Posted on Saturday, June 6th, 2026
Game Recap: Airs vs Tuatara
Result: Taranaki Airs (69) are defeated by Jadcup Auckland Tuatara (90)
On paper, this would be a one sided match. On one hand, the league leading Tuatara were looking in dominant form. On the other, the Airs had lost 5 straight and were looking like a shell of their early season selves. In the Sal’s NBL, anything can happen. The Airs looked like a whole new team and the Tuatara found themselves on the backfoot early. The Airs looked great with James Moors leading the way in scoring. The first would end 25-19 with the Airs holding an unexpected 6 point lead. The second quarter would be similar to the first. The Airs would hold the Tuatara to only 33 first half points while scoring 48 of their own. The Tuatara were one team who were cool, calm and collected when it mattered, and they’d show that in the third. An atrocious quarter from the Airs would swing the game in the visitor’s favour. Only 6 total points in the third quarter for the home side while 27 from Auckland would shift the momentum heavily in their favour. It would be a
Leading Players:
Taranaki Airs: James Moors (20p, 11r, 2a), Aaron Cook Jr (18p, 2r, 3a), Brandon Stroud (12p, 8r, 6a, 5s)
Jadcup Auckland Tuatara: Josh Dilling (23p, 5r, 5a), Isaac Davidson (18p, 4r, 4a), Chris Johnson (11p, 16r)
MVP Votes:
Josh Dilling (Tuatara) – 9
Isaac Davidson (Tuatara) – 6
James Moors (Airs) – 6
Rob Loe (Tuatara) – 4
Aaron Cook Jr (Airs) – 3
Xavier Green (Airs) – 2
Rapid League game:
Result: Taranaki Airs (36) are defeated by Jadcup Auckland Tuatara (63)
A Rapid League record! The Auckland Tuatara have looked like the most dominant team in the Rapid League this season and they reinforced that with an incredible 63 point victory. Despite the Airs finally finding their form over the last three games, the Tuatara would pull away almost immediately, with the first quarter becoming a 15-5 in their favour. The second quarter was just as brutal for the home side as a 13-3 quarter would give the home side a massive deficit to overcome. They’d look much better in the second half, even notching a 17 point quarter in the 4th, but the Tuatara were just too dominant. They’d put up 22 points in the 4th and they gave no glimpse for the Airs to try and comeback.
Leading Players:
Taranaki Airs: Riley Tuuta (10p, 4a), Cooper James (6p), Lyric Tuhaka (6p)
Jadcup Auckland Tuatara: Dylan Wilkie (20p, 3a), KC Ioane (17p, 2r, 5a, 2s, 1b), Mattie Dalton (14p, 7r, 2a)
Rapid League MVP Votes:
Dylan Wilkie (Tuatara) – 10
KC Ioane (Tuatara) – 8
Riley Tuuta (Airs) – 3
Quintin Bailey (Airs) – 3
Josh Leger (Tuatara) – 3
Jordy Cooper (Airs) – 2
Mattie Dalton (Tuatara) – 1