Basketball: Tall Ferns finish 5th at Asia Cup after gutsy win over Philippines
Photo:
ADEK BERRY
New Zealand has finished fifth at the 2025 FIBA Women's Asia Cup, after posting a 78-71 win over the Philippines in Shenzhen, China.
It was a gutsy victory for the Tall Ferns in the topsy-turvey 5th/6th playoff match, with key players Esra McGoldrick, Emme Shearer and McKenna Dale again to the fore.
New Zealand started strongly, leading the Philippines by six points at the end of the first quarter, only to have the lead cut to four by the end of the first half.
The Philippines then had their best quarter, outscoring the New Zealanders by seven points to take a three-point lead into the final quarter.
But New Zealand found another gear just when they needed to, as Shearer and Dales nailed key baskets, to get the team back in front.
Their superior rebounding was also a big factor in the comeback, as they dominated the glass, out-rebounding their opponents 66-35, with 31 of the rebounds at the offensive end.
McGoldrick, who is also the captain, finished the game with 17 points, seven rebounds, while Shearer had 16 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Dale contributed strongly as well with 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Coach Natalie Hurst said it had been a period of adjustment for the squad.
"We don't really talk about our lead up, but with this particular group, you know, I had a Tall Ferns squad in May, we had four days of practice. We played three games against the Opals, then I get a Tall Ferns squad in July with five people changed. We have three practices and two practice matches and then we come to Asia Cup.
"With the new staff, I've had eight practices in total, with two different squads, and we've come out and we've done ourselves proud here at the Asia Cup," she said.
Shearer was also happy with the way the group stuck to their processes throughout the game.
"I think we grinded out a really tough game. We stayed together really well as a team, and I think the fact we can go through those ups and downs and still find a way to win and kinda like Nat said - the short amount of time we had together, everyone buying in to what we had to do… at the end of the day, that's what helped us be super successful."
The squad and coaching staff will turn their attention to World Cup qualification, which will begin next year.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
42 minutes ago
- RNZ News
The Warriors' defeat to the Dolphins endangers NRL playoff hopes
Analysis: NZ Warriors are in NRL freefall, after suffering a fourth defeat in their last six outings. Their last-gasp 20-18 loss to the Dolphins at Go Media Stadium was reminiscent of their last-gasp win over Newcastle Knights two weeks ago - except with the opposite emotions. Kiwis winger Jamayne Isaako raced over for the Dolphins' winning try with seconds remaining on the clock, after the Warriors seemed to control much of the second half and had a numerical advantage, with veteran prop Felise Kaufusi serving time in the sin bin. "The game was in our hands at the end, we turned the ball over in two really good spots late and we left them out," Warriors coach Andrew Webster said. "That's the frustrating bit. "We gave ourselves an opportunity to win the game and didn't find a way in the end." Already reeling from the loss of co-captain Mitch Barnett and Dally M-leading halfback Luke Metcalf to season-ending knee injuries, and a neverending midfield crisis, they were forced to make three injury-related changes in their initial team announcement and then another later in the week, before Webster reshuffled his line-up for kickoff. The result now puts their top-four hopes in serious jeopardy and even their playoff position may be under threat, as teams behind them make up ground. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow celebrates the Dolphins' late win over the Warriors. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Here's what this defeat means for the Warriors: With co-captain James Fisher-Harris sidelined by a calf strain, young forward Demitric Vaimauga was initially named for his first start in the front row, but withdrew with injury 24 hours out. Tanner Stowers-Smith was installed as his replacement, but there was always the sense that Webster had something else up his sleeve. Word filtered out - actually, prop Jackson Ford let it slip in the midweek media opp - that Kurt Capewell was training in his preferred second-row spot and Webster was obviously considering his options at centre. Before kickoff, he moved Marata Niukore into the front row, Capewell to the pack, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to centre and Taine Tuaupiki to fullback, with Stowers-Smith shifted back to the interchange and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava replacing Bunty Afoa on the bench for his debut. "We had to get the best players on the field that we could," Webster explained. "Whatever the positions was, we found the best solution that suited the team and not always the individual. "Charnze had a great mentality towards that. Having no Fish or Demitric, we needed minutes back in the forward pack and Kurt was going to give us that. "He could 80 minutes, so you don't have to make a sub for him, and if something went wrong on the edge, we could move him out there during the game. Leka Halasima scored his fifth try in five games to extend his lead atop the team standings. