Harbour Breeze came away from the opening weekend of the 2018 Women’s Basketball Championship (WBC) with a win and two losses. The season opened with all eight tier one teams playing three rounds in Tauranga.

The Breeze began their campaign with an 88-69 loss against cross-town rivals Auckland Dream on Saturday.

Harbour were well served by Akiene-Tera Reed, recently returned from an outstanding freshman season at Virginia Commonwealth University, who top scored with 19 points.

The first half was a fairly even affair as Keeley Tini (13 points and 6 rebounds) and Jazz Kailahi-Fulu (7 points 5 rebounds) helped Harbour keep pace with the Dream trailing by six (41-34) at the interval.

Harbour quickly found themselves in foul trouble in the third period enabling Auckland to capitalise at the foul line to stretch out to 67-49 at three-quarter time.

Tayla Dalton (15 points) made a couple of triples in the closing stages but Harbour were unable to threaten the Auckland advantage and fell to an opening loss.

Sisters Charmian Mellars and Natalie Taylor powered Auckland Dream. The Tall Ferns co-captain, picked up where she had left off at the Commonwealth Games shooting a highly efficient 7 from 12 from the floor on her way to 21 points and fellow Olympian Mellars led all scorers with 24 points.

Saturday’s opponents Otago Goldrush had a couple of familiar faces in their lineup. Former Westlake and Harbour representative standouts Bronwyn Kjestrup and Rosie Davison were in blue and gold but it was the maroon singlets of Harbour that triumphed winning 63-47. Otago won the first quarter 20-13 but were held to just 27 points in the next three periods.

Morgan Ili (18 points) and Reed (17 points) led the Breeze scoring ably supported by Dalton (10 points, 4 steals, 3 assists) and Kailahi-Fulu (2 points and 7 rebounds).

Special mention should be given to Keeley Tini and Tessa Talo-Tomokino who travelled back to Auckland after the game against the Dream to sit their SAT exams on Saturday morning. They then rushed back to Tauranga in time for the Otago fixture that afternoon.

On Sunday the Breeze made a strong start against Alloyfold Canterbury Wildcats but eventually fell 72-59 to the defending champions.

The Breeze led 37-27 at half-time but their offence ground to a halt in the third and they were outscored 16-5 in the period.

Canterbury quickly established a ten points buffer in the fourth and despite 19 points from Reed and 13 points from Dalton the Breeze were unable to mount a late comeback.

The Breeze will next meet competition leaders Waikato Wizards, at home on May 26^th. The Wizards feature teenage Tall Fern sensation Charlisse Leger-Walker in their lineup. The Wizards won all three of their opening WBC games and are the only unbeaten side in the competition.

WBC Tier One Standings (After three rounds)

3-0 Waikato Wizards

2-1 Alloyfold Canterbury Wildcats, Auckland Dream, Waikato Country Cannons

1-2 Harbour Breeze, Otago Goldrush, Taranaki Thunder

0-3 Tauranga City Coasters

The Breeze team that played in Tauranga:

Tayla Dalton, Mareta Davidson, Tabitha Jenkins, Jazzmyne Kailahi-Fulu, Morgan Ili, Shanee Kiriau, Anna Lacey, Jordyn Maddix, Faith McKenzie, Tera Reed, Tessa Talo-Tomokino, Keeley Tini.

Full draw, results and live streaming schedule: http://nz.basketball/Competitions/WBC/Draw-Info

Upcoming Breeze Home Fixtures:

Saturday May 26, 6.00pm v Waikato Wizards at AUT Sports Centre, Akoranga Drive.

Saturday June 23, 1.00pm v Tauranga City Coasters at AUT Sports Centre, Akoranga Drive.