December 13, 2025 • 8 mins
A fitting farewell for professional basketball at Christchurch's Cowles Stadium.
The venue hosts this afternoon's Tauihi women's grand final between the Mainland Pouakai and Tauranga Whai.
The regions men's and women's teams are both moving to a new central city complex next year.
Mainland Pouakai coach Alex Stojkovic joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
For alt Theodowa competition this afternoon. Fines on the final.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Division, the execution, Parky perfection, Jacobs almost soft the backboard,
Paul has it and that is it the mainland parkey
and see the Shy Grand Final and they'll host it.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Against the defending champion tit On a fight.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
They've beaten the Southern high Hat.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Indeed, that was last weekend's semi final. So the Mainland
poor Kai, isn't it the only the commentators said. They're
hosting the defending champion todong A FI in christ Church
Carl Stadium and christ Church this afternoon tip off at three.
POECAI head coaches Alex story of it, She joins us. Now, Alex,
thanks for taking the time on game day to have
a chat to us. Can we start with that game?
(01:11):
How happy were you with your win over the Southern
hoy Hoo in the semis last weekend?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Oh? Super happy. I was a wooded for somewhere to
do it at home, and especially considering we've had a
few players out injured. I was super happy and exciting.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Have you managed to bring any of those injured players
back or will you still be slightly depleted today?
Speaker 4 (01:33):
We're going to be depleted unfortunately. So Ezra mcgodreick was
the topph and captain. She's unfortunately out and at the
four cour and ployed centers also out injured. So you
know we're up against it a little bit. But I
think we've shown in the last month of the season
that we can manage even without those two.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Going into semi final weekend last weekend, I know your
semi final was the second of the two, but did
you think you might be heading to Wellington? In other words,
was the fives went over the Tokamanta with Queens? Are
surprised to you?
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Not really? Like I thought the fight. We're actually the
best team during the regular season. They just had like
one injury to keep play at the last three regular
season games that made him drop down the table.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
A little bit.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
But like no, I think, I think they're really really
good team work coached and now that they're back at
fourth strengths, they're definitely going to be a handful today.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Well, you know a lot about that team, of course,
you coached them last season to a maiden title. Does
having coached the Fie help you today as you coach
against them?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Oh, yes and no. Like obviously Tana who's the head coach,
and I was my system last year and he's done
an incredible job as a team this year. There's some
familiarity between the two teams, but you know he's he's
involved their system a little bit and plays to their strengths.
So it helps a little bit, but I don't think
that's going to be the deciding factor.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
What was the thinking behind your move south? Tell us
about the decision making that you went through to to
take up the role in christ Church.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Was probably mainly a lifestyle change. Like you know, I
was there to five from day one, having set up
the club, and to be fair, you know, like that
was a pretty intense three and a half four years,
and you know it's taking a bit of a toll.
So I was looking for maybe like a you know,
something bit fresh and and and yeah, christ Church came
up and and I thought it was a great opportunity.
(03:21):
So I'm so far glad that I moved down.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Have you brought the same basketball principles to the poor
Guy that you used at the Fire?
Speaker 4 (03:29):
Very similar?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (03:30):
So like, I've got my style of play, my identity.
I think that was one of the things that that
the Porkui, you know, liked about my coaching. And yeah,
so trying trying to do the same or similar down
here for sure.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
And just before we move on to your team the
FI of today, what are the specific threats that I
will present to you in the final Well.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
I mean, for STARTUS, I've got obviously a couple of
key pieces back from last year, MICHAELA Cowling and then
A Snyders, so I've got that championship experience, and then
they've added a couple of great imports and Hannah Hank
and Jess McDonald white and they bought in Tolt for Emmyshira.
So they've got a very balance starting five that doesn't
really have a lot of weaknesses. So you know, that
(04:10):
makes it really difficult to game plan because you know,
normally when you play a team, you can maybe have
off someone, but they're very, very good, well balanced team.
So yeah, it's going to be a tough one for US.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I saw you on TV during the week and you
said something along the lines of what the team that
shoots better is probably going to win it. Sounds so obvious,
doesn't it, But is that a big part of today?
