Boys’ High Red dominate game against quality veterans

BASKETBALL

Basketball is a team game. But outstanding performances deserve recognition, and the way in which Gisborne Boys’ High School Red dominated the second A Grade men’s club basketball league semifinal last night fits the bill.

The defending champions beat a team of quality veterans, the Willie Brown-led Filthy Dozen, 82-65.

Holden Wilson (33 points) and Tyrese Tuwairua-Brown (31pts) are in furnace form. Wilson hit seven three-point shots and Tuwairua-Brown, six. Tuwairua-Brown made two three-point plays, Wilson one.

Boys’ High led 28-13, 49-23, 65-40 throughout and the Dozen, who came back with fire after halftime, deserve credit for cutting a 25-point deficit at three-quartertime to 17 by the end.

Brown led the Dozen’s scorers with 26 points, but the prize for hardest-fighting athlete in a losing cause belongs to Dale Akuhata (13pts). Siaki Tui (10pts) was, as always, a force around the basket.

Last night, especially at the start of the fourth period, it seemed as if the basketball gods were firmly against the Dozen. On three of their first four field goal attempts in the period, the ball spun deep into the net, then was spat out.

In addition, the creativity of Wilson (he dribble-drove to the hoop for Ofa Tauatevalu to score, at 72-40) and the ability that he and Tuwairua-Brown have to finish at the rim are qualities not often seen in school teams in club basketball.

Boys’ High head coach Dwayne Tamatea said: “GBHS Black played well in the first semi (79-49 to City Lights), and fought back to be only nine points down with six minutes left. Red just shot the lights out. Their pace created space for the shooters and they knocked the shots down.”

Forward Aubrey Yates was superb for CL in the first semi-final. He thumped under the ring for 20 points as his captain Scott Muncaster (20pts) went to weapons other than his three-point shot.

With guard Carlos Pedraza (13pts) and workaholic Zade Donner (10pts) also a factor, Lights had four scorers in double-digits. The older team held sway 36-24, 58-42 throughout but the improvement in Black has been remarkable. Daley Riri (21pts), Henry Tofilau (18pts) and Adam Nepe (10pts) all stepped up in the biggest game of their club season.