Local star on fire in the US

BRISBANE basketball sensation Tiana Mangakahia opened the NCAA basketball tournament in stunning style in New York.

Mangakahia, a 23-year-old guard at Syracuse University, lived up to her reputation yesterday by guiding her team to a first-round 70-49 demolition of Fordham University.

Mangakahia had 21 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists and five steals in a performance Fordham could not counter. Gold Coast’s Tobias Cameron is also playing for Abilene College.