Speaker 4 (04:29):
One hundred percent? And if you look at the semi final,
the Hoyo actually played pretty good. We just shot the
ball a little bit better. Ultimately, you know, we were
nearly fifty percent from three in the semi which is great,
and I think that's what ultimately made the difference. You know,
like you can, you can game plan and scout and
and be as prepared as you as you want to be,
but ultimately, the players have to have to make the
(04:50):
shots on the court. And I truly believe the team
that's going to convert better is going to win ultimately.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Looking back at the season as a whole, Alex, you
lost four of the first seven games, but you've won
five of your last six, including the semi. Was it
just a matter of the players getting used to you
early on or did something else change mid season?
Speaker 4 (05:10):
You know, Like it's always so hard to tell, you know,
Like I'm honestly I'm not sure. You know, You've got
your ups and downs in the season. You know, sometimes
it takes a little bit longer to geil. You know
that you've got injuries to deal with, and sometimes sometimes
when players gop out, it actually gave vanizes the team
a little bit. So now when we lost two starters
about a month ago, that's obviously a tough situation. And
(05:30):
what I liked about the script shots some really real resilience,
you know, like every time, every time we had a
setback like that, we actually got closer together. So I
think it's just a natural progression of a season. And
because the season is so short, sometimes you've got a
bad start. It looks bad, but it kind of evens
itself out in the end.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Indeed, how different is your preparation for knockout games compared
to the way you prepare for a regular season game.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
We actually tried to keep it very similar, just purely
because we want to take the pressure away from the group.
You know, like obviously everybody understands the magnitude of a
semi final or final, so the last thing I want
to do is more casher. So we've tried to go
business as usual. We've got on the preparation throughout the week.
You know, we're bringing we're bringing like a scout team
that that simulates your position, and then and then we're
(06:18):
just trying against again as much as we can and
I suppose, if anything, we tried to actually reduce the
lot a little bit in the semi final final because
we want to be fresh on game day. So you know,
like earlier in the season, you're always thinking long term,
you want to you want to push during the week,
even closer to a game because you're thinking, okay, we've
got to be ready in December. But now it's more
about tapering tappering down a little bit, so we're fresh,
(06:40):
fresh come come game time this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
And this will be the last game at Cal's Stadium,
which has been the home of basketball in christ Church
for goodness me decades. How driven is the team to
win in the last game at this venue to send
it off in style?
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Yeah, of course that's that adds motivation. It's it's last
home game at Cows, it will be the first championship
for the club. Like there's there's a lot of motivating
factors and obviously Canterbury has got a very proud basketball tradition.
So yeah, now we definitely definitely want to send our
tens bent into Christmas break with the title.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
And have you had the chance to look at the
new Patachiori Sports Center. I know the special Olympics have
been on there all this week. Have you had the
chance to look at where where the Poor Kui will
be playing next year?
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Yeah, well I was invited for a tour. I think
it was maybe a couple of weeks ago. And yeah,
I mean it's a world class facility right at the
heart of the city, so you know, like I always say,
the best best stadiums are in the city, so you
can go watch a game and have a dinner before
after whatever to make it a complete, complete night. So
I think it's going to be amazing. I mean the
(07:48):
events events will start this soon, and I think it's
going to be exciting for the basketball community down't here.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Wonderful Alex, Well, all the best this afternoon. Congratulations on
getting the Poor Kye to the final. I hope you
can complete the job and go back to back with
different teams. Thanks for chatting to us today.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Thank you appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
No, I appreciate your time, Alex. Thanks. Indeed, Stoykovich, the
coach of the mainland Porkai, used to coach the Tonglan
on the fire. That'll be an interesting little dynamic from
this afternoon. Although they've played each other three times this season,
so it's not as that's the first time he's played
his former side, but he coached the fig to victory
last year. Can he go back to back, as I say,
with a different team the Mainland Porky three o'clock so
(08:26):
afternoon cal Stadium and christ Church. Gee, that's been the
scene of some pretty famous basketball encounteress, hasn't it? Cal
Stadium final game? There in an elite sense anyway with
the Porky and also the Canterbury Rams now moves moving
to the Partakorti Sports Center as of twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
For alt Theodowa competition this afternoon. Fines on the final.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Division, the execution, Parky perfection, Jacobs almost soft the backboard,
Paul has it and that is it the mainland parkey
and see the Shy Grand Final and they'll host it.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Against the defending champion tit On a fight.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
They've beaten the Southern high Hat.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Indeed, that was last weekend's semi final. So the Mainland
poor Kai, isn't it the only the commentators said. They're
hosting the defending champion todong A FI in christ Church
Carl Stadium and christ Church this afternoon tip off at three.
