6
Oct
Aussies in NCAAW
Cairns guard Taryn Bond commits to SMU for '26
Cairns guard Taryn Bond in action during the 2025 NBL1 North season. Photo: NBL1.
Taryn Bond commits to SMU for 2026 after a breakout NBL1 North season and BWB Asia MVP honours.
- Taryn Bond averaged 13 points per game for Cairns in NBL1 North before earning her SMU scholarship.
- The BWB Asia MVP joins a growing list of young Australians heading to US college programs.
- Her sister Teyahna Bond will suit up for the University of Hawaii this season
Australian women's basketball guard Taryn Bond has committed to join Southern Methodist University (SMU) for the 2026 college basketball season.
The 5’8” standout from Cairns is coming off an impressive NBL1 North campaign with the Cairns Dolphins, where she averaged 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. Bond was named MVP of the Basketball Without Borders Asia camp in June.
Her move to SMU continues a strong family basketball lineage, with older sister Teyahna set to begin her Freshman season at the University of Hawaii.
Taryn Bond in NBL1 2025
Games: 15 │ Minutes: 23.6 │ Points: 13.2 │ FG%: 49.65 │ 3P%: 31.5 │ FT%: 68.42 │ Rebounds: 3.2 │ Assists: 1.33 │ Steals: 1.80 │ Blocks: 0.13 │ Turnovers: 1.20 │ Efficiency (Est): +13.0
Best Game
Dolphins vs. Mackay (July 6, 2025)
Minutes: 31:19 │ Points: 22 │ FG: 7/15 (46.7%) │ 3P: 1/4 (25.0%) │ FT: 7/7 (100%) │ Rebounds: 6 │ Assists: 3 │ Steals: 6 │ Blocks: 0 │ Efficiency: +27
NBL1 2025 Season Snapshot
- Bond averaged 13.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists over 15 games in the 2025 season.
- She scored 10+ points in 9 of 15 games, including three 19+ point performances.
- She shot an impressive 49.6% from the field (71/143) and 68.4% at the line, a significant jump from 2024 (40.5 FG%, 58.8 FT%).
- Her three-point shooting improved slightly (31.5%) with 17 made threes on 54 attempts.
- Bond's delivered a 100% improvement in steals, averaging 1.8 per game (up from 0.9 in 2024).
- She has a season-high 22 points vs. [July 6, 2025], with 7/15 FG, 7/7 FT, and 6 steals.
- Bond had back-to-back 19-point games (June 6 and May 31)
- Efficiency and shot selection improved year-on-year (FG% +9.1, PPG +4.1).
Bond improved more than four points per game and nearly 10% improvement in field-goal efficiency, positioning herself as one of Queensland’s most promising rising guards heading into 2026.
