Get ready for two huge nights of Gisborne club basketball.
From 5.45pm at the YMCA this evening, women's competition tips off with the A Grade playoff for fifth between Dem Air Ballers and Gisborne Girls' High School, to be followed by the A Grade 1 v 4 (Ngati Porou v Stretchmarks) and 2 v 3 (Manu Tu v Lytton HS) semifinals. At the John McFarlane Memorial Sports Centre - from 5.45pm - Manu Toa will play Riverina in the 2 v 3 B Grade semi with competition leaders SE Systems v fourth-placed Horouta to follow.
Tomorrow night at the YMCA will be a full one. The men's B grade having been divided into two five-team tiers, Game 1 is a top tier 2 v 3 semi between Big Baller Brand and Campion College. That will be followed by the six-team A Grade playoff for fifth between the Filthy Dozen and Dialektric, before the A Grade 1 v 4 (SE Systems v Gisborne BHS) and 2 v 3 (City Lights v Green up) semis.
At the Sports Centre, the teams placed fifth in the respective B Grade tiers (GBHS B and Backcourt Violators) will play off for ninth spot at 5.45pm, to be followed by second-tier 2 v 3 (Gizzy Gilas v Old Surfers), second-tier 1 v 4 (GBHS Juniors v Lytton HS) and finally the top tier 1 v 4 semi pitting the Massive Marauders against the Bumbles.
This feast of club ball will be run by GBA chairman Dwayne Tamatea, marshals Catherine Kepa, Adrian Sparks, Amoe Tarsau and their small army of scorers and referees. All of the above have done an outstanding job in a manic season, to be topped off by the finals and Grand final next week.
