Young gun Hawaikirangi expected to start the 2023 season with new confidence

Local young gun Kiriana Hawaikirangi has re-signed with the Northern Star Resources Goldfields Giants for the upcoming 2023 NBL1 season.

Another locally developed junior through the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Basketball Association,
Hawaikirangi was a late bloomer into the sport, but has made a name for herself in a short period of time.

The 175cm tall guard said moving to the NBL1 level was “a big step up” but she had found her groove by the end of the 2022 season.

Hawaikirangi joked her game-high and season-high 31-point performance in the side’s final game against Perth Redbacks on August 13, 2022 made her a “one-hit wonder”.

“Toward the end of the season it got really good, at least when I wasn’t injured,” she said.
“I think my shooting developed through the season and my confidence grew.”

Hawaikirangi is currently playing in the Saints division one team in the domestic season, hitting the gym and playing touch rugby to keep fit in between seasons.

“Now that we have a season under our belt, I think the next one will be really good,” she said.

Head coach Rob Thomson said the guard’s advantage came from her newly built confidence and the knowledge that she could now play at NBL1 level.

“I think she can really take a step forward this year and that was evident in that last game against the Redbacks. She comes out with 30-plus points and really dominated that game,” he said.

“So I think with her if we can get her confidence up early and just continue on from last year, it will work in our favour.

“She started her preseason really well, training really well and her fitness has improved, so really looking forward to taking this next step.”

She joined the Giants WABL team in 2018 and has developed into a high scoring guard and was their second leading scorer in 2021 behind her accurate three-point shooting.

A talented sportsperson who also excels at Netball, we're glad she has stuck with basketball and look forward to seeing her develop in the second season of the women’s team NBL1 campaign.