Tokomanawa Queens player Stella Beck. Photo: Chris Symes
A modified basketball competition for New Zealand's top female domestic talent will launch next year as Basketball New Zealand target ways to fast-track player development.
The Rapid League, which will run alongside the second season of the Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa competition, is believed to be a world first.
Each Rapid League game will consist of four by four-minute quarters, played mostly under the same rules - save for a few tweaks to speed the game up.
The crux of the innovation is that the starting five players selected for the Tauihi game, which immediately follows the Rapid League contest, cannot play in the earlier clash - meaning the Rapid League is reserved only for the seven players selected to come off the bench in the later game.
The new competition will include its own championship ladder - with wins in the Rapid League also earning points on the official Tauihi ladder.
Tall Ferns head coach Guy Molloy said the new competition was a "revolutionary innovation and a game-changer" for women's basketball in New Zealand.
"Rapid League will help fast-track player development in a major way and the flow-through to the Tall Ferns is a positive. I really like the concept and that every player across the squad has a legitimate role to play," Molloy said.
Walter Taulelei, general manager of this years' Tauihi champions the Tokomanawa Queens, believed Rapid League would appeal to players and fans.
"Innovation is the future currency of all sports, and the inclusion of the Rapid League in Tauihi shows basketball's intent to be the leading participation and entertainment sport in New Zealand," Taulelei said.
"Rapid League will stress test the depth of every roster, impressing on players, coaches and management that their contribution come game day will significantly impact the shape of each team's entire season.
"I think Rapid League will be one of those things we look back on as a positive step forward for the development of players and the game overall."
Some of the other Rapid League rule tweaks will include no personal fouls - only team fouls, as well as four-minute quarters, overtime periods of just one minute, and teams will also have access to one player time-out each game.
At the foul-line, players will only take one free throw when fouled, with maximum points awarded for making the single shot.
Molloy believed that with greater opportunity to play comes quicker development.
"Our players need to be playing more regularly, and Tauihi has already proven to be a success for our top-end talent. What I really like about Rapid League is the opportunity to perform is now spread across the whole team, especially to the next crop of players.
"With this innovation we will see players emerge and develop quicker, and they will stay in the game longer because they are active, which is important for us."