We begin this week’s review with the Tall Blacks as over the weekend Dan Fotu became the third member of his family to play international basketball this season.

Sister Ella played at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham for the New Zealand 3x3 team while brother Dan also played for the Tall Blacks earlier in the year.

Unfortunately the Tall Blacks lost 77-65 to Lebanon and 92-75 to Jordan in a pair of FIBA World Cup Qualifying games. Against Jordan, Dan added 6 rebounds to a made 3-pointer.

The Tall Blacks have already qualified for next year’s FIBA World Cup and will now regroup in February 2023, when they play a pair of games back in New Zealand; versus Saudi Arabia in Christchurch followed by a re-match with Lebanon in Wellington.

In Men’s NCAA Division I action South Dakota scored an 82-64 home win against Dakota State with Kruz Perrott-Hunt scoring 15 points to move to 717 career points – up to 10^th spot on the all-time list of Kiwi points scorers in NCAA Division I Men’s basketball passing Sam Waardenburg (711 points).

Kruz joins a distinguished band of former Harbour players in the 700 points bracket and as can be seen from the list below is closing in on the records of Dan and Isaac Fotu. 

785 Isaac Fotu

726 Dan Fotu

717 Kruz Perrott-Hunt

711 Sam Waardenburg

North Harbour great Kirk Penney (1,454 points) is the Kiwi Men’s NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer. 

It took double overtime to separate Davidson College and Wright State before the Wildcats edged to a 102-97 victory. Following on from a double-double in the opening game Sam Mennenga posted 16 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists as Davidson overcame a 21-points first half deficit to record a second straight win to open the season.

James Moors was a perfect 5 from 5 from the field – including a made 

triple – as Colorado State beat Southeastern Louisiana 80-69. The junior forward filled the stats line with 11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, an assist and a block in 18 productive minutes. His third point of the night took James to 300 career points.

Virginia were far too strong for Monmouth winning 89-42 with Taine Murray scoring 7 points on 3 from 6 shooting.

Tayla Dalton scored 10 points (2/3 3PG) to help St Mary’s College to an 88-81 win at California Baptist. She also tallied 4 rebounds and 2 assists as the Gaels have made a 2-0 start to the season.

Portland University Pilots found the going a little tough against Stanford, the second ranked team in Women’s Division I basketball, going down 87-47. Emme Shearer scored 9 points in Portland’s first loss of the season.

In NCAA Division II play Hannah Wentworth top scored for Eckerd College as they opened their season with an 88-58 win against Valdosta State. Hannah went 4 from 9 from 3-point range on her way to 16 points .

Will Heather scored 9 points and added 4 rebounds, 4 assists and a block as Dallas Baptist defeated Colorado Christian 89-60. 

Sean Murphy added a team high 7 rebounds to 6 points, an assist and a block although Nebraska Kearney came up short against Minnesota Duluth going down 78-72.

In Junior College Western Texas have made a 2-2 start to the season with Parehuia Delamere demonstrating fine form. The two-way guard has averaged 10 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2 assists and a team high 2.8 steals per game.

Waiaaria Rogers top scored with 16 points but Marshalltown CC were thumped 107-41 by North Central Missouri.

Boston Caldwell scored 16 points, making 4 from 8 threes, as Central Maine won 84-83 against Great Bay. He also contributed 7 rebounds and 3 assists.

Dallas Clayton had 5 rebounds to accompany 7 points as Missouri State West Plains went down 79-69 to Southeastern CC.

Also with 5 rebounds – a team high – was Kiani Saxon as Louisiana State University Eunice beat Mississippi Gulf Coast 80-65.