Basketball New Zealand’s (BBNZ) NZ Pro 3×3 Quest made it’s way back to Auckland for the first time in 2023 as it made the shift from Eventfinda Stadium to the Auckland YMCA.
Day 1 Recap
In the Men’s, it was Te Kauri Pango – which features a lineup of Dom Kelman-Poto, Chris McIntosh, Jayden Bezzant and Zach Esthope – were the winners, and remained unbeaten throughout the entire day. They finished off with a 21-17 win over Te Kauri Ma to seal a first place finish.
For the Women’s, Kakano Whero – with Rebecca Moors, Amy Pateman, Isabel Pugh and Olivia Lassey – started with a loss to Puriri Hina, but would be their only one for the day. They continued through to the Semi-Finals with a two point victory, and claimed the win against Puriri Mā by a single point to win 10-9 and claim a first place finish.
Day 2 Recap
Sunday saw Te Kauri Pango with the addition of Charlie Dalton win their second day in a row. Remaining again undefeated, they worked their way through the Playoffs to meet Te Kauri Ma for a second time in the Finals and finish champions with a 19-14 victory.
In the Women’s division, Puriri Hina took victory, with Kendell Heremaia, Ella Fotu and Luye Murphy showing their skills and finishing in first place without dropping a game. They had to work hard in their final game, with the previous day’s runners-up Puriri Mā attempting to stop them in their path, but managed to sneak past with a 21-19 win.
The MVPs from the weekend were Dom Kelman-Poto (Men’s Division) and Azure Anderson (Women’s Division).
BBNZ 3×3 Programme Manager, Nikolay Mikhalchuk says that Auckland turned out in high spirits, even after torrential weather dampened the mood.
“It was fulfilling to see players thrive in their recreation amidst adversity. The talent of young female players in the 3×3 game, like Amy Pateman and Rebecca Moors, was impressive,” says Mikhalchuk.
“I also noted strong showings from Charlie Dalton and Pafe Momoisea during both stops over the weekend. The willingness of experienced 5×5 player Isaac Davidson to step into the 3×3 game was inspiring.”
Next Stop
The next NZ Pro 3×3 Quest in Christchurch will take place at Cowles Stadium from the 11th February till the 12th February. For details on future NZ Pro 3×3 Quest events, visit the Basketball NZ Events page at https://nz.basketball/whats-on/
NZ Pro 3×3 Quest schedule (2023):
Feb 11-12 | Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
Feb 18-19 | Pulman Arena, Auckland
Feb 25-26 | Cowles Stadium, Christchurch
Mar 11-12 | TBC, Auckland
