Both Harbour Breeze and Harbour Zephyr recorded victories in the Women’s Basketball Championship double header played at AUT Sports Centre on Sunday.

The Breeze moved to outright second on the WBC Division 1 ladder after thrashing Taranaki Thunder 115-34 on Sunday. 

Breeze, with six players in double figures, led from the outset. Guard Matangiroa Flavell, on her way to a game high 22 points (4/7 3PG), scored the opening two baskets of the game. Tayla Dalton, headed to Mongolia for the FIBA Asia U18 3x3 Tournament at the end of the week, knocked down a three as did Yume Negishi and the Breeze were 31-13 to the good at quarter time.

Emme Shearer scored the first six points of the second stanza and Deena Franklin joined Flavell in double figures - the Breeze ahead 55-21 at the interval.

Akiene-Tera Reed and Ella Fotu, with 11 steals between them, initiated some fine transition scores as Harbour maintained an up-tempo style to run away with the contest in the second half – Flavell, Shearer and Dalton the main beneficiaries.

Reed posted 14 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals in a fine all court game while fellow Tall Fern Penina Davidson, making a welcome return after injury, dominated the glass with 13 rebounds. Waiaria Henderson scored five points on debut.

Next up for the Breeze is a mouth-watering home clash with the table topping Auckland Dream on Friday June 14, 7.00pm at AUT Sports Centre.

Breeze 115– M Flavell 22, D Franklin 20, T Dalton 15/6st, T Reed 14/8r/8a, Y Negishi 13, E Shearer 13, E Fotu 8/6st, P Davidson 5/13r, W Henderson 5

Thunder 34- R Fourie 10, E Langton 8

 

WBC Division 1 Standings

5-0 Auckland Dream

4-2 Harbour Breeze 

3-2 Waikato Wizards, Alloyfold Canterbury Wildcats

1-4 AM I FIT Otago Gold Rush

0-6 Taranaki Thunder

 

In WBC Division 2 action Harbour Zephyr recovered from some mid-game jitters to beat Rotorua Lady Geysers 74-55.

The first half was a tail of two quarters. The Zephyr were quickly out to a 6-0 lead and despite a pair of triples from Lady Geysers guard Pareunuora Pene, Jordyn Maddix, Hannah Wentworth and Parehuia Delemare helped Zephyr to a 23-10 quarter time lead.

The complexion of the game changed totally in the second as the Lady Geysers, led by their captain Aroha Haumaha embarked on a 14-0 run to take the lead.

The Zephyr went eight minutes without scoring but eventually Olivia Berry found her way to basket. Pareunuora Pene had the last say of the half, Lady Geysers ahead 28-27.

The Lady Geysers led for most of a tight third quarter but Wuanyei Ah-Hing scored the final five points of the period to give Zephyr the narrowest of leads, 47-46 at three-quarter time.

McCarthy briefly restored the Lady Geysers advantage but it was short lived as Berry, Ah-Hing and Tiarna Clarke made baskets.

Rashaan Smith, on her WBC debut, put the game out of reach for Rotorua with six late points as Zephyr eased to a third win of the season. 

Most of the Zephyr team will be heading to Dunedin this week to represent Harbour at U19 Nationals, the next game in Zephyr colours is not until June 23 when they entertain Northland Phoenix.

Zephyr 74– W Ah-Hing 14, T Clarke 13, J Maddix 12, R Smith 10, O Berry 6, R Fiatau 6, M Davidson 4, P Delamere 4, H Wentworth 3, T Talo-Tomokino 2

Lady Geysers 55– A Haumaha 25, P Pene 12

 

WBC Division 2 Standings

3-0 Wellington, North Canterbury Spirit

3-2 Harbour Zephyr

2-1 Capital Swish

1-3 Northland Phoenix 

1-4 Rotorua Lady Geysers

0-3 South Canterbury Stealers