POECAI head coaches Alex story of it, She joins us. Now, Alex,
thanks for taking the time on game day to have
a chat to us. Can we start with that game?
(01:11):
How happy were you with your win over the Southern
hoy Hoo in the semis last weekend?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Oh? Super happy. I was a wooded for somewhere to
do it at home, and especially considering we've had a
few players out injured. I was super happy and exciting.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Have you managed to bring any of those injured players
back or will you still be slightly depleted today?
Speaker 4 (01:33):
We're going to be depleted unfortunately. So Ezra mcgodreick was
the topph and captain. She's unfortunately out and at the
four cour and ployed centers also out injured. So you
know we're up against it a little bit. But I
think we've shown in the last month of the season
that we can manage even without those two.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Going into semi final weekend last weekend, I know your
semi final was the second of the two, but did
you think you might be heading to Wellington? In other words,
was the fives went over the Tokamanta with Queens? Are
surprised to you?
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Not really? Like I thought the fight. We're actually the
best team during the regular season. They just had like
one injury to keep play at the last three regular
season games that made him drop down the table.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
A little bit.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
But like no, I think, I think they're really really
good team work coached and now that they're back at
fourth strengths, they're definitely going to be a handful today.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Well, you know a lot about that team, of course,
you coached them last season to a maiden title. Does
having coached the Fie help you today as you coach
against them?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
Oh, yes and no. Like obviously Tana who's the head coach,
and I was my system last year and he's done
an incredible job as a team this year. There's some
familiarity between the two teams, but you know he's he's
involved their system a little bit and plays to their strengths.
So it helps a little bit, but I don't think
that's going to be the deciding factor.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
What was the thinking behind your move south? Tell us
about the decision making that you went through to to
take up the role in christ Church.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Was probably mainly a lifestyle change. Like you know, I
was there to five from day one, having set up
the club, and to be fair, you know, like that
was a pretty intense three and a half four years,
and you know it's taking a bit of a toll.
So I was looking for maybe like a you know,
something bit fresh and and and yeah, christ Church came
up and and I thought it was a great opportunity.
(03:21):
So I'm so far glad that I moved down.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Have you brought the same basketball principles to the poor
Guy that you used at the Fire?
Speaker 4 (03:29):
Very similar?
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (03:30):
So like, I've got my style of play, my identity.
I think that was one of the things that that
the Porkui, you know, liked about my coaching. And yeah,
so trying trying to do the same or similar down
here for sure.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
And just before we move on to your team the
FI of today, what are the specific threats that I
will present to you in the final Well.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
I mean, for STARTUS, I've got obviously a couple of
key pieces back from last year, MICHAELA Cowling and then
A Snyders, so I've got that championship experience, and then
they've added a couple of great imports and Hannah Hank
and Jess McDonald white and they bought in Tolt for Emmyshira.
So they've got a very balance starting five that doesn't
really have a lot of weaknesses. So you know, that
(04:10):
makes it really difficult to game plan because you know,
normally when you play a team, you can maybe have
off someone, but they're very, very good, well balanced team.
So yeah, it's going to be a tough one for US.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I saw you on TV during the week and you
said something along the lines of what the team that
shoots better is probably going to win it. Sounds so obvious,
doesn't it, But is that a big part of today?
