AUCKLAND Dream head into the condensed New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) 18IN18 competition in rare company. The Dream are coming off a title already in the Schick 3X3 Cup played over the weekend and will hope to add more silverware to the trophy cabinet when the game expands out to the full court five-player traditional game.
The four players involved in 3×3 Cup glory were Amanda Wayment, Arielle Williams-Mackey, Casyn Buchman and Darci Finnigan. Whilst Finnigan twisted her knee in the semi-final and had limited minutes in the 3×3 final, it is expected she should be right to go when the season tips off later this week. All four will play crucial roles in the team success, along with a list that will no doubt provide plenty of highlights throughout the year.
Wayment spent her college days at Brigham Young University in the West Coast Conference of the NCAA. The Cougars were the same college Tall Black and fellow Dream talent Kalani Purcell played at before graduating a year earlier in 2017. The 185cm forward is an athlete who will provide great leadership to the team having captained her college team in her senior year.
Fellow College talent Buchman returns to the Dream after playing there in 2019, averaging the 7.9 points from 19.9 minutes, shooting at an accurate 58.6 per cent. She also picked up the 3.2 rebounds, equally capable off the boards at either end, and is as tough as they come. Meanwhile 18-year-old Williams-Mackey is one to watch as a big-game player as she showed in the 3×3 final, with her accurate shooting and clutch baskets.
The turnaround between the 3×3 Cup and opening night of the NZNBL season is not long, with the Dream first up against Waikato Wizards on Thursday. Led by Tall Ferns assistant coach, Aik Ho the Dream have the talent to go deep in the 18-day tournament. There have been some crucial omissions from last year’s team in Tall Ferns talents, Natalie Taylor, Charmian Mellars and Jordan Hunter alongside Purcell, but other internationals to replace them in Katelin Noyer and Jelena Vucinic.
Both are coming off impressive college seasons, and added to the fact the exciting Sharne Robati will also run around for Auckland makes it a dream team. Rionne Papa and Tania Uluheua round out the 10-player squad, with the team one to watch in 2021 and hopeful of hitting the ground running from night one against the Wizards.
2020 Auckland Dream Full Team List:
Amanda Buck
Amanda Wayment
Casyn Buchman
Darci Finnigan
Jelena Vucinic
Sharne Pupuke-Robati
Rionne Papa
Arielle Williams-Mackey
Tania Uluheua
Katelin Noyer
NZNBL teams prepare for massive final month
ONLY five rounds remain in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) with the final third of the season getting underway tonight. Ahead of Round 11 tipping off between the Otago Nuggets and Canterbury Bulls, we look at how each of the 10 teams is shaping up in the run home. Auckland Tutatara Position: 1stWin-Loss: […]
Queens rule to claim inaugural title
AFTER an action-packed season, Tokomanawa Queens have taken out the 2022 Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa title, defeating Northern Kahu by nine points at The Trafalgar Centre on the weekend. The Queens finished second behind the Kahu on the ladder coming into the finals series, but headed into Saturday’s decider with plenty of confidence, having defeated them […]
Queens match to victory in second half
A STARRING second half performance of 56 points to 34 has resulted in the Tokomanawa Queens securing their place in the 2022 Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa Grand Final. The Queens knocked off Mainland Pouakai by 24 points, storming to victory off the back of an international trio. Though the Pouakai – who have caused headaches for […]
Kahu back up minor premiership with semi-win
A DOMINANT first term and then finishing with a wet sail allowed minor premiers Northern Kahu to book their spot in the Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa Grand Final. The top of the table Kahu defeated fourth placed Mid-North Whai by 15 points at the Trafalgar Centre, largely built off a 23-6 opening stanza. Though the Whai […]
Kahu cruise to final round win over Pouakai
MINOR premiers Northern Kahu capped off the remarkable inaugural 2022 Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa season with an impressive 13-point win over Mainland Pouakai last night. The Kahu were locked into top spot courtesy of their 9-2 season, but still managed to run out the final game strongly, overcoming an early headache to seize control of the […]
Whai end regular season with win
AFTER being the only side to go down to Southern Hoiho during the season, the Mid-North Whai set the record straight in the final round, defeating the wooden spooners ahead of an important finals series. The Whai were on the back foot in the middle of the game, but steadied to run out 10-point victors […]
Pouakai wins thriller; secures third spot
THE Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa finals series matchup are locked in despite a couple of regular season matches to go, following Mainland Pouakai‘s thrilling victory over Mid-North Whai. The Whai were in with a chance to snatch third spot had they won this match, and did have great form over the Pouakai, defeating them in their […]
Queens pip Kahu to lock up second spot
FOR the second time this season, Tokomanawa Queens had the answers for the otherwise unbeatable Northern Kahu, defeating the top of the table side by a point to secure a top two position on the Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa ladder. After accounting for the Kahu a few weeks back, the Queens ground out a one-point win […]
Finals-bound sides set sights on last round
ONE round remains in the Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa season, with the best of New Zealand’s women’s basketball set to come to a head on Saturday, August 26-27. Though the final round takes place this weekend, fans will be doing the calculations ahead of the Final 4 weekend. The four sides are already decided in the […]
