The Tokomanawa Queens travel south to meet the Mainland Pouākai in the Tauihi National Basketball league playoffs on Saturday.
Queens coach Tania Tupu joined Adam Cooper to reflect on the season so far and look ahead to the playoffs.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
These looks. They'll be twenty two away from nine. Let's
talk the TOIKI Women's National Basketball League now and the
Wellington based franchise they talk the man with. Queens are
into the semi finals. They've got a trip down to
christ Church to meet the Mainland Politkai this weekend. It's
a tip off tonight at seven point thirty. An interesting
last few weeks for the Queens. A few losses to
(00:21):
end the round robin so they qualify fourth for these
semi finals. Let's head into the camp now and their
coaches are Tanya Tupu. Who's with us now? Tanya, good
morning and well, firstly, how's preparation going as you count
down to the semi finals getting underway?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Well, thanks for having me. We're really excited to be
part of the playoffs. TOIHI this year has been fantastic
as far as the competition goes. It's been so close
between all the top four teams. And yeah, we've didn't
have a great lead in. We had a bit of
a lull there right towards the end, but two games
(00:58):
away from the top of the ladder and you know,
a couple of losses and now about and about and
we you know, we finished on a win on Sunday
against the Coho, which we lost a bit of confidence
going into the semi.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah, there must be one you really stoked with, given
they were well in the mix to earn top spot
and everyone loves momentum going into the playoffs, right.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah, And it just came in a good time because
we had four losses and to get that one just
give the girls that winning feeling is it's been contest
for our timing.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Raining In this week you mentioned the start of the
season set of getting everyone together and getting up to
speed was tough. What's it like from a coaching perspective
when you've got people coming from so many different programs
and a lot of countries as well. You know, we've
chatted to Jordan Horston through the season, you know, matching
someone like like her up in a team with some
young Kiwi players.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
It's pretty challenging. I mean we're it's a short, sharp season,
four daying weeks. We have two weeks pre season. One
of those weeks for us was in China. We were
getting to know each other on the plane. So you
have to build culture already quickly, and that two weeks
and build your system pretty quickly before your first tap off.
So it is it's a bit different from other legs
(02:08):
where you might have you know, six to eight weeks
leading in a preseason. You don't have it in this leg.
So you've got to come firing and you know, get
it together pretty quickly.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Focus for you right now in terms of the semi finals,
are you confident the team is peaking now that it's
you know, knock out basketball.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Well, this is the first time we haven't had any
injury disruption leading into a game, and so everyone's fat,
everyone's house, everyone's got the right mindset, and it's you know,
equal opportunity in playoff basketball and to where he's So
you know, for us, it's game one, and you know,
it doesn't matter what we've did in the regular season.
It's who brings it on the day, who works together,
(02:47):
who plays for each other, and you know, you still
got to have a really good game and all those
top players need to fire.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Yeah, and I mentioned Jordan before, great news to hear
you say just then that that injuries aren't going to
affect the team this weekend. I know she's had a
cut couple of injuries, so she's all good to go
for the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
She's all good to go, and she's fantastic for our
team's great leader, you know, cool cat, she's really you know,
brought a lot of cool stuff to our team and energy.
So you know, it's been a pleasure to coach her
this year.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Yeah, I bet how much do you I do want
to say, rely on her, But how crucial is she
in terms of being a part of the team progressing
to the final?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Oh, she's a thing that all your you know, importance.
They play a key role. You want to have the
ball in those those players' hands when it counts, and
you've got to run a system for them. You rely
on them a lot. But you also rely on all
your key with players like the stellar becks who hold
it all together in you all these that come that
(03:44):
have got that experience. So everyone's got a pitch in
and yeah, it's great when you you know, when Jordan's rolling.
She's so athletic and unstoppable at times. So we will
rely on her. And I think why not defense?
Speaker 1 (04:01):
How much does that come into trainings and things through
the week now that you're in playoff basketball?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Oh, I mean, defense is our number one focus all season,
and we know if we play great defense in playoff basketball,
we can get the dub. So that's been a major
focus for us all season. So it's a big part
of coming together in a playoff setting. You know, we
can't go away from you can't go away from playing
(04:28):
good d you know, we've got to actually stick to
our scout and our play to it.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Antony, you give it your experience as a player in basketball,
you know, and Olympian and everything like that. How as
a former pro basketball how special is just having this
league in New Zealand a few seasons now, continually developing
and just getting some really good traction.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
It's awesome, Like, it's so fantastic for the next generation
of players to see these players, our development players and
our key gilts, to play alongside these players, to guard
them at training every days. It's so special, and it's
going to enhance our league and our you know, our
New Zealand players and our tool funds, and it's going
to put us straight for the future. So it's fantastic.
