The 16-year-old Dunedin bowler charged to victory in the Kittyhawk New Zealand under-21 tournament in Wellington at the weekend.
Potiki-Tagg beat Gisborne bowler Kyle Pinn 21-18 in an epic final over 20 ends.
He had to climb out of an early hole, too.
The John McGlashan College year 12 pupil trailed 7-0 after five ends.
Instead of panicking, the Dunedin teenager regrouped and fought his way back into the final, scoring in bunches at key moments.
He picked up three shots on the seventh end and four on the 10th, but was still trailing 14-9 after 13 ends.
Potiki-Tagg nabbed three shots on the 14th end and four on the 15th to take the lead for the first time.
He trailed 18-16 with three ends to play but did not drop another shot, scoring two on the 18th, one on the 19th and two on the 20th to seal a dramatic victory.
Potiki-Tagg beat Lily Signal (Wellington) 21-11 in the semifinals of the mixed gender event, and downed Luca Dobson (Taranaki) 21-14 in the quarterfinals.
Potiki-Tagg qualified by winning five of his seven matches in section play.
He joined the Kaikorai club aged 12 where he bowls alongside his father, Johnnie Potiki, and aspires to make the Blackjacks or New Zealand Maori team eventually.
Fellow Dunedin bowler Jordan McEwan, 13, reached the quarterfinals in Wellington, winning all seven of his qualifying matches.
Brother Lachie, 10, won four of his seven matches in section play but narrowly missed the playoffs on countback.
Potiki-Tagg follows in the footsteps of Kaikorai clubmate Jonty Horwell, who won the title several years ago.
The Kittyhawk under-21 tournament went into hiatus in 2018 but was reintroduced in 2024, and it has been a breeding ground for top players over the years.
