Posted on Sunday, June 14th, 2026
Game Recap: Tuatara vs Saints
Result: Jadcup Auckland Tuatara (96) defeat Mills Albert Wellington Saints (88)
The Auckland Tuatara built a commanding lead through the middle periods and withstood a final push from the Wellington Saints to secure a 96-88 home win. After a tightly contested first quarter that saw the Tuatara take a 33-27 lead, Auckland truly took control in the second period. Behind efficient scoring from Zach Riley and the inside presence of Robert Loe, the Tuatara outscored the Saints 23-16 in the second frame, stretching their advantage to 56-43 at halftime.
The Tuatara continued to impose their will in the third quarter, pushing the lead to as many as 19 points. Sean Bairstow and Thomas Vodanovich provided key baskets, while Loe controlled the paint on both ends. However, the Saints refused to go away. Led by Elijah Pepper and Akech Aliir, Wellington chipped away at the deficit in the fourth period, cutting the Auckland lead to just five points with just over a minute remaining.
But the Tuatara held their composure down the stretch. Robert Loe and Zach Riley iced the game from the free-throw line, and key defensive stops in the final minute sealed the 96-88 victory for Auckland. Despite the loss, Pepper and Aliir’s second-half spark kept the Saints competitive until the final buzzer.
Leading Players
Auckland Tuatara: Zach Riley (26P, 7R, 3A), Sean Bairstow (19P, 8R, 4A), Robert Loe (18P, 7R, 6A)
Wellington Saints: Akech Aliir (22P, 11R, 2A, 1B), Carlin Davison (15P, 4R, 5A, 3B), Izayah Le’afa (13P, 1R, 5A)
MVP Votes:
Zach Riley (Tuatara) – 10
Akech Aliir (Saints) – 7
Robert Loe (Tuatara) – 6
Sean Bairstow (Tuatara) – 5
Hyrum Harris (Saints) – 2
Carlin Davison (Saints) – 1
Rapid League game:
Result: Auckland Tuatara (29) are defeated by the Mills Albert Pathways Wellington Saints (30)
The Wellington Saints survived a furious late comeback attempt to hold off the Auckland Tuatara 30-29 in a tense Rapid League clash. The Saints established control early, taking a 12-8 lead after the first period behind the shooting of Jordan Hunt and Hassan Munir.
Auckland responded in a back-and-forth second quarter. Matthew Dalton connected from deep to help the Tuatara tie the game at 13-13, but Wellington closed the half strong. A tip-in from Braydon Iuli and a last-second dunk from Aubrey Chunga sent the Saints into the break with a 21-19 advantage.
The defensive intensity ramped up in the third period, with both teams struggling to generate offense. Chunga hit a three-pointer to push the Saints’ lead to 28-19, but the Tuatara clawed back behind the play of Zach Riley and Joshua Leger, cutting the deficit to 28-22 heading into the final four-minute quarter.
The fourth period was a defensive slugfest. Dylan Wilkie hit a jumper and a three-pointer to bring Auckland within a single point at 28-27. After the two teams traded free throws, Riley had a chance to tie or win it in the final seconds. His initial layup was off the mark, but Wilkie grabbed the offensive rebound. His desperation three-pointer at the buzzer missed, allowing the Saints to escape with the 30-29 victory.
Leading Players
Tuatara: Matthew Dalton (9P, 2R), Dylan Wilkie (7P, 5R, 1A)
Saints: Aubrey Chunga (10P, 3R), Braydon Iuli (7P, 3R)
Rapid League MVP Votes:
Aubrey Chunga (Saints) – 10
Braydon Iuli (Saints) – 7
Matthew Dalton (Tuatara) – 6
Hassan Munir (Saints) – 3
Joshua Leger (Tuatara) – 2
Dylan Wilkie (Saints) – 2