(05:11):
You know, as a coach, even getting to bear around
and coach some of this talent that comes into this
country is awesome for our development too.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Yeah, and just give an overall where basketball is that
as a sport? Are you noticing just you know, more
and more younger players knocking on the doors looking to
be in the likes of REP teams and sort of
franchises like the Queens, Oh, I mean Queens.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
We do a lot in the community with our reach
at the moment is huge. The amount of girls that
are turning up to a lot of our girls got
game clinics, our school clinics, it's huge. Like last time
we did was like one hundred and forty girls turned up.
That's huge. You know, we're reaching community of ballers that
(05:54):
are wanting to you know, put on the basketball jusey,
And it's fantastic to see anytime we do something we're
getting huge numbers. So it's really exciting.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
And just to wrap up on this weekend's game, in
particular having to travel for a semi final, how much
of a difference does that make? How much more of
a hurdle does it become.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
It would have been nice to play in front of
our Queen fans, but for us, the reality as we
finished forth so we knew, right, we knew from last
week that we would be traveling so we just got
our head around it and decided that you know, we're
going to have to travel and you know, as a team,
we've got good culture. We actually travel well together and
(06:36):
we get along really well, so the girls in minor
and it hasn't been yet for us. It's just we've
got to get in to christ Church and have a
good game.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Yeah, and the poll guy themselves, what have you learned
from the meetings this year? And there are other strengths
across the competition.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Oh, that's tough, Like that's a tough, well coached team.
Paul Flyn's done a good job with those girls. They
didn't even make the playoffs last year. They've ended around.
That's got a good chemnity down there of basketballers of
the organized they look, they look with each other. That's
sharp and igy. That's tough. So we've got to be
tough too, and we've got to stick to our scout
(07:12):
and hopefully we have a really good game.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Well all the very best time. You thanks so much
for chatting, and he's hoping we'll be we'll be chatting
again next week about a final featuring the Queens. So
I appreciate your time and go well. Down South Cool.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Thanks very much for having me. For more from News
Talks ed B. Listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcast on iHeartRadio
These looks. They'll be twenty two away from nine. Let's
talk the TOIKI Women's National Basketball League now and the
Wellington based franchise they talk the man with. Queens are
into the semi finals. They've got a trip down to
christ Church to meet the Mainland Politkai this weekend. It's
a tip off tonight at seven point thirty. An interesting
last few weeks for the Queens. A few losses to
(00:21):
end the round robin so they qualify fourth for these
semi finals. Let's head into the camp now and their
coaches are Tanya Tupu. Who's with us now? Tanya, good
morning and well, firstly, how's preparation going as you count
down to the semi finals getting underway?
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Well, thanks for having me. We're really excited to be
part of the playoffs. TOIHI this year has been fantastic
as far as the competition goes. It's been so close
between all the top four teams. And yeah, we've didn't
have a great lead in. We had a bit of
a lull there right towards the end, but two games
(00:58):
away from the top of the ladder and you know,
a couple of losses and now about and about and
we you know, we finished on a win on Sunday
against the Coho, which we lost a bit of confidence
going into the semi.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah, there must be one you really stoked with, given
they were well in the mix to earn top spot
and everyone loves momentum going into the playoffs, right.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah, And it just came in a good time because
we had four losses and to get that one just
give the girls that winning feeling is it's been contest
for our timing.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Raining In this week you mentioned the start of the
season set of getting everyone together and getting up to
speed was tough. What's it like from a coaching perspective
when you've got people coming from so many different programs
and a lot of countries as well. You know, we've
chatted to Jordan Horston through the season, you know, matching
someone like like her up in a team with some
young Kiwi players.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
It's pretty challenging. I mean we're it's a short, sharp season,
four daying weeks. We have two weeks pre season. One
of those weeks for us was in China. We were
getting to know each other on the plane. So you
have to build culture already quickly, and that two weeks
and build your system pretty quickly before your first tap off.
So it is it's a bit different from other legs
(02:08):
where you might have you know, six to eight weeks
leading in a preseason. You don't have it in this leg.
