Buzzer-beating drama: Women’s Draft League gets a rousing start

TUSSLE UNDER THE BASKET: Melissa Mackey-Huriwai, of Dreamers, boxes out against Ohomauri Hailey, of Hoops I Did it Again, at the YMCA yesterday.Pictures by Darryl Crawford

It will go down in GBA folklore as Peyton’s buzzer-beater.

And last night Butter Fingers guard Peyton Riri provided Gisborne Basketball Association fans with a moment in time with which to remember Opening Night of the women’s Draft League.

Riri, 18, hit a three-point shot from the top of the key to give her crew a 53-52 win against the Brick Layers in Game 2 of Round 1.

Butter Fingers coach Janelle Te Rauna-Lamont is known to be level-headed but that finish made her smile.

“Going into this game we were nervous and excited but we had to trust the process,” she said.

“It took our girls a little while to gel and get their groove on — to build that trust and confidence on the floor.

“That was like representative basketball and luckily for us — because the Brick Layers were in foul trouble — we had two options. Those options were to drive at the hoop to score and maybe get to the free-throw line, or the outside shot.”

Riri (15 points) led Butter Fingers scorers. Teammates co-captain Kiara Swannell (13) and O’Shae Rangihaeata (9), were also busy.

Brick Layers’ Paris Wilson (9), Jayda Waititi-Leach (8), Anna Spring (8) and Jamieson Tapsell (7) flew the flag for Hana Wilkinson’s outfit that had trailed 11-10 at the end of the first period, sneaked ahead 26-22 at the break and were 39-33 in front at three-quartertime.

Game 2 of Round 1 was high drama from the tip. Sprightly Brick Layers guard Courtney Stubbins’ trademark hustle was in evidence as she recovered on defence to make a steal, and Butter Fingers’ powerful forward Dyani Johnson outmuscled her rivals around the basket.

There were signs throughout that such a close game would have an unusual ending. Swannell accidentally knocked the ball back into her own goal on a shot-attempt from Waititi-Leach for 16-16, Alisha Duncan of the Brick Layers’ classic jumpshot from the free-throw line for 36-27, and her teammate Jamieson Tapsell’s unbelievable left-handed lay-up for 48-47.

All this happened before Anna Spring of the Brick Layers hit a three-point shot to put them 51-47 up.

Riley Lewis’s ice-cold trey to close it to 51-50 gave Butter Fingers new hope, and Wilson made a free-throw for 52-50 to the Wilkinson-coached Brick Layers.

Then Peyton Riri won the game.

Wilkinson said: “That ending, and all of it, was unreal — high intensity, and the teams played to their strengths. I’m looking forward to my girls’ first training run tonight.”

The season opener can be a tough game to play.

The low-scoring nature of Dreamers’ clash with Hoops I Did it Again bore that truism out.

Dreamers player-coach Melissa Mackey-Huriwai led her tightly knit unit to a 28-17 win.

“We’ve got good youngsters, three of whom — Piper Donaldson, Ishtar Mackey-Huriwai and Taimarie Matahiki — attend the basketball academy at Manukura School in Palmerston North. They set a certain standard.”

On a balmy evening at the YMCA, Ishtar Mackey-Huriwai, 15, had the honour to score the first field goal in the inaugural women’s Draft League, a lay-up from the left side of the court for 2-0.

But no game at the Y would be complete without a lighter moment (Dreamers’ Maia Rickard shooting up an airball from the free-throw line) and even slapstick (Rickard’s epic collision with Shean Edwards in search of a loose ball, to the delight of an appreciative audience).

It was an excellent non-call from referees Clifton Blumfield and Brendon Walsh and a timely reminder — as Emperor Meiji said in the Last Samurai — that: “We cannot forget who we are — or where we come from”.

The Dreamers led 12-1, 13-4 and 20-7 on the backs of Ishtar Mackey-Huriwai (7) and Donaldson (6).

Hoops I did it again player-coach Petra Sparks admitted to there having been a “closed lid” on the opponents’ basket through the first three periods.

Sparks finished the game as the leading scorer from either team, the only player in Game 1 to score in double-figures with 12.

She said: “We started slowly. We settled and made better decisions in the fourth quarter.”

GBA chair Kylie Turuwhenua-Tapsell said: “That was an awesome night to kick off the Draft League. Butter Fingers’ last four seconds could put them in the running for the play of the year. Our four teams’ coaches should also be really proud of themselves and their debut in that important role tonight.

“Bring on Round 2.”

Dreamers 28 (Ishtar Mackey-Huriwai 7, Piper Donaldson 6) beat Hoops I Did it Again 17 (Petra Sparks 12) - Q1 Dreamers 12-1, HT 13-4, Q3 20-7.

Butter Fingers 53 (Peyton Riri 15, Kiara Swannell 13, O’Shae Rangihaeata 9) beat Brick Layers 52 (Paris Wilson 9, Jayda Waititi-Leach 8, Anna Spring 8, Jamieson Tapsell 7) - Q1 Butter Fingers 11-10, HT Brick Layers 26-22, Q3 39-33.

Standings (win = three competition points, loss = none, no tie possible): Dreamers 3, Butter Fingers 3, Brick Layers 0, Hoops I did it again 0.