The Ahuriri Flyers have compiled an impressive roster headline by former Napier Girls High players Kaya Lord, Demi Forshaw and Zoe Ebbitt. In round one, they were beaten by Hastings GHS by just 3 points. These two teams will share the early favourites tags in the 2020 Women’s Competition. Meanwhile Bridge Pa have some excellent scorers in Destiny Smiler, Sequoia Sadler and Kat Brown but lack experience with young year 8 guards. Heretaunga have the biggest team in a competition full of opponents that lack of size – could that be what wins them the league, or proves to be their downfall? Napier GHS are the defending champs…but are also the youngest side and the smallest side in the competition this time around. 2020 could be anyone’s game.

Ahuriri Flyers
The Flyers have traded in size for electric guard scoring in 2020. Gone are bigs Madison King, Georgina Campbell and Nina Straathof and in are Demi Forshaw & Zoe Ebbitt who led the Flyers in scoring in round one. The Flyers look to be one of the most dynamic scoring teams in the competition who will be hard to stop at times. The only question may be their ability to defend inside and rebound. 2019 All-Star 5 member Kaya Lord will be key in that regard. Lord remains from the 2019 team along with Mahia Isherwood & Kresna Crouch. Those five former Napier Girls High School players joined by another former Napier GHS player in Sarah Winnie as well. Emma Mead joins the squad after starring in the 2019/20 Summer League which adds some further scoring punch. The roster is rounded out by some of Hawke’s Bay’s top high school talent in Teina Tuhi (Havelock North), Memory Forbes (Central Hawke’s Bay) and Atalia Thompson (Hastings Christian) to give the squad a speedy youthful look in 2020. Ahuriri Flyers will be among the favourites in the competition along with Hastings GHS.

Kresna Crouch, Guard
Zoe Ebbitt, Point Guard
Memory Forbes, Forward
Demi Forshaw, Guard
Mahia Isherwood, Guard
Kaya Lord, Centre
Emma Mead, Forward
Atalia Thompson, Guard
Teina Tuhi, Guard
Sarah Winnie, Guard

Bridge Pa
The 2019 Runners-Up have lost most of their star players due to the entrance of Hastings GHS into the 2020 competition. All-Star 5 members Raedeen Blake & Kahlia Awa, along with Passion Te Amo, will be playing in their high school colours in the 2020 Elite League. Bridge Pa have also lost key starting forwards Tie Tie Aiolupotea and Dyvine Ioane that were key to their interior defence in 2019. Bridge Pa have come up with two key recruits in Destiny Smiler & Kat Brown, who led the team in scoring in round one along with Sadler. Most interesting will be some of Hawke’s Bay’s most promising Year 8’s have joined the squad in Stirling Clarke-Lloyd, Pahlyss Hokianga, Storey Sadler & Charlotte Tuliau. These players have already been playing Division 1 Secondary School basketball through Basketball Hawke’s Bay’s Performance Development Programme and it is likely they will be able to acquit themselves nicely even in the more physical adult leagues.

Kat Brown, Guard
Ginny Clarke-Lloyd, Forward
Stirling Clarke-Lloyd, Guard
Leilani Hapi, Forward
Nana Hokianga, Guard
Pahlyss Hokianga, Point Guard
Destiny Smiler, Forward
Sequoia Sadler, Forward
Storey Sadler, Point Guard
Vanessa Sadler, Guard
Max Taiapa-Powell, Guard
Charlotte Tuliau, Guard
Kori Waerea, Forward

Hastings GHS
Hastings GHS enter the 2020 competition as an extremely competitive side featuring some of the region’s best young talent. 2019 All-Star 5 members Raedeen Blake & Kahlia Awa are in the side, along with big impactful centre Jannali Johnson. The team will have cohesiveness from playing and training together since the beginning of the year which could be key in the Elite League. Hastings GHS first up win against Ahuriri Flyers show that they will certainly be among the favourites in the competition.

Kahlia Awa, Point Guard
Raedeen Blake, Point Guard
Peta Heather, Forward
Breezyn Ioane, Forward
Jannali Johnson, Centre
Renee Karaitiana, Guard
Jaimee Mataira, Guard
Luatolu Semisi, Guard
Passion Te Amo, Guard
Maria Tuaputa, Forward

Heretaunga
The newly formed Heretaunga side have recruited former Ravens Kath Nahora & Journey Otene to their ranks along with former Bridge Pa guard O’Shaarn Wainahou. Heretaunga will feature an incredibly tall lineup that will be tough to score in the interior and equally as tough to win the rebound battle from. The challenge for Heretaunga may well be if opponents are successful in pushing the pace of the game due to their lack of guards. However the steady heads and experienced forwards of Heretaunga may prove successful in outlasting opponents as they did in their round one overtime win against Bridge Pa.

Tamia Edwards, Guard
Frances Huia, Forward
Shannon Mitchell, Forward
Kathleen Nahora, Forward
Journey Otene, Forward
Maesey Smiler, Forward
Roshan Uelese, Forward
O’Shaarn Wainohu, Guard
Leilani Wong, Guard

Napier GHS
The defending champion Napier GHS will once again be under strength in the Elite League round-robin stage due to a combination of injury and other commitments during the round robin phase of this competition. The team will likely be led by two Year 10’s in NZ U15 squad member Aliyah King & 2019 Elite League All-Star 5 member Madison Cunningham in the opening rounds of the competition while senior mainstays Ashleigh Poi, Sahria Adams, Aaliyah Beamsley & captain Shyan Murphy will likely be out early on. Given this year’s tough & close league, this could cause an issue for a very young Napier GHS. Napier GHS will rely on outside shooting and speed over their older counterparts. They’ll definitely be a team to keep an eye on in the opening rounds.

Sahria Adams, Guard
Aaliyah Beamsley, Guard
Madison Cunningham, Guard
Issy Kerr, Guard
Maddie Kerr, Guard
Aliyah King, Guard
Alex Mackintosh, Forward
Chante Malu, Forward
Tia Mataira, Guard
Shyan Murphy, Forward
Ashleigh Poi, Guard
Renee Rarere, Guard
Suraiya Rewi, Forward
Amelia Swann, Forward