Hoops heaven embraces brave All-Star Tiana

• Tiana was a SEABL champion (2014) and NBL1 North MVP (2023)
• She was a two-time First-Team All-ACC (2018, 2019)
• She played WNBL with the AIS, Townsville Fire and Sydney Flames

Tiana Mangakahia: April 21, 1995 — September 11, 2025

How do you pay tribute to person who impacted the world and the basketball community beyond what words could possibly describe

That's how I, and I guarantee almost everyone who knew her, felt about Tiana Mangakahia.

Sadly, Tiana lost her battle with cancer this week at 30-years-old and with that news, the world lost one of its true warriors, basketball lost one of its biggest advocates, young girls lost a role model who inspired them beyond what she could ever imagine and family and friends lost who brought a spark to their lives that was bigger than the incredible spark she brought every time she hit the court.

While she may have lost her battle with cancer, the way she faced it head on at every turn, I think we can all agree that cancer isn't coming out of that battle unscathed. She beat the daylights out of it — ever giving up at any stage, right until the end.

Speaking to Tiana for a story in April about her return to the NBL1 North with her beloved Southern Districts Spartans, the team she grew up playing for, she told me "cancer does scare me, but not living my life to the fullest scares me more".

She is definitely a woman of her word.

And are we surprised at all? I'm not, considering where Tiana has come from. Anyone who saw her play from a young age, knew she had it! Yes, she had blistering speed, handed out more ankle breakers than an and-one mixtape, threw no-look and behind the back passes like a Jason Williams highlight reel and made the stepback jumper her own.

More than anything, Tiana was tough, she was a hellacious competitor — someone that if you matched-up against her, or even coached against her, you knew you were in for a long night.

She showed that toughness and competitiveness as well as persistence throughout her life. Her path to basketball greatness wasn't a traditional one. Yes, she earned a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport and made her WNBL debut as a teenager before going on to the Townsville Fire and help take the Spartans to the 2014 SEABL championship. But she was destined for more and had to earn it.

Going on to the big smoke of basketball in the US, the bright lights never followed Tiana right away. She had to take the junior college route, going to Hutchison Community College before eventually earning a scholarship to powerhouse school Syracuse University, a place made famous by the likes of NBA Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony.

It was there, this little Aussie pocket rocket showed exactly what she could do. Dominating from the very start of her career with the Orange, earning First-Team All-ACC Honours in her first season, something she backed up with an even better second season in New York, even leading Syracuse to the No.3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. It was the school's highest ever seeding. Oh, and to go along with it, Tiana broke the school's career assist record and joined the 1000-point club.

But then her life was turned completely upside down when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and it was then where her toughness, competitiveness and persistence was needed more than ever.

Tiana didn't let the life-threatening diagnosis deter her from chasing her dreams, returning to the court for Syracuse for the 2020-21 season, earning an All-ACC Honourable Mention along the way and also earning a WNBA training camp spot with the Phoenix Mercury.

While she wasn't at her best, Tiana quickly returned to her dazzling best in the NBL1 North with the Northside Wizards, winning league MVP in her second season back in Australia and was rewarded with a WNBL contract at the Sydney Flames, quickly becoming a fan favourite in the Harbour City.

Her journey hit another roadblock when her illness returned in 2023 but once again, giving up was never an option. Even during her time away from playing, Tiana continued to be an ambassador for the game and for breast cancer awareness. And while she was still around the basketball community, including being an assistant coach for the Flames, it wasn't the same as playing, that was Tiana's ultimate goal.

Going against doctor's orders, Tiana made a triumphant return to the court this season for the Spartans and despite sitting on the sidelines for two years, at times she was as damaging as ever with the ball in her hands. Every weekend the NBL1 social media pages could have been full of Tiana Mangakahia highlights and I think crowds around the competition knew how special it was to witness this special talent in action.

Crowds, even from opposing teams, erupted every time she made a big play, stadiums were full of pink shirts or apparel in support of Tiana and she also made the rounds after every game taking pictures with young fans or supporters.

While her condition deteriorated towards the end of the season, to the point where she couldn't play in the finals series, Tiana had already made a lasting impact in her return through the toughness, competitiveness and persistence that she had showcased throughout her entire journey.

She was a fighter until the end and spent her final days doing the only thing she loved more than basketball — enjoying time with her friends and family. Tiana was, I'm sorry, Tiana is and will continue to be an inspiration to so many people for a long time to come — an impact I don't even think she realised the extent of.

You can see how many lives she has touched by those who have paid tribute to her after her passing. From the greatest to ever do it in Lauren Jackson, to current NBA superstar Josh Giddey, there were no limits to the impact Tiana had. While the slogan to support Tiana during her battle was #Tough4T, the one thing that is certain is those who knew her are tougher BECAUSE of T.

I will finish my tribute to Tiana with again referencing a comment she made to me in the previous story we did together in April.

"I believe I will live forever," she said.

Enough said. RIP Tiana Mangakahia. #Tough4T