The Southern Hoiho kept the defending champions scoreless for more than 10 minutes and poured in 27 points to run away with a 77-60 win against the Tokomanawa Queens in Dunedin tonight.
A small but vocal crowd of 329 watched as the home team responded to a slow start with a mini run of seven points at the end of the first period.
But it was the 20 point run start to the second quarter which established an unassailable lead.
Everyone contributed.
Point guard Paige Bradley took the ball to the hoop with a lot of energy and netted 19 points for her hustle.
Centre Ashten Prechtel had another fine night in the Hoiho singlet, with a double of 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Zoe Richards (16 points) and Ahlise Hurst (16 points) both got into double figures.
The Hoiho won the rebounding battle 55 to 38 which will please coach Todd Marshall.
Basically there was a lot to like about the Hoiho. It was a comprehensive victory.
But those first five minutes belonged to the Queens.
Stephanie Watts (14 points) opened the scoring with a three-pointer from the top of the key and Chrislyn Carr (21 points) added another triple a few moments later.
It was going so well for the visitors until they tried to inject Parris Mason into the game.
Her name had been left off the team sheet. That clerical error meant she was unable to take any part in the fixture.
Hoiho captain Samara Gallaher drilled a late three from the corner to cut the lead to 13-12 at the first break.
Prechtel got the next period under way with a block and a couple of points at the other end.
That defensive effort helped provide the spark for a golden run which included a run of triples.
Gallaher notched another, Richards knocked down a couple and Bradley found the middle of the hoop as well.
Hurst broke it up with a cut to the basket for two.
Carr finally brought the Hoiho's 27 point streak to an end with a three-pointer with three minutes remaining in the half.
But so much damage had been done. The Hoiho led 39-22 at halftime.
That buffer stayed healthy for entirety of the third quarter thanks to some tremendous defensive hustle and Prechtel's decision to get into the paint a bit more.
She nailed a couple of nice lay-ups and Bradley brought up the team 50 with a three.
The Queens played some of their best basketball in the final quarter, buy the game had already been lost.
In the rapid league, the Queens beat the Hoiho 27-16.
Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa
The scores
Southern Hoiho 77
Paige Bradley 19, Ashten Prechtel 16
Tokomanawa Queens 60
Chrislyn Carr 21, Stephanie Watts 14
Quarter scores: 12-13, 39-22, 56-40
