Tauranga City Basketball were triple winners at Basketball New Zealand's annual awards evening.
Two stalwarts of the game in the region - Cliff Horne and Judy Castles - walked away with top gongs, while the association also received a cash grant from the New Zealand Basketball Foundation to bolster its in-schools'
coaching programme and 3-on-3 competitions.
Horne, in his 60s, took up basketball 53 years ago and is a mainstay on the local scene. He won Basketball NZ's official of the year.
He administered the referee programme in Tauranga, takes care of rosters for a variety of games and leagues and has refereed at premiership level.
"I'm slightly biased, but to see a guy like Cliff still running around in his 60s refereeing is one of the great things about our sport," Tauranga City Basketball general manager Mark Rogers said.
Castles' involvement spans 35 years, when she first played at secondary school in Murupara and, short of suiting up for the Tall Ferns there isn't much she hasn't achieved in the intervening years.
Still playing at masters and business house level, Castles - winner of the Zena B Gay award, Basketball NZ's highest honour for a female - has been a school and rep coach, an executive member of Tauranga City Basketball (currently vice-president and secretary/treasurer), Basketball Bay of Plenty board member, a national title winner with Tauranga back in the 80s, tournament controller for tournaments, an active referee and a driver behind women's basketball in the region.
"Looking back, 35 years does seem like a long time but not all that was administration - I picked up a basketball at Rangitahi College and loved the game from the start."
Highlights are plentiful but Castles is particularly delighted with getting basketball included on Sport Bay of Plenty's CoachForce programme and helping lobby council for the indoor stadium soon due for completion at Baypark.
"CoachForce has reaped huge benefits for the sport region-wide and made a visible difference for our athletes and coaches, with our players now being targeted within national programmes.
"Remedying our lack of court space in the city by pushing for the new nine-court indoor stadium will be huge, although our next big challenge will be making sure basketball gets enough court time to meet our need."
