Jillian Harmon has linked with the team for its final game of Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa, against the Mid North What in Tauranga.
The American-born Tall Fern will add some much-needed quality to a Hoiho line-up that has been short on firepower this season.
She had initially hoped to be available for more of the season but clashes with her team in France, as well as the Commonwealth Games, have limited her to a solitary appearance.
While the season may be over from the sense of making the playoffs, that has not stopped Harmon wanting to make the trip to pull on the Hoiho colours.
"Since I’d committed to it, and we expected at the beginning of the season, I’d be able to come for a game or two and then help the team in the final four," Harmon (35) said.
"It didn’t work out that way this time. But I just wanted to show support for the league and come back and be here.
"It’s just one game, but I’m still going to go to the final four, watch the other teams play. Catch up with some people.
"For me it’s about supporting the league and committing to what we started."
It will not be Harmon’s first stint in the South.
She was a member of the 2015 WBC champion Otago Gold Rush team, named the league’s most valuable player in the process.
That was a team that also contained Hoiho players Samara Gallaher, Bronwyn Kjestrup, Janet Maoate-Breen (then Janet Main) and then schoolgirl Nicole Ruske.
Harmon has great memories of Dunedin and the people in the city, which had been a big lure to come back.
It was a just a flash in what has been an illustrious career for the 1.85m forward.
Most recently, that has been in France, where she won a championship in the country’s top league, as well as playing in the Euro League.
She had been excited for the chance to return to New Zealand, though, and was impressed with what she has seen from Tauihi.
"I’ve been keeping an eye on it," she said.
"It’s such an amazing opportunity for women in New Zealand. It’s been a long time coming.
"They’ve done a great job in the league with the support behind it. Even the uniforms look awesome. I just really like what they’re doing.
"Also they’ve got a lot of really good Kiwi players to come home and some really high quality imports. A lot of girls I’ve played against for years in Europe.
"Considering it’s the first year, it’s a really good start in terms of the quality of players they’ve been able to attract.
"Just speaking to my friends in Europe, there’s a lot of interest for people to come over. The better the imports are, that’ll help the local players grow."
The Hoiho have won just one game this year, which came against the Whai in Dunedin.
While the majority of the team’s players have shown themselves to be solid role players at this level, a lack of top-end quality and scoring has held them back.
That is where Harmon should make a significant different — a legitimately elite player to take some load off the rest of the roster, allowing them to focus on what they do well.
All going well, it will not be her only appearance, either.
While this year may not have worked out, Harmon expressed a definitive interest in returning in the future.
Tip-off is at 3pm.
- The Otago Gold Rush beat Canterbury 80-69 to advance to the final of the National Women’s D League competition in Auckland.
Sophie Adams had a monster game for the Gold Rush, posting 24 points and 13 rebounds.
They will play in the final against the Auckland Dream at 3pm today.
Tauihi Basketball
Tauranga, tomorrow, 3pm
Hoiho: Laina Snyder, Shelby Cheslek, Tori Dugan, Zoe Richards, Samara Gallaher, Olivia O’Neill, Bronwyn Kjestrup, Jay Maoate-Breen, Tyler Mitchell, Jillian Harmon.
Whai: Kyra Lambert, Sheniqua Greene, Dominique McBryde, Tiarna Clarke, Sharne Robati, Esra McGoldrick, Rosalia Samia, Hineaupounamu Nuku, Jelena Vucinic, Makayla Daysh.
