Basketball: Rising star takes silverware

Jayden Vantimmeren of Katikati College attacking a driving lane at the QEYC during the Burger King 3x3 National Tour on Saturday. Photo/George Novak

Saturday's stop of the nationwide 3x3 basketball tour was, in more ways than one, a passing of the guard.

Father-son duo Andy Mckay - a former national league winner alongside the likes of Pero Cameron at the Waikato Titans - and rising 19-year-old star Derone Raukawa, alongside Dom Erueti, won the open men's grade in startling fashion.

Raukawa, whose pursuit of a scholarship to an American college has led him from Otumoetai College through Rosmini College, Rangitoto College and the Breakers youth academy, passed by anyone who came near him as his father and teammate relentlessly fed him the rock in a lopsided final.

The older man largely confined his efforts to defending the post, crashing the boards, setting picks and occasionally curling on down screens for runners, and lay-ups against a largely empty frontcourt.

The younger man leaked out to fire away from deep - hitting time and again - forcing the defence to honour his jumper which, in turn, led him to cross over, hesitate and head fake his way to the cup practically at will.

"It's gotten easier for me to get the ball over the years - he's beginning to accept his role," Raukawa said.

"We share the ball well, we have that combination.

"He told me to come down - I wasn't going to come down for another week. This has been our third 3x3 we have played together and we've won every one."

The combo guard, who looks likely to be a volume scorer best suited to the point guard position, leaves in a week for his first NBL season with the Jets.

"I've taken an amateur contract, so I don't get paid. I just want to go over there and make a splash and see if any colleges want to pick me up.

"I had two solid years up there training with the Breakers so that was wicked. It's good to be with the big fellas and see how they play."

There is little wonder why the abbreviated form of the half-court game, featuring rolling subs with a four player rotation, two points for dunks and threes and a much faster tempo, appeals to players like Raukawa.

Even when he was guarded, he was open.

"I really like three-on-three, it's what I want really. I'd rather play it and five-on-five. It's been a good day and a great set-up."

Basketball New Zealand coordinator Leyton Haddleton was happy with how the event went, considering poor weather meant it could not be contested on The Strand.

With the game booming globally and the tour confirmed for the next three years, and set to grow from its current 10 stops to 14 by 2016, there are plenty of opportunities for young Kiwi ballers in the coming years.

"The game is growing around the world at an exponential rate," Haddleton said. "It's a fun game, when you play everyone gets to play. It's fast and interactive with the crowd right on the side of the court.

"This tour is being used as a talent identification tour. Our under-18 team is going to the Nanjing World Youth Olympic Games and the open men are going to Moscow to play in the world champs.

"All of the entry fees we have taken for the event go directly into sending the players over. The one thing we know is that cost is huge for these players and you don't necessarily get the best players because of that.

"We are doing something to make sure we get our best players overseas."