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ "Most of the decisions this week, there weren't many I had to think about, because they were the options in front of us." Nicoll-Klokstad has the ability to play anywhere in the backline - he has played at centre for the Kiwis and started at five-eighth in a 'Magic Round' win over Penrith Panthers last season - so that was an option that probably should have been tried earlier, given the glut of midfield injuries this season. Ieremia-Toeava became Warrior No.294, logging 25 minutes, running for 58 metres and making 20 tackles. Nominating the last-minute, matchwinning try would seem a little obvious, so let's go back a bit to the 74th minute, when Dolphins prop Felise Kaufusi was binned for a vicious hipdrop tackle on second-rower Jacob Laban and the Warriors had a penalty just left of the posts. A successful kick at goal would have given them a four-point buffer and burnt some time off the clock, but instead, they opted to tap, the subsequent set came to nothing and the rest is history. "That was my call," Webster admitted. "If you kick that goal and get a lead, then they go short, get the ball back and score, you'd never forgive yourself. "You want to put them there [on their goal-line] for the rest of the game. Just put them in the corner, keep them there and don't let them out. "I'll stick by that decision." Instead, Webster pointed a finger at the high tackle from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak that set the Warriors back on their heels in the dying moments and opened up the field for Isaako's heroics. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was back to his tryscoring best against Dolphins. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ "We just didn't really do our job on that last set, we gave that head-high penalty away and what happened happened," captain Kurt Capewell rued. After the intense scrutiny on his defensive work on the right edge , Watene-Zelezniak reminded everyone why he is regarded as one of the NRL's best finishers, grabbing a try double that must give him confidence going forward. Unfortunately, he undid some of that good work with his late indiscretion and still managed to miss four tackles, one of which allowed Dolphins centre Herbie Farnworth to score the opening try. Moved back to his preferred position in the second row, Capewell produced probably his best performance for the Warriors this season, running for 126 metres and making 31 tackles, but could not get across in cover defence with his despairing dive to stop Isaako at the death. Winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck broke eight tackles and ran for 331 metres, more than 100 after contact, while lock Erin Clark also cracked 200, along with 35 tackles. Prop Jackson Ford led his team with 40 tackles and ran for 144 metres. Teenager Leka Halasima added another try to this team-leading season tally and has now scored in the last five games. The margin for error is surely gone. They still sit fourth on the table, but are rapidly losing ground on those above them, although they can make some of that up next week, when they visit Canterbury Bulldogs. Penrith Panthers face Gold Coast Titans on Saturday, gunning for an eighth-straight win that would bring them within a point of the Warriors. Behind them, the Dolphins, Brisbane Broncos and Cronulla Sharks are lining up. The Sharks still have North Queensland Cowboys this weekend and may close within two points of the Warriors. In ninth, Manly Sea Eagles may close to within four points with victory over Sydney Roosters, with five rounds remaining, and a third straight loss to the Bulldogs could put the Warriors at risk of missing out on playoffs altogether. Jacob Laban suffered a leg injury from a dangerous tackle by Felise Kaufusi. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Given the adversity they faced during this encounter, the visitors were overjoyed at walking away with two valuable competition points. Farnworth has been the form centre of the competition this season and they lost him to a hamstring injury, as he broke clear with speedy fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow unmarked beside him. They lost Kaufusi to the bin, after his ugly tackle on Laban, and had another certain try disallowed for a knock-on by five-eighth Kodi Nikorima. Farnworth is probably gone for a few weeks, while Kaufusi has already served two weeks for dangerous contact this season and may be lucky to avoid more. "To win the way we did, that second half, I thought we were so brave," coach Kristian Woolf reflected. "We did so much defence in our own half and on our own line, we had blokes playing out of position and blokes playing bigger minutes than they're used to. "To hang in like we did and come away with the win at the end, I'm just really proud of them." The Dolphins have the Roosters next and the Warriors' best hope now may be that some of their playoff rivals will start eliminating each other, as they scramble for spots in the eight. After opening the season with six straight wins, the Bulldogs sat atop the table until Round 17, when they lost to the four-time defending champion Panthers. They lost the following week to the Broncos, but have righted the ship with three straight victories and face Wests Tigers on Sunday. They are the toughest team left on the schedule, but a Warriors win may yet turn around their season. Fisher-Harris is unlikely to return, but hooker Wayde Egan will be back from concussion protocols and five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita's niggly calf may also pass. Vaimauga's injury and prognosis is unknown at this stage, but Laban reported a pop in his leg, as Kaufusi landed on it, so that doesn't sound good. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
NZ Warriors skipper Apii Nicholls grappling with NRLW captaincy conundrum
Apii Nicholls leads her team onto Go Media Stadium against Parramatta Eels. Photo: Brett Phibbs/ As her NZ Warriors teammates acclimatise to the demands of NRLW, captain Apii Nicholls is locked into her own steep learning curve, trying to lead them through the minefield. The wāhine slipped to a 20-10 defeat to Gold Coast Titans last Saturday, with Nicholls lamenting that she couldn't find a way to inspire those around her in their time of need. "I think a few people talk about how I lead with my actions, but I felt in that game, I needed to lead with my voice," she reflected. "It was really challenging - there were moments when we felt the pressure and it was challenging for me to change that for our team." The Auckland club has re-entered the Aussie women's rugby league competition after a five-year absence, winning one of their first four games against opposition rosters stacked with experience. By contrast, less than half the Warriors 25-strong squad had played at this level before, and many are still adjusting to