When the Otumoetai College senior boys' team start their nationals campaign in Palmerston North on Monday, they'll be fulfilling the aspirations of basketballers and coaches at the school from many years past.
The only Bay boys' team to qualify for the this year's nationals, the side is also the college's first senior boys' basketball lineup to make the cut in recent memory, said Otumoetai sports co-ordinator Paul Braddock.
The lads' ascension to the week-long tournament was the best payoff yet from the steady development of the sport at the college over the last decade or so, Braddock said.
To book their nationals berth, the senior boys' side finished fifth at the Zone 2 premierships in Rotorua last month; the top-six teams progressed to the national championships.
Coached by Tauranga basketball development officer Andy MacKay - whose son Derone Raukawa is in the team - and captained by Braddock's son Adam, the team has turned the tables on arch-rivals Tauranga Boys' this year, with the match ledger 4-2 in their favour.
The most recent triumph came on Wednesday night, when they claimed the Tauranga City Basketball championship courtesy of an 80-72 defeat of Tauranga Boys', rubbing salt in the wound of their victory in June's Baywide final.
Longtime bonds form a strong foundation for the side - Raukawa, Braddock and Andrew Bray were teammates at Otumoetai Intermediate, when they competed at the AIMS Games. Raukawa returned this year after a few years in Australia.
The lineup also has a major asset in point guard Alex Schipper, who at 6'10" is a tall order for opposing teams.
Paul Braddock said the side was heading to Palmerston North with "realistic" ambitions.
"They're all good players and hard workers. The aim going in is to make the middle eight of the 24 teams; that'd be satisfying."
Adam Braddock said MacKay had been focusing on defence.
"Our offence is probably up there with the best teams at the nationals; if we put pressure on the ball and keep the chatter up we'll go well.
"We've got a huge week coming up, to be the first [senior boys'] team from the school to make the nationals - as far as we know - we're really excited."
Hamilton's Fraser High are defending champions and the tournament's opening ceremony takes place tomorrow. Otumoetai's round-one pool comprises last year's runners-up Melville High, Rosmini College, Rangitoto College, Hamilton Boys' High and Avondale College.
With Braddock, Jay Michalik and Jamal McGruer also in the rugby First XV and set to play a Baywide semifinal against Trident College today, arrangements will be tricky next weekend if the trio are successful in both codes.
Thanks to former Otumoetai College student Roger Simister, who works as a business mentor in Tauranga and played in the Tall Blacks in the mid-1990s, the basketball side has money in its motivational mix too.
"I've put up $250 per win, with the money going into the team fund. This week's win over Tauranga Boys' got them their first $250 and there's a possible seven more games if they make the nationals final," Simister said.
"I had a great time in sport at Otumoetai and it's a way of giving back."
Bay Office Products Depot is also chipping in to help the team in their nationals campaign.
Further proof that basketball is on the rise at the college has come with students being selected for a trip to Australia in January as part of Koru national development.
Cydney Ebeling and Kelcy Ballantyne have been named in the girls' under-16 lineup, Theo Johnson made the boys' under-18 squad and Jack Neale was called into the boys' under-16 squad.
Otumoetai College senior boys' basketball team for this year's New Zealand AA secondary schools tournament, B & M Centre, Palmerston North, August 22-27: Adam Braddock (captain), Andrew Bray, Theo Johnson, Jamal McGruer, Jay Michalik, Alma Ormsby, Derone Raukawa, Alex Schipper, Wrye-Wrye Serabani, Luiz Silveira, Jack Stewart, Craig Tims.