New Plymouth beat Gisborne 121-57 to finish Day 1, much-improved forward William Collier topping Gisborne's list with 16 points. Seb Wilson (10pts) and sharpshooter Weighn Wilson (8pts, two three-point shots) shone for Gisborne, despite New Plymouth's class. The quarter scores were 29-14, 51-29 and 91-40 in New Plymouth's favour.
Hamilton beat GBHS 127-60 to open Day 2, controlling events 44-11, 75-19 and 101-40 at the quarters.
Russell (19pts), Ngaru Grayson (11) and Seb Wilson (8) all chipped in against the home team.
Gisborne team — placed fourth in Pool A — then lost to the No.3 Pool B outfit, Napier. NBHS ran out 95-43 victors, having been 27-17, 50-25 and 67-37 ahead at the quarters.
The Daley Riri-led GBHS team bowed out with a loss to Super 8 powerhouse Hastings, who won the Day 3 clash 103-57.
Seb Wilson cobbled together 14 points, Collier and Cody Tarei showed great heart to produce double-figures — 10 — in the last game of a demanding tournament.
Tarei, who has the size and skill-set to compete hard at both ends of the court at Super 8 level in the years to come, showed signs of becoming a two-fold presence.
Riri's quickness and the pluck of his fellow guards Weighn Wilson, Ngaru Grayson and Seth Miller were features of Gisborne's play.
Kiwa Ria Renata-Kokiri made his debut for GBHS at Super 8 level in a travelling party of eight, and those eight players grew in their four days together.
They were fouled hard but didn't back off the physical competition for rebounds. The GBHS guards took the ball to the hoop fearlessly.
Although GBHS were placed eighth for the second year in succession and for the eighth time since 1998, students of GBHS basketball history can trust that Gisborne will return to the tourney a year from now knowing the standard required to compete and to win.
For the statistically minded, the margins between GBHS and their opponents this year — Rotorua, New Plymouth, Hamilton, Napier and Hastings — were 53, 64, 67, 52 and 46 in 2021, compared with the 2020 margins of 88 (35 points more), 72 (8), 74 (7), 67 (15) and 88 (42).
Hastings' Regan Spooner has great respect for the coaching job done by Ruru-Poharama, his Gisborne opposite.
“Keenan shows a lot of enthusiasm and he knows how to build relationships with his young players.
“In terms of his boys' match-effort against us, Daley was very difficult to defend against, William and Seb matched it with our best around the rim and we found it very hard to keep those two off the boards.
“As a coach, I definitely see the Gisborne boys taking their basketball further.”