a switch from rugby union or sevens. Fullback Nicholls, 32, is the most seasoned league performer on show, with 23 NRLW games under her belt - only lock Laishon Albert-Jones (24) has more - along with 11 tests for the Kiwi Ferns. She is also the only foundation member of the women's programme - Warriors player No.2 in 2018 - to return for its rebirth. Apii Nicholls is tackled against Parramatta Eels. Photo: Brett Phibbs/ When new coach Ron Griffiths began considering his captaincy options, the choice was obvious, but Nicholls needed persuading. "Last year, when we signed her, my wife and I met her in Canberra, and I thought she could lead the team," he remembers. "She's the sort of player, the way she speaks, her humility, she leads by her actions… she could captain this team. "I didn't even mention leadership to her, but by the time I got back to Newcastle that night, I had a message saying she didn't want a leadership role with the club. "We've taken her right outside her comfort zone and she's going through growing pains." Nicholls has had to understand she is a work in progress. This is her first time as a skipper and, while that responsibility comes naturally to some, others have to work harder at it. "That's something I've been able to accept over these past few days and that's helped me move on from that last game," Nicholls conceded. "It's challenging and this week has been the most challenging for me, but I've been able to speak to a few people that have given me a lift that I can keep going. "I really wanted to turn things around, but we didn't in the end. Leaving that game, what mattered the most was staying connected as a team. "We reflect, we learn, we take ownership of our roles and keep building." Whether she realises it or not, Nicholls has made an impact on those around her. She exudes mana and, yes, she has provided a couple of highlight plays already this season, especially on defence. As Parramatta Eels counterpart Abbi Church broke from her own half and threatened to run the length of the park for a try, Nicholls' one-on-one tackle in midfield undoubtedly lifted the Warriors at a time when their first-ever win at Mt Smart still hung in the balance. Griffiths tells of another senior player becoming quite emotional, while discussing Nicholls' growth in such a short time. "That shows you she's well on her way to getting where she needs to be," he said. "Whatever Apii said on Sunday wouldn't have won or lost us that game. Apii Nicholls is the only player returning from the previous Warriors women's programme. Photo: BIANCA DE MARCHI "She might have felt she needed to lead with her voice, and at certain times, she will need to say things to lift her players or get them on track, but I didn't feel that had a bearing on the outcome on Sunday. She still feels like she needs to put the team on her back at times - that's probably where she's at as a leader - but she doesn't need to. "She's always hard on herself and I get that, but when you watch good leaders, they self-reflect and think, 'Maybe I didn't get that right'. It can create some uncertainty at times, if you haven't had leadership roles before, so that's weighing on her mind." Self-awareness can be a burden, but as the campaign progresses and other players become more comfortable in their new surroundings, Nicholls will find the support she needs from her teammates. "I just want to make sure these girls have a good season, because it's their first time," she said. "As a leader, I want the best for each and every one of these players - that's the biggest focus for me. "I'm a huge believer that everything happens for a reason. We'll continue to build, we're always going to be learning and we can't always get things right, so we are where we are meant to be." Just like their captain. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
Black Caps crush Zimbabwe by nine wickets in first test
New Zealand's Matt Henry celebrates a wicket, Basin Reserve, 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT New Zealand won the first test against Zimbabwe inside three days, securing victory at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo by nine wickets after skittling out the hosts a second time. Stand-in skipper Mitchell Santner took four wickets as Zimbabwe were dismissed for 165 runs in their second innings after being 31-2 overnight, leaving New Zealand needing only eight runs in their second innings to win the test. They achieved the target in 14 balls but not before opener Devon Conway was bowled in the first over by Newman Nyamburi for four. Henry Nicholls hit the winning run in the third over after tea on the third day to see the tourists go 1-0 up in the two-test series. Zimbabwe started the day with hopes of wiping out a 158-run first innings deficit and setting a tough target for New Zealand to chase but they were always up against it, even if the tourists were two bowlers short. All-rounder Nathan Smith suffered an abdominal strain on the second day and then Will O'Rourke did not bowl after lunch on Friday because of stiffness in his back. Zimbabwe added only three runs to their overnight score before Nick Welch was caught behind off O'Rourke and by lunch Zimbabwe were tottering on 114-6, still 44 runs adrift. They had by then lost leading scorer Sean Williams, who tickled the ball down leg to be caught behind for 49, and captain Craig Ervine, who got a feint edge to Matt Henry and was out for 22. Henry, who took 6-39 in the first innings, persisted as the lone pace man after lunch and dismissed Zimbabwe's last recognised batsman Sikandar Raza cheaply to ensure a nine-wicket match haul. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Santner, captaining the Kiwis for the first time in the absence of the injured Tom Latham, mopped up the tail as he took the last three wickets for figures of 4-27 off 17.1 overs. Henry took 3-51 in the second innings and O'Rourke 3-28 off 10 overs before his injury. Zimbabwe won the toss on the first day on Wednesday and, after electing to bat, scored 149 with New Zealand getting 307-9 in reply in their first innings. The second test will also be played in Bulawayo, starting next Thursday. - Reuters
