Otago’s Southern Hoiho women’s basketball team had a flying visit to Queenstown last weekend ahead of their 2026 season.

Following on from the Otago Nuggets men’s team’s visit earlier this year, players turned up en masse at Remarkables Park to mix and mingle with the next generation of players during the special ‘Hoops in the Park’ event, which included games, giveaways and challenges. 

The Hoiho — who finished third in the G.J Gardner Homes Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa 2025 season — play their first regular season game next Saturday against the Mainland Pouākai in Christchurch.

It will be the first Tauihi basketball game to be hosted at the new Parakiore Recreation and Sports Centre.

— TRACEY ROXBURGH