Congratulations to the Harbour players that have made the extended Tall Ferns squad for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament to be played in February next year.

Named in the 16-player squad are Tayla Dalton, Penina Davidson and Tera Reed, all three having been part of the successful Tall Ferns 2023 FIBA Asia Cup campaign in Sydney where New Zealand finished fourth.

The players not playing overseas will attend a Development Camp on the North Shore from November 25-28. Congratulations to Bailey Flavell and Rebecca Moors on being selected as two of three development players to attend the camp.

Meanwhile Tera and the Melbourne Boomers have made a terrific start to the Australian WNBL season. The Boomers have won their opening three games with Tera shooting the 3-ball at 80% (8/10) as she averages a team high 15.7ppg. Eight rebounds a game also for the former Westlaker.

In NCAA Division I play Emme Shearer top scored for Portland with 17 points and also added 6 rebounds and 4 assists as the Pilots beat San Diego State 72-58.

A couple of days later, on her first appearance for Portland after redshirting the 2022-23 season, Flo Dallow scored 9 points in the 64-42 loss to Villanova. 

Mackenzie Chatfield made her first shot, a three-pointer, on her Western Kentucky University debut with WKU going on to beat Mercer 70-64.

In NCAA Division II action Jess Moors had a memorable debut for Nova Southeastern despite her team losing 69-62 to AUM. Jess compiled a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Also with 13 points was Tessa Talo-Tomokino as Northeastern got the better of University of St Mary winning 74-66.

In Men’s Division II play Sean Murphy opened the season in style with 18 points (8/10FG) and 9 rebounds despite Nebraska at Kearney losing 83-81 to Southern Nazarene.

Also in good form was Charlie Dalton as he accumulated 15 points for Concordia Irvine in their 81-74 victory over Cal State San Marcos.

Kiani Saxon scored 8 points in each game as Missouri Western State University registered a pair of wins in their first two outings of the season.

In NAIA Division I Rashaan Smith top scored for Oklahoma Wesleyan in their 67-61 defeat by Texas Wesleyan. Rashaan finished with 17 points (7/10FG) to go with a monster 12 rebounds.

In Junior College Qaizden Stephano produced two massive double-doubles over the weekend as Gillette College gained a win and a loss. She nailed 23 points and 12 rebounds as Gillette proved too sharp for United Tribes Tech winning 91-55 and then 31 and 12 in the 72-66 loss to Miles.

In just her second game for Mineral Area College Mustangs Jaelah Clayton scored 10 points as the Mustangs defeated Lincoln Trail 75-36.

Boston Caldwell scored 21 points as Central Maine Mustangs defeated Word of Life 111-85 and followed that with a team high 24 points the closer 93-88 win against ESF. He then scored 10 points as Central Maine made it three wins in as many days. Teammate Rocco Chang scored 7 points, 9 and 4 off the bench for the Mustangs.

In the professional ranks Yanni Wetzell came up with 14 points on 7 from 8 shooting as ALBA Berlin defeated Tuebingen 97-81.

Matt Freeman enjoyed his most productive scoring output of the season making 18 points (4/9 3PG) as his Romanian club Craiova lost 70-69 to Targu Mores. That was the fourth loss of the season by three points or less in six games.

In Japan Isaac Fotu scored 11 points as Tochigi Brex had a comfortable 85-60 win against Toyama.

Closer to home Sam Waardenburg contributed 15 points as Cairns Taipans pulled away late in the fourth to beat Illawarra Hawks 81-71.