Basketball: Northern Regional Championship in Tauranga produces epic encounters

Tauranga player Orklando Karam puts the opposition under pressure. Photo / Andrew Warner

From Wednesday to Saturday this week, the future stars of New Zealand basketball took to the court around the country as part of Basketball New Zealand's Under-13 regional championships. Tauranga hosted the Northern Regional Championships tournament which attracted 41 teams comprising more than 400 players. The talent on display throughout the tournament, at the Trustpower Arena, was undeniable as spectators were treated to some fantastic skills and close encounters. Sports reporter David Beck has a look at how the tournament went and the performances of some of the local Bay of Plenty sides.Being the hosts, it is no surprise Tauranga had plenty of teams in action at the Northern Regional Under-13 Basketball Championships.

The event was held at the Trustpower Arena from Wednesday to Saturday and Tauranga sides impressed in the A Grade tournaments with the boys finishing third and the girls finishing fourth.

The boys finished second in their pool with four wins and a loss but went down narrowly 64-59 to Waikato Black in the semifinal. However, they picked themselves up to win the third-place playoff over Auckland 76-64.

Tauranga City Basketball Association support co-ordinator Helen Richardson said all the Tauranga teams performed really well.

"We're very happy. The A team had an awesome semifinal against Waikato. They were beaten by them by 30 points previously and to come back and lose by only five in the semifinal, that was fantastic.

"It showed how the boys had improved. It's about everybody getting out there and getting on, from the first game to the last game there was such an improvement in the players."

Tauranga player Chase Monks leaps for a lay-up. Photo / Andrew Warner

She said, overall, it was "a really good tournament".

"There were lots of teams, lots of improvement from the players and referees. It was just awesome to see all the under-13 players and coaches out there having fun.

"For some of them. It's the first stepping stone into a Basketball New Zealand tournament. The main aim of it is more for development. There's no nationals at this age, yes the teams who win or come second get trophies but it's more about that participation."

Meanwhile, in the girls' A grade, Rotorua and Tauranga finished second and fourth respectively.

Tauranga player Orklando Karam puts the opposition under pressure. Photo / Andrew Warner

Rotorua coach Jo-Ann Douglas said the tournament as a whole provided great experience for the young players.

"They learned a lot, we had a few issues in the first game [a 73-66 loss to Harbour Maroon] but they learned from it and played very well. It's extremely important at this age that they are able to learn.

"We had two outstanding players, Waikimihia Douglas-Karauna and Te Pumanawa Rogers. They just controlled the game and led well from the front. We had three of our top players fouled off in the first game, which was actually a really good learning point because we met that same team again in the semifinal."

Rotorua's Te Pumanawa Rogers holds off a Counties Manukau defender. Photo / Andrew Warner

Douglas was pleased with how her side played in the final, despite the loss.

"It was pretty good, we pushed them. We had a few injuries which probably held us back a bit but it was a good team effort - everyone was scoring. Aaliyah Stone-Taylor shot very well in that game which helped us stay with them.

"The whole tournament was very competitive. It is the first time most of these girls have played with a shot clock so most of the games were about an hour and a half long. Most of them are used to playing 40 minutes so it was a real test of courage and fitness playing two games a day for three days and then the final on the Saturday.

"They are a great group of girls. They listened, were well behaved and everyone in the team, including the bench, played a part in us getting to the final."

Bay of Plenty results at the Northern Regional Under-13 Basketball Championships

Boys' A Grade:
Tauranga - 3rd

Boys' B Grade:
Rotorua - 5th
Tauranga - 6th

Boys' C Grade:
Tauranga Gold - 3rd
Tauranga U12A - 4th
Rotorua - 6th
Tauranga U11A - 7th

Girls' A Grade:
Rotorua - 2nd
Tauranga A - 4th

Girls' B Grade:
Tauranga U11A - 6th
Lake Taupō - 7th