My goodness. There is some serious High School talent on display at the 2026 New Zealand Secondary Schools ‘AA’ National Championships.
From Tauihi players, to current Breakers Development players, there’s some incredible athletes who will be gracing the floors of Central Energy Trusts Arena next week, and hear are some of the must-watch names from the ‘AA’ competitions.
‘AA’ Girls National Championships
Gia Bishop, Mana College (Year 10)
Gia Bishop was one of Porirua’s stars in their U16 National Championship side who were ever-so-close to knocking Canterbury off the throne in Christchurch earlier this year.
Bishop was a third of Mana’s triple threat trio at Regionals, leading the team to the Zone 3 championship alongside Eden Metekingi and Nevaeh Scirkovich. Although she’s still a junior, Bishop put together some tidy performances at Regionals, against some top quality competition as well. She’ll be a name to watch in the future, and the future starts now.
Charis Broughton, Mount Maunganui College (Year 12)
Charis Broughton has had an incredible year for both Mount Maunganui College and Tauranga City at representative level.
With sister Shamar out of action for the early parts of the season, missing Secondary Schools 3×3 Nationals and Foot Locker U20 Nationals, Charis stepped up in a big way. Firstly, leading MMC to the 3×3 Secondary Schools title (whilst earning MVP honours), and an impressive showing at U20 Nationals where she was selected into the tournament’s All-Star Five.
She took that form into Zone 2 Regionals, leading the Mount in scoring at 23.1 PPG as they took home the Zone 2 championship in 2026.
Shamar Broughton, Mount Maunganui College (Year 12)
Shamar has spent a lot of time on the sidelines in 2026, recovering from an injury that kept her out for the early parts of the school season.
She looked solid at the U17 FIBA Women’s World Cup, contributing 7.9 points and 3.1 assists per game alongside sister Charis in the the history-making Junior Tall Ferns squad that went to Czechia earlier this year.
While she didn’t produce the same numbers as last year’s Regionals (averaged 31.7 PPG in 2025) her form at Regionals looked to be trending that way, so don’t be surprised if her and sister Charis are both averaging in the high 20’s when we get to Nationals.
With Riley McClenaghan and Issy Gillard away at the U18 Asia Cup, the twins will be paramount to the success of the Zone Two champions in Palmerston North.
Ava Jones, St Andrew’s College (Year 13)
It’s the youngest Jones’ final year in High School, and there’s no doubt she’s looking to end her time at St Andrew’s with finally wrestling the C.A. Clarke and Stone Trophy off of Westlake.
Jones was the captain of the U17 Women’s World Cup team that placed fifth at the tournament, and another member of that team who has had a stellar year. Leading Canterbury to the Foot Locker U20 National title, whilst putting up numbers worthy enough to see her also bring home the MVP title.
Jones has been a key cog in the success of St Andrew’s in the last few years since arriving from Waimea College (including 2024 where they were runners-up at Nationals), but with a talented roster loaded with New Zealand national team experience, there’s every shot Ava leads her squad to the coveted Secondary Schools championship in 2026.
Areta Kahura, Tauranga Girls’ College (Year 12)
Kahura shoulders a lot of Tauranga’s load with guard Keija Miringaorangi away on national team duty in Malaysia.
Yet another member of the 2026 U17 World Cup squad, Areta his in her penultimate year at Tauranga Girls’ and is carrying on the legacy at Nationals that her past teammates such as Pahlyss Hokianga, Storey Sadler and Graecyn Parahi have built.
She’ll be responsible for a lot of the scoring come Nationals, but her 31 points against Mount Maunganui College at regionals proved to everyone she’s ready for the challenge.
Maiyah Lavea-Martin, St Andrew’s College (Year 10)
The second year ten on this list has dominated the Foot Locker U16 National age group for a couple of years now, and it looks like it’s beginning to translate into the senior level.
The two-time U16 Nationals MVP opened up her Zone 4 Premierships campaign with a 50-bomb against Craighead Dio, and followed it up with 42 against Middleton Grange a day later. Of course, she continued to score at a high level across the tournament, finishing up as Zone 4’s leading scorer at 36.6 points per game.
The Mainland Pouākai development player has already put together quite the resume, and a Secondary Schools title would like very nice next to her back-to-back Foot Locker U16 titles. Needless to say, if it isn’t to be this year, with Lavea-Martin leading the way there’s always hope for St Adnrew’s in the coming years.
Katie Moors, Westlake Girls’ High School (Year 12)
Moors is heading into another year with the back-to-back-to-back-to-back champions of the ‘AA’, and it looks as though there’s no slowing down. Already a three-time national champion, and is yet to walk away from the New Zealand Secondary Schools Nationals without the C.A. Clarke and Stone trophy.
Last year, Moors took a huge leap, being named as the tournament Foot Locker Defensive Player of the Tournament, while providing an impressive statline in last year’s final against Hamilton Girls’ (8 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocks).
Moors will again be a key cog in Westlake’s attempt to become just the second school in New Zealand Secondry School history to win five straight titles.
Imani Rasmussen, Westlake Girls’ High School (Year 12)
Moors’ teammate and fellow U17 World Cup teammate, Imani Rasmussen has had an impressive year, racking up the awards and accollades in 2026.
At the Foot Locker U20 Nationals, playing up an age group, Rasmussen was named as the tournament’s best defensive player, as Harbour fell short in the final to Canterbury.
Rasmussen was the U17 Women’s second highest scorer at the World Cup, ending with averages of 11.4 points and 8 rebounds per game. Straight after the successful fifth-placed campaign in Czechia, she earnt her maiden call-up to the 2degrees Tall Ferns, making her debut for the senior women’s national side in thier win over Argentina.
She’s another of Westlake’s core that has tasted nothing but success at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Nationals, and she’ll be looking to keep that record in tact during the 2026 ‘AA’ Championships.
Kilani-Mae Tu’ineau, Saint Kentigern College (Year 12)
Kilani-Mae had a great 2025 Nationals with Saint Kentigern College as a Year 11, earning a spot in the All-Star Five after leading her squad to a fourth-place finish.
Now a Year 12, Tu’ineau holds the keys to go even deeper in this year’s tournament as the Zone One runnners-up look to go one, two, or even three places higher in 2026. With her leading the way for St Kent’s at regionals at 16.6 points per contest, her and guard teammate Charlie Yock will most likely lead the way for the East Aucklanders again at Nationals.
Ameia Williams, Queen Margaret College (Year 12)
We really could’ve put either Ameia or QMC and Tokomanawa Queens teammate, Nahala Toeleiu, but Ameia Williams has been impressive this year.
The Foot Locker U18 MVP led her Wellington side to the National title, as well as being named MVP after averaging 25.5 points per game to lead the competition. She came up big for Wellington in the late stages of that tournament, averaging 25.5 points, 8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game in the semi’s and final.
She showed out at Zone 3 Premierships as well, averaging a tick over 30 points per game for Queen Margaret College, with Toeleiu not far behind her at 27.8. Both will play big roles in QMC’s success in a tough Pool A up against Westlake Girls and Zone 3 champions, Mana College.
