Sunday June 23, Harbour Breeze 79 Waikato Wizards 85

It took a combined 64 points from Waikato guards Charlisse Leger-Walker (39 points) and Krystal Leger-Walker (25 points) to see off a determined Harbour Breeze in a game that wasn’t decided until the last minute of the contest.

When Breeze guard Matangiroa Flavell knocked down a corner three with 48 seconds to play the Wizards lead was just two points (81-79).

With a chance to tie the game the Breeze committed a turnover meaning they had to foul to win back possession. Charlisse Leger-Walker iced proceedings from the free throw line to deprive Harbour of a share of top spot on the ladder.

In a quality contest in which the lead changed hands 17 times and the scores were tied on another 13 occasions the score line was 61 points apiece at three-quarter time.

After the Wizards began the fourth with a 9-0 run Keeley Tini and Penina Davidson (14 points and 14 rebounds) dragged Harbour back into the contest and when Deena Franklin scored inside Harbour trailed 74-72 with 3:30 to play.

Two Waikato baskets were cancelled out by Davidson and Yume Negishi (13 points and 6 assists) – 79-76 in favour of the Wizards with ninety seconds left on the clock.

Krystal Leger-Walker afforded Waikato some breathing space before that late Flavell three gave the Breeze hope.

Charlisse Leger-Walker’s calmness at the charity stripe dashed that optimism.

Early on Akiene-Tera Reed, who scored a team high 17 points, was prominent alongside Franklin especially in the third period when the Breeze overcame a four points half-time deficit to draw level at the three-quarter mark.

The Breeze wrap up the regular season with the South Island swing facing Canterbury Wildcats in Christchurch on Saturday and then Otago Gold Rush in Dunedin on Sunday.

This precedes the play-offs at AUT beginning Thursday July 4^th. 

Breeze  79 - Akiene-Tera Reed 17, Penina Davidson 14/14r, Yume Negishi 13/6a, Deena Franklin 11/7r, Matangiroa Flavell 8, Tayla Dalton 7

Wizards 85 -  Charlisse Leger-Walker 39/13r ,Krystal Leger-Walker 25/13r, Ella Bradley 12 

 

WBC Division 1 Standings

6-3 Auckland Dream, Waikato Wizards

5-3 Harbour Breeze

5-4 Alloyfold Canterbury Wildcats 

4-5 AM I FIT Otago Gold Rush

0-8 Taranaki Thunder