North Harbour's Marko Alexander in action against Counties Manukau in the final of the under-23 national basketball championships. Photo / George Novak
North Harbour's Marko Alexander in action against Counties Manukau in the final of the under-23 national basketball championships. Photo / George Novak
North Harbour consolidated their status as New Zealand's number one basketball region by taking out both the men's and women's finals of the Under-23 National Championships played at the QEII Youth Centre on Saturday night.
It was a tournament to remember for the Fotu family from North Harbour, with TallBlack Isaac Fotu and his New Zealand under-18 rep sister Ella both making their respective tournament teams and taking out the tournament's MVP awards.
In the women's section, North Harbour defeated Canterbury in the morning semifinal and took on Waikato in the final after they defeated Capital in their semi.
The final was a low-scoring affair, with North Harbour winning comfortably by 57-34.
The men's final was way more spectacular and competitive, with North Harbour finally prevailing 101-92 over Counties Manukau.
The highlight was the clash between young Tall Blacks Isaac Fotu and Reuben Te Rangi. Fotu is a freshman at the UH-Manoa campus in Hawaii and both starred for the Tall Blacks on their recent overseas venture.
The pair were teammates when New Zealand won the inaugural FIBA Youth 3X3 Championship in Italy two years ago and have been among the standout performers in Tauranga over the past four days.
Derone Raukawa, Auckland Chris Duthie, Canterbury Shea Ili, Counties Manukau Issac Fotu, North Harbour Stan Williams, Wellington Jordan Ngatai, Poriria Javaan Mumtaz, Counties Manukau Reuben Te Rangi, Counties Manukau Inga Solofuti, North Harbour Marco Alexander, North Harbour
Women
Jacinta Beckley, Capital Shinae Blair, North Harbour Kalani Purcell, Waikato Tessa Boagni, Canterbury Dionne Darlington Martin, Waikato Wuanyei Ah-Hing, Waikato West Ella Fotu, North Harbour Krystal Leger-Walker, Waikato Laykin Paenga, Capital Deena Franklin, North Harbour
MVP
Issac Fotu, North Harbour Ella Fotu, North Harbour
