The Southern Hoiho must box out a bit harder, jump a little higher and execute with greater precision ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Northern Kāhu in Auckland.
They struggled to keep the Whai off the boards or connect on offence, losing 89-74 in Tauranga last night.
Emme Shearer and Hannah Hank did most of the damage.
Hank was brutal on the inside, netting a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds. She swatted away three blocks as well.
Shearer ghosted her way along the baseline for a series of baskets and she nailed all three of her three-point attempts for a haul of 22
points.
Jessica McDowell-White landed some daggers from out wide as well. She collected 16 points and dished out eight assists in a quality outing.
Former Hoiho player Laina Snyder hauled 13 rebounds and added 11 points.
It was a tough night for the Hoiho.
But Jesse Edwards got them off to a strong start, grabbing an early bucket inside.
Hank was muscular under the basket, though, and the South Australian forced her way to the hoop.
Hoiho star Claire Jacobs stepped through a gap and floated a shot in, and Taylah Simmons, who top-scored for the Hoiho with 23 points, showed some aggression to get to the hoop.
The visitors opened up a 14-9 lead, but the Whai rallied with some three-pointers to trail 19-18 at the first break.
Snyder helped the home team snatch the momentum in the second period, and Hank got some more traction close to the rim and nailed a mid-range jumper as well.
Snyder gobbled up another rebound.
The Hoiho could not find the brake pedal and gave up 11 unanswered points and way too many second-chance points during that painful stretch of the game.
The Whai outscored them 28-14 in the period to lead 46-33.
The Hoiho made a bright start to the third quarter. But they were still labouring to keep Hank away from the offensive boards.
Sophia Locandro connected with a three. McDowell-White landed a triple. Shearer grabbed some love from deep as well.
The game was slipping further away from the Hoiho.
They faced a 16-point deficit with 10 minutes to play, but could not make a dent.
The Whai smashed the Hoiho 40-16 in the Rapid League game. The Hoiho did not net a single basket in the first or the fourth quarter.
Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa
The scores
Whai 89
Hannah Hank 23, Emme Shearer 22
Hoiho 74
Taylah Simmons 23, Paige Bradley 12
Quarter scores: 18-19, 46-33, 69-53, 89-74