Speaker 4 (04:29):
One hundred percent? And if you look at the semi final,
the Hoyo actually played pretty good. We just shot the
ball a little bit better. Ultimately, you know, we were
nearly fifty percent from three in the semi which is great,
and I think that's what ultimately made the difference. You know,
like you can, you can game plan and scout and
and be as prepared as you as you want to be,
but ultimately, the players have to have to make the
(04:50):
shots on the court. And I truly believe the team
that's going to convert better is going to win ultimately.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Looking back at the season as a whole, Alex, you
lost four of the first seven games, but you've won
five of your last six, including the semi. Was it
just a matter of the players getting used to you
early on or did something else change mid season?
Speaker 4 (05:10):
You know, Like it's always so hard to tell, you know,
Like I'm honestly I'm not sure. You know, You've got
your ups and downs in the season. You know, sometimes
it takes a little bit longer to geil. You know
that you've got injuries to deal with, and sometimes sometimes
when players gop out, it actually gave vanizes the team
a little bit. So now when we lost two starters
about a month ago, that's obviously a tough situation. And
(05:30):
what I liked about the script shots some really real resilience,
you know, like every time, every time we had a
setback like that, we actually got closer together. So I
think it's just a natural progression of a season. And
because the season is so short, sometimes you've got a
bad start. It looks bad, but it kind of evens
itself out in the end.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Indeed, how different is your preparation for knockout games compared
to the way you prepare for a regular season game.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
We actually tried to keep it very similar, just purely
because we want to take the pressure away from the group.
You know, like obviously everybody understands the magnitude of a
semi final or final, so the last thing I want
to do is more casher. So we've tried to go
business as usual. We've got on the preparation throughout the week.
You know, we're bringing we're bringing like a scout team
that that simulates your position, and then and then we're
(06:18):
just trying against again as much as we can and
I suppose, if anything, we tried to actually reduce the
lot a little bit in the semi final final because
we want to be fresh on game day. So you know,
like earlier in the season, you're always thinking long term,
you want to you want to push during the week,
even closer to a game because you're thinking, okay, we've
got to be ready in December. But now it's more
about tapering tappering down a little bit, so we're fresh,
(06:40):
fresh come come game time this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
And this will be the last game at Cal's Stadium,
which has been the home of basketball in christ Church
for goodness me decades. How driven is the team to
win in the last game at this venue to send
it off in style?
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Yeah, of course that's that adds motivation. It's it's last
home game at Cows, it will be the first championship
for the club. Like there's there's a lot of motivating
factors and obviously Canterbury has got a very proud basketball tradition.
So yeah, now we definitely definitely want to send our
tens bent into Christmas break with the title.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
And have you had the chance to look at the
new Patachiori Sports Center. I know the special Olympics have
been on there all this week. Have you had the
chance to look at where where the Poor Kui will
be playing next year?
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Yeah, well I was invited for a tour. I think
it was maybe a couple of weeks ago. And yeah,
I mean it's a world class facility right at the
heart of the city, so you know, like I always say,
the best best stadiums are in the city, so you
can go watch a game and have a dinner before
after whatever to make it a complete, complete night. So
I think it's going to be amazing. I mean the
(07:48):
events events will start this soon, and I think it's
going to be exciting for the basketball community down't here.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Wonderful Alex, Well, all the best this afternoon. Congratulations on
getting the Poor Kye to the final. I hope you
can complete the job and go back to back with
different teams. Thanks for chatting to us today.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Thank you appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
No, I appreciate your time, Alex. Thanks. Indeed, Stoykovich, the
coach of the mainland Porkai, used to coach the Tonglan
on the fire. That'll be an interesting little dynamic from
this afternoon. Although they've played each other three times this season,
so it's not as that's the first time he's played
his former side, but he coached the fig to victory
last year. Can he go back to back, as I say,
with a different team the Mainland Porky three o'clock so
(08:26):
afternoon cal Stadium and christ Church. Gee, that's been the
scene of some pretty famous basketball encounteress, hasn't it? Cal
Stadium final game? There in an elite sense anyway with
the Porky and also the Canterbury Rams now moves moving
to the Partakorti Sports Center as of twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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