellington, and in front of a large hometown crowd, and needing a win to get back into Final 4 contention, the Southern Hoiho came to the capital and flexed in a major way - winning 88-83 in a stunning upset.
Paige Bradley starred and was the deserved game MVP, but more importantly this was a collective performance by the Hoiho. What did we learn? Firstly, all five teams this season can genuinely lay claims to being a championship contender and, importantly, a good team will miss the Final 4 ... and secondly, teams playing doubles continue to fall short with only the Kāhu having mastered two wins in the same round thus far. Teams with doubles over the remaining three rounds are Kāhu (R8), Hoiho (R9) and Queens (R10).
Queens Add Defensive Edge
The ANZCO Tokomanawa Queens have the league's leading scorer in Jordan Horston and they score more points per game on average than any other team, which highlights the offensive power they possess - but against the BNZ Northern Kāhu the Queens also showcased their hard-nosed defense. Arguably, this contest was decided during the opening eight minutes of the third quarter when the Queens went on a 15-0 run, pushing the margin to 16 points and holding the Kāhu scoreless - yes, scoreless. The first points in the quarter for the Kāhu came from the Chemist Warehouse stripe, ending a baron run of scoring that this prolific offensive team had never endured before, but it was a dry spell that also highlighted the defensive edge the Queens bring to the table.
Pouākai Flying Under Flynn
Even the ProBuild ITM Pouākai hierarchy would agree they have lacked stability over the last three seasons with three different coaches at the helm across the journey, however there is little doubt they have struck gold with Melburnian Paul Flynn. The seasoned coach, a former high-level player himself, arrived in Christchurch with considerable experience coaching women's basketball at renowned women's basketball club Nunawading Spectres in Melbourne's east, plus a stint alongside former Tall Ferns coach Guy Molloy at the Melbourne Boomers in the Australian WNBL.
In less than two months in Tauihi, Flynn has proven to be a master tactician and prepared to adapt and alter his game plan on the run, helping his team learn and advance quickly, be it from game to game, or even within a game.
Arguably, the Pouākai don't have the same player depth as the Kāhu, Whai or Queens, but what they do have is the talent and belief in a game plan, and so far that has led to enough wins for third on the ladder and seemingly a path toward the Final 4. The Pouākai have taken down the Kāhu twice this season and who can forget the Pouākai's last quarter heroics to defeat the Queens.
However, it was last Friday's win over the Whai that ranks the highest for Flynn and his team. In two previous meetings this season the Pouākai lost to the Whai by 18 points and 20 points respectively, but they changed it up in game three against a full-strength Whai line-up and dismantle them 98-83. The win was so emphatic that the Whai never led the contest despite taking 27 more shots and winning the offensive rebounds by a staggering 28-5.
It might be time for the Pouākai to lock in for the future and sign Flynn for 2025.
The 'Feeding' Challenge Facing The Whai
There is no doubt The Northern Group Tauranga Whai recruited a star-studded roster this season, it is arguably the most offensively potent line-up in Tauihi, but with the full squad now fit and healthy the big question for the Whai's coaching staff is how they find a way to feed them all enough of the ball?
Perhaps they did find a way against the Pouākai last Friday with so many more shots than their opponents and simply the players didn't execute - how else do you explain losing a game by 15 points when you've taken 27 more shots and grabbed 28 offensive rebounds? Still, ensuring the likes of Ashley Joens, Mikayla Cowling, Laina Snyder, Lara McSpadden, McKenna Dale, and now Morgan Yaeger see enough scoring opportunities each game is going to be a challenge.
And the impact on others from now having a full squad was there for all to see in the loss against the Pouākai, particularly for young guard Pahlyss Hokianga who has gone from starting to not stepping on the court. With a 3-6 record and just three regular season games remaining it is unfathomable to think the Whai won't make the Final 4, in fact it would be a surprise if they don't, because this is a team capable of going all the way if they can get everyone pulling in the same direction - at both ends of the court.
Sitting bottom of the ladder, the Whai have games to come against the Kāhu, the Queens, and a final round trip south to play the Hoiho and this could well be the game that decides the makeup of this season's Final 4.
Kāhu Have Some Work To Do
Despite a loss to the Queens in R7 the Kāhu remain on top of the Tauihi ladder and are still entrenched as the team to beat this season, but they have a few cracks that need some attention. Going eight minutes without scoring in the third quarter against the Queens wouldn't have pleased coach Jody Cameron one little bit - and it was the pivotal stretch where the game was won and lost. The Kāhu have now lost two games in in a row, which has only ever happened once before (2022 - back-to-back losses to the Queens) which means this Thursday's road trip to Dunedin has some added heat for the defending champs with the possibility of a third successive loss looming.
A couple of problem areas for the Kāhu look to be - 1) The health of import Megan Mullings who again didn't step on the floor is a major concern, and right now the Kāhu must contemplate either bringing in another import in time to qualify for finals, which means they must play this week so this option is highly unlikely, or they need to bite the bullet and bring in Bailey Flavell, Amy Pateman or Tannika Leger-Walker and sit Mullings if she isn't healthy enough to play - and 2) In their loss against the Queens the Kāhu looked too occupied with the whistle and need to avoid this distraction going forward.
With all of that said, if the Kāhu do what the Kāhu can do, then all the best to the Hoiho and Whai this week!
