November 26
In a week of impressive Kiwi performances the Kiwi NCAA Division I performance of the week was claimed, narrowly, by University of Hawaii freshman Ritorya Tamilo with Maia Jones, Leah Mafua and Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones falling into the highly recommended category.
At the Bank of Hawaii Classic in Honolulu Tamilo came up big for Hawaii in the 69-64 win against Louisiana-Monroe. In just her third collegiate game Tamilo finished with 12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks and 3 steals!
Also at the Bank of Hawaii Classic Maia Jones and St Mary’s College squeezed past Eastern Washington and Breeje Schuler 59-57.
Schuler had 10 points and 6 rebounds for EWU while Jones scored 9 points and dished 3 assists for the Saints.
Rounding out news from the Classic Jones continued her good early season form with a team 19 points – including 5 from 8 from beyond the arc – and 6 assists as St Mary’s defeated Louisiana Monroe 68-61.
Central Arkansas thumped Central Baptist 120-47 with Leah Mafua making a big impression in the win. The former Hutt Valley standout dished a career best 9 assists to go with season highs in points (17) and steals (6).
Emme Shearer scored a team high 18 points, making three triples in the process, as Portland won 85-66 against California Baptist. It was Shearer’s 127th appearance moving her to 9th on the all-time list of games played by a Kiwi in Women’s NCAA Division I basketball. She now has the likes of Penina Davidson (131), Tera Reed (135) and Krystal Leger-Walker (142) firmly in her sights.
In the loss freshman Shawnessy Nordstrom, in just her fifth collegiate game, scored 12 points (2/4 3PG) for Cal Baptist.
Helen Matthews, working her way back to full fitness after missing last season due to injury, scored a season high 17 points as Wofford College overcame High Point 71-65
Mackenzie Chatfield was a perfect 4 from 4, including 2 made threes, for 10 points as Western Kentucky beat North Dakota 74-69.
Dani Bayes scored 10 points as Boise State scraped a 59-57 win against San Francisco.
Lilly Parke scored 9 points as Fairleigh Dickinson got back to winning ways with a 67-50 victory against St Peter’s.
University of California Irvine beat Pennsylvania 72-68 in overtime after the scores had been locked at 63 points apiece in regulation. Olivia Williams scored 8 points for Irvine.
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Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones made 13 free throws on his way to a game high 21 points as UC San Diego beat James Maddison 73-67 and followed that with 19 points – making 8 from 10 from the field – as San Diego crushed Toledo 80-45 to take out the Boardwalk Battle Championship at Daytona Beach, Florida.
Ben Gold scored 11 points as #15 Marquette posted a significant 76-58 home win against #6 Purdue. He followed that with 14 points (making 4 from 9 threes) and 6 rebounds in an 80-69 win against Georgia.
Maryland strolled to a 108-37 win against Canisius with Tafara Gapare swallowing up a season high 9 rebounds to accompany 4 points.
LACEY LOWDOWN 