Sky Sport Tall Ferns Showcase puts depth of talent on NZ stage

A dominant first-half performance from Team Beck propelled them to a convincing 91-62 win against Team Davidson in the Sky Sport Tall Ferns Showcase encounter at Trusts Arena on Saturday evening.

Beck played a captains knock with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals and received excellent support from Tera Reed (16 points), Tayla Dalton (15 points) and Ella Fotu (9 points).

Davidson scored a dozen points for her team, Zoe Richards contributed 9 but Charlisse Leger-Walker was the standout with 23 points (8/15FG), 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals.

Team Beck led their opponents in all the major statistical categories winning the rebounding count 55-40, the assists tally 17-12 and the all-important shooting percentages (46% v 39% from the field.

Jacinta Beckley scored on the first possession for Team Beck, with captain Penina replying for Team Davidson.

A Fotu layup pushed Team Beck 11-5 ahead  – Reed’s triple adding another three to the margin.

Davidson demonstrated her inside skills but a neat finish from Zara Jillings extended Team Beck’s lead to 19-9.

Leger-Walker found answers with five points but her former Waikato teammate, Kendell Heremaia, nailed a triple in reply.

Beck scored in transition on the quarter-time buzzer and her team were 29-17 ahead.

A Dalton steal and assist put Beck clear for the layup, the St Mary’s bound guard then landed from deep forcing Team Davidson Head Coach Jody Cameron to call a timeout with her team down 42-21.

It was one-way traffic as Ash Kelman-Poto, and Emme Shearer added to Team Davidson’s woes and when Jillings found nothing but net with her Hail-Mary effort Team Beck ended a dominant half 56-22 ahead.

Captain Beck led all scorers at the interval with 15 points.

Team Davidson started the second half in promising fashion via Kailahi-Fulu and Leger-Walker but Reed and Dalton stopped that abruptly with a couple of scorers.

Heremaia found West with a sweet assist as the lead swelled to 66-30.

Otago Gold Rush forward Zoe Richards scored 9 points in the quarter for Team Davidson but they faced a hefty deficit at the three-quarter mark trailing 73-41.

Tanaka Gapare, Helen Matthews and Leger-Walker added points to the Team Davidson score but Beck and Co had all the answers on the night.

 

Final score:

  • Team Davidson 62 – Charlisse Leger-Walker 23, Penina Davidson 12, Zoe Richards 9, Matangiroa Flavell 6, Tanaka Gapare 5, Jazz Kailahi-Fulu 2, Ella Bradley 2, Helen Matthews 2, Mary Goulding 1, Brooke Blair, Ashlee Strawbridge, Kayla Manuirirangi
  • Team Beck 91– Tera Reed 16, Stella Beck 15, Tayla Dalton 12, Ella Fotu 9, Emme Shearer 7, Jacinta Beckley 7, Ashleigh Kelman-Poto 5, Kendell Heremaia 5, Zara Jillings 5, Arielle Mackey-Williams 2, Sharne Robati 4, Amy West 4.

BOXSCORE

Talking Points

  1. Which of the uncapped players would stake a claim for higher honours in the future? Tayla D
  2. Much interest centred around the performances of Australian WNBL contingent of Penina Davidson, Stella Beck (both Melbourne Boomers) and Mary Goulding (Bendigo Spirit). Beck produced the numbers in this one.
  3. Aik Ho was probably the busiest man at Trusts Arena on Saturday. The Head Coach of Team Beck is also an Assistant Coach with the Otago Nuggets.