Basketball New Zealand

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After a wild open day at the Women’s Basketball Championship finals, the veteran Waikato Wizards are the only unbeaten team left in the top division and the title race is wide open.

Oceana Otago Goldrush put home court advantage to good effect by upsetting champions NZ Force Harbour Breeze in their opening game, but fell to the Taranaki Trojans in the evening.

Harbour righted their ship with victory over the NZ Force Academy and the Trojans had already fallen to the Wizards in the afternoon.

Waikato had also defeated the Academy to finish the day at 2-0, but must now defend that record against both last year’s finalists, Harbour and Otago on Friday.

The top four after preliminary rounds qualify for semifinals.

Meanwhile, Palmerston North Storm and Canterbury Wildcats are both 2-0 in the plate division, although Canterbury are ineligible due to their non-appearance in previous rounds.

Women’s Basketball Championship

Edgar Centre, Dunedin

Thursday, August 19
9am
NZ Force Academy 65 Waikato Wizards 71
Palmerston North Storm 88 NZ U17 71

11am
NZ Force Harbour Breeze 55 Oceana Goldrush 62
Hutt Valley Flyers 47 Canterbury Wildcats 66

2pm
Waikato Wizards 69 Taranaki Trojans 56
NZ Force Cougars 54 NZ U17 86

5pm
NZ Force Harbour Breeze 61 NZ Force Academy 51
Palmerston North Storm 53 Hutt Valley Flyers 42

7pm
Taranaki Trojans 54 Oceana Goldrush 49
Canterbury Wildcats 55 NZ Force Cougars 33

Section A – Championship
Waikato Wizards 2-0
NZ Force Harbour Breeze 1-1
Oceana Goldrush 1-1
Taranaki Trojans 1-1
NZ Force Academy 0-2

Section B – Plate
Palmerston North Storm 2-0
Canterbury Wildcats 2-0
NZ U17 1-1
Hutt Valley Flyers 0-2
NZ Force Cougars 0-2