There is a Women’s Basketball Championship (WBC) blockbuster in store on Friday night when Harbour Breeze entertain Auckland Dream, tip-off 7.00pm at AUT Sports Centre.

The ‘Battle of the Bridge’ takes on added interest as the two protagonists sit first and second on the WBC Division 1 ladder. With an unblemished 6-0 record the Dream will be hoping for the same result as when the teams last met when they won 68-54.

However the Breeze will be at full strength for the first time this season with Ella Fotu and Matangiroa Flavell having their first run-out since being named in the Tall Ferns squad for the tour of Japan and Taiwan next month. In addition Ashleigh Kelman-Poto, the team’s leading scorer averaging 16.7 points per game, returns to the lineup having not played since the opening three games. 

Two of the best front courts in the league will square off as Kelman-Poto is joined by seasoned internationals Deena Franklin and Penina Davidson. They will battle for supremacy on the boards with former Tall Fern Charmian Mellars, Hayley Moala and Milomilo Nanai.

Breeze guard Tayla Dalton and Dream forward Sharne Pupuke-Robati were in Mongolia with the New Zealand team that played extremely well to win silver at the FIBA U18 3x3 World Cup last week. This week they will be on opposing teams.

In total, ten current or former Tall Ferns will take to the floor with Davidson v Mellars, Reed v Taylor and Flavell v Buck just three of the prospective match-ups to look forward to on Friday night.

Predicted Starters:

Breeze - Matangiroa Flavell, Yume Negishi, Akiene-Tera Reed, Deena Franklin, Penina Davidson

Dream – Amanda Buck, Casyn Buchman, Natalie Taylor, Milomilo Nanai, Charmian Mellars

Key Numbers:

Ashleigh Kelman-Potoleads the Breeze in scoring (16.7ppg) and rebounding (8.0rpg).

The return of Charmian Mellarsis a big boost for the Dream. The former Tall Fern is third on the WBC scoring list this season (14.7ppg) and the fifth highest rebounder (8.0rpg).