Ashley Joens has played for WNBA teams the Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury. But in the WNBA off-season she had two simple requests – a league with a shorter season and a gym she could get in all the time. A team in Tauranga came to the party. Kaitlyn Morrell reports.

Ashley Joens had never been to New Zealand until she signed with the Tauranga Whai as an import for the 2024 season – and dominated the league.

She was the top point scorer, top 3-point scorer, one of the top offensive rebounders, and made it to the free-throw line more times than any other player in the entire Tauihi League.

Joens is originally from Iowa City. She grew up in tiny Solon, population 3000, and had always been surrounded by basketball because her dad was a coach.

Read the full story here...https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/basketball-ashley-joens-from-the-wnba-to-playing-for-the-bay/YLBFTOMB4FEXNP5RXMGO46UJRU/#google_vignette