It was a thrilling and tense end to the Kaipara basketball Youth league for 2026. The league was revamped this year to help bring more players into the game and develop the game across all areas of the rohe. The introduction of clubs has been a success. The enjoyment, engagement and quality of basketball increased as the season went on.

The Under 12s match-up was a cross-town derby between Wana Poitūkohu (Wellsford) and Mangawhai Whai - it was a real shoot-out. Both teams running and gunning up and down the court at a frantic pace. Whai’s Malakai Watt and Wana’s Reko Ranger exchanged buckets throughout the game, while Bobbie Williams and Indie Te Haara dominated inside the paint for Wana. In the end, Wana Poitūkohu ran out winners, having dangerous players throughout their team, they proved too strong, winning 29-12. This was reflected in the naming of the All-Star Five’s (Boys and Girls) for the under 12 age group. Wana had 4 players out of a total 10 included in the All-Star teams.

U12 Youth League All Star 5, 2026

Boys:

Reko Ranger - Wana Poitūkohu

Boston Dunn - Wana Poitūkohu

Tyson Edmonds - Wairoa Wera

William Jarvis - Tamatea Toka

Malakai Watt - Mangawhai Whai

Girls:

Alice Worsfold - Mangawhai Whai

Ruby Reynolds - Tamatea Toka

Indie Te Haara - Wana Poitūkohu

Skye Alway - Tamatea Toka

Bobbie Williams - Wana Poitūkohu

U14 3rd / 4th

The first matchup in the U14s had Wairoa Wera taking on the Bream Bay Threshers. The game started off relatively tight. However, after half time, Cameron McCarthny and Tyler Lunjevich went berserk, combining for 44 points out of the total 49. Breeze Epere-Toko defended well for the Wera, and Sam Leao was a beast in the post.

Final Score 49-32 to the Bream Bay Threshers.

U14 Final

The final of the U14 age group was a tense affair with a vocal crowd, pitting the unbeaten Wana against Tamatea Toka. Toka shocked Wana in the first quarter, running out to a 9-nil lead early on.

Toka applied the pressure, led on defence by Matu Kurupo and Amani Worsfold. However, the lead didn’t last. Wana coach Joaquin Hare settled down his players after the 1st quarter, and they got back to work. Using their physical superiority over the smaller Toka team, they dominated rebounding at both ends. Kahukura Waata was relentless, matching up well with Toka Star Jackson White. Shia Saito-Rhodes was a pest on defence, and Taika Dewes and Te Kahu Pickering made timely buckets throughout the game.

Lastly, first year player Maia Dewes came up with some massive rebounds down the stretch. In the end, the win was comfortable, giving Wana Poitūkohu the title belt in both age groups.

The growth of the club over the past 16 months has been incredible. Credit must go to Cairo Kotuhi and Lisa Dewes. Final Score 47-30 to Wana Poitūkohu.

U14 Youth League All Star 5, 2026

Boys

Sam Leao - Wairoa Wera

Cody Warner - Mangawhai Whai

Jackson White - Tamatea Toka

Tyler Lunjevich - Bream Bay Basketball

Taika Dewes - Wana Poitūkohu

Girls

Kacey Barnes - Wana Poitūkohu

Amani Worsfold - Tamatea Toka

Breez Epere-Toko - Wairoa Wera

Emma Smythe - Mangawhai Whai

Mackenzie Wheeler - Bream Bay Basketball

Award Winners

Mangawhai Whai

U12s

Most Valuable Player - Malakai Watt

Most Improved Player - Cross Williams

Best Defensive Player -Alice Worsfold

U14s

Most Valuable Player - Cody Warner

Most Improved Player - Reece Langton

Best Defensive Player - Emma Smythe-King

Tamatea Toka

U12s Tuatara

Most Valuable Player - William Jarvis

Most Improved Player - Jessie Batchelar

Best Defensive Player - Henry Jarvis

U12s Taniwha

Most Valuable Player - Flynn Spence

Most Improved Player - Ruby Reynolds

Best Defensive Player - Avian Silenzio

U14s

Most Valuable Player - Jackson White

Most Improved Player - Awana Alway

Best Defensive Player - Amani Worsfold

Wana Poitūkohu

U12s

Most Valuable Player - Reko Ranger

Most Improved Player - Moses Law

Best Defensive Player - Indie Te Haara

U14s

Most Valuable Player - Kacey Barnes

Most Improved Player - Shia Saito-Rhodes

Best Defensive Player - Maia Dewes

Wairoa Wera

U12s

Most Valuable Player - Tyson Edmonds

Most Improved Player - Tawai Rusden

Best Defensive Player - Oakley McCully

U14s

Most Valuable Player - Sam Leao

Most Improved Player - Liam Kareko

Best Defensive Player - Breez Epere-Toko

Bream Bay Basketball

U14 Mako

Most Valuable Player - Laiken Gray

Most Improved Player - Mackenzie Wheeler

Best Defensive Player - Ian Duenas

U14 Threshers

Most Valuable Player - Cameron McCarthny

Most Improved Player - Ollie Cogan

Best Defensive Player - Tyler Lunjevich