So you've got to come firing and you know, get
it together pretty quickly.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Focus for you right now in terms of the semi finals,
are you confident the team is peaking now that it's
you know, knock out basketball.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Well, this is the first time we haven't had any
injury disruption leading into a game, and so everyone's fat,
everyone's house, everyone's got the right mindset, and it's you know,
equal opportunity in playoff basketball and to where he's So
you know, for us, it's game one, and you know,
it doesn't matter what we've did in the regular season.
It's who brings it on the day, who works together,
(02:47):
who plays for each other, and you know, you still
got to have a really good game and all those
top players need to fire.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Yeah, and I mentioned Jordan before, great news to hear
you say just then that that injuries aren't going to
affect the team this weekend. I know she's had a
cut couple of injuries, so she's all good to go
for the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
She's all good to go, and she's fantastic for our
team's great leader, you know, cool cat, she's really you know,
brought a lot of cool stuff to our team and energy.
So you know, it's been a pleasure to coach her
this year.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Yeah, I bet how much do you I do want
to say, rely on her, But how crucial is she
in terms of being a part of the team progressing
to the final?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Oh, she's a thing that all your you know, importance.
They play a key role. You want to have the
ball in those those players' hands when it counts, and
you've got to run a system for them. You rely
on them a lot. But you also rely on all
your key with players like the stellar becks who hold
it all together in you all these that come that
(03:44):
have got that experience. So everyone's got a pitch in
and yeah, it's great when you you know, when Jordan's rolling.
She's so athletic and unstoppable at times. So we will
rely on her. And I think why not defense?
Speaker 1 (04:01):
How much does that come into trainings and things through
the week now that you're in playoff basketball?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Oh, I mean, defense is our number one focus all season,
and we know if we play great defense in playoff basketball,
we can get the dub. So that's been a major
focus for us all season. So it's a big part
of coming together in a playoff setting. You know, we
can't go away from you can't go away from playing
(04:28):
good d you know, we've got to actually stick to
our scout and our play to it.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Antony, you give it your experience as a player in basketball,
you know, and Olympian and everything like that. How as
a former pro basketball how special is just having this
league in New Zealand a few seasons now, continually developing
and just getting some really good traction.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
It's awesome, Like, it's so fantastic for the next generation
of players to see these players, our development players and
our key gilts, to play alongside these players, to guard
them at training every days. It's so special, and it's
going to enhance our league and our you know, our
New Zealand players and our tool funds, and it's going
to put us straight for the future. So it's fantastic.
(05:11):
You know, as a coach, even getting to bear around
and coach some of this talent that comes into this
country is awesome for our development too.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Yeah, and just give an overall where basketball is that
as a sport? Are you noticing just you know, more
and more younger players knocking on the doors looking to
be in the likes of REP teams and sort of
franchises like the Queens, Oh, I mean Queens.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
We do a lot in the community with our reach
at the moment is huge. The amount of girls that
are turning up to a lot of our girls got
game clinics, our school clinics, it's huge. Like last time
we did was like one hundred and forty girls turned up.
That's huge. You know, we're reaching community of ballers that
(05:54):
are wanting to you know, put on the basketball jusey,
And it's fantastic to see anytime we do something we're
getting huge numbers. So it's really exciting.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
And just to wrap up on this weekend's game, in
particular having to travel for a semi final, how much
of a difference does that make? How much more of
a hurdle does it become.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
It would have been nice to play in front of
our Queen fans, but for us, the reality as we
finished forth so we knew, right, we knew from last
week that we would be traveling so we just got
our head around it and decided that you know, we're
going to have to travel and you know, as a team,
we've got good culture. We actually travel well together and
(06:36):
we get along really well, so the girls in minor
and it hasn't been yet for us. It's just we've
got to get in to christ Church and have a
good game.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Yeah, and the poll guy themselves, what have you learned
from the meetings this year? And there are other strengths
across the competition.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Oh, that's tough, Like that's a tough, well coached team.
Paul Flyn's done a good job with those girls. They
didn't even make the playoffs last year. They've ended around.
That's got a good chemnity down there of basketballers of
the organized they look, they look with each other. That's
sharp and igy. That's tough. So we've got to be
tough too, and we've got to stick to our scout
(07:12):
and hopefully we have a really good game.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
Well all the very best time. You thanks so much
for chatting, and he's hoping we'll be we'll be chatting
again next week about a final featuring the Queens. So
I appreciate your time and go well. Down South Cool.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Thanks very much for having me. For more from News
Talks ed B. Listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcast on iHeartRadio
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