Big man Tarei scores 46 in Easter Classic opener

SET FOR THE REBOUND: Tauranga's Pia Ririnui (left) and Gisborne's Alexander Campbell-Ratapu about to contest a rebound in an under-15 girls' game at the Mel Young Easter Classic in Tauranga yesterday. Gisborne won 83-37 Picture by Darryl Crawford

Cody Tarei gave Waikato Red a licking.

Big man Tarei was in magnificent form for the Gisborne boys' under-15 team in their opening game of the Mel Young Easter Classic basketball tournament in Tauranga yesterday.

Tarei scored 46 points in a 93-86 win over Waikato Red. Captain Quaydon Kora posted 15 points and Keanu Reedy 10 in a game Gisborne led 20-15 after the first quarter, 42-35 at halftime and 67-61 at the third-quarter break.

The u15s later lost a thriller, 61-60, to Tauranga, Tarei again stumping up with 23 points and Kora scoring 16. Only two points separated the team at each of the quarter breaks.

All up on Day 1, the seven Gisborne Basketball Association teams won 11 and lost two of the 13 games they played.

Gisborne boys' u17s, in the B Grade, lost 103-55 to Waikato B, with Ngaru Grayson's 27 points leading the Gisborne scorers, supported by Luka Russell's 13).

Gisborne bounced back to beat Tauranga 85-73. They trailed 19-21 at the end of the first period but took a 38-34 lead to the break. Grayson scored five field goals en route to half-time and his crew extended their lead to 58-50 going into the fourth quarter.

Grayson ended the game with 29 points, Russell 24 and Caleb Poole 10.

Gisborne u15 girls, competing in the B Grade, began with a 56-40 win over Waikato Country — co-captain Jamieson Tapsell scoring 14 and Ishtar Mackey-Huriwai 11.

Gisborne were 20-9 and 36-18 in front then ramped up their defence to concede only five points in the third quarter for a 48-23 lead.

In their second outing, the Adam Tapsell-Thomas Tindale-coached girls beat Tauranga 83-37, with double-figures to Tapsell (18), Mackey-Huriwai (16) and Te Atahuia Matahiki (11).

They led 20-8, 46-14 and 65-22 in that clash.

Gisborne u13 boys captain Wirihana Papuni-Hohepa and his outfit made a dream start to their B Grade campaign, beating Waikato Blue 99-34.

Jerome Tamatea (15), CJ Tarei (15) and Giovahni Green (12) were their principal scorers as Gisborne led through the opening three quarters 20-2, 50-16 and 73-30

Coaches, Sean Pocock and Albie Nepia would have been no less pleased with their 86-28 win against Thames Valley — a game they controlled to lead 28-9, 49-19 and 69-21 through the breaks. Green led the scorers with 19, while Tamatea, Micah Tapsell and Kelly Paenga-Rangihuna scored 12.

Gisborne u13 girls made their presence felt in the B Grade with a 56-26 win over Waikato B.

Captain Kohine Aupouri (16) led the scorers.

Riley Lewis (12) and Jorjah Tuapawa (10) were solid on the floor as Gisborne led 10-9, 24-10, and 40-25.

They then beat New Plymouth Blue 54-22, vice-captain Neveah Smith (12) and Kayla Namana (10) to the fore offensively.

The Reg Namana-coached u13 girls' defence was superb. From start to finish, they led 17-5, 36-5, 50-14.

Gisborne u11 team boys won their only B Grade game — 53-40 against Waikato Country.

Mehaka Pohatu-Chaffey and Reia Paenga-Morgan each scored 10 points as Gisborne led 10-7, 27-12 and 37-25.

Gisborne u11 girls, under Kellann Kemp and Willie Brown, beat Waikato Country 48-36 in Game 1 of the B Grade, then accounted for Hibiscus Coast 60-22.

Against Waikato Country, Kiara Namana (18) led Gisborne's scorers and Indie Nikora (10) exhibited soft touch as a shooter.

They dominated Hibiscus Coast, Lischa-Rae Smith (14) Kiara Namana (12), Gisborne's leading scorers.