Gisborne basketballers strut their stuff in the Y for Cancer Society

Kiwi Lumber-Jacks player Chase Smith scores over City Lights' Carl Riini in Game 1 of the inaugural Cancer Society Basketball Fundraiser tournament.

Gisborne sportspeople rally for a good cause.

From the feat of rebuilding the grandstand at Rugby Park - which burnt to the ground on March 4, 1965, but was rebuilt for Poverty Bay-East Coast to host the Springboks here on June 30 that year - to the inaugural Cancer Society Basketball Fundraiser that began last weekend and concludes on Saturday, the locals dig deep and fast.

Six teams - the legendary City Lights, exciting Off Limitz, free-wheeling Kiwi Lumber-Jacks, tough nuts the Hustlers, Gizzy Hoops and the Shane McClutchie-coached Campion College Cougars - were back running like well-oiled machines at the YMCA.

Organiser Rosemary Brown lost her mother and brother to cancer and since September has been busy in an effort to make this event a success.

“I’ve been very pleased with the support from players and sponsors because what we’re doing is going to help others,” Brown said.

“We want it to be as successful as it can be, so we don’t rush anything in preparing for it.

“We finish this Saturday, then a letter of thanks will go out to our sponsors telling them how successful we were, give them the results and also photos of the event.”

Last Saturday, five-times Gisborne Basketball Association Premier Grade men’s champions City Lights opened the tournament with a 73-42 win against the Kiwi Lumber-Jacks, captain Scott Muncaster putting up 20 points with support from Paora Dewes (14), Adam Nepe (14), Carl Riini (9) and Ryan Walters (8).

Lights led 34-15 at halftime, despite the dynamism of the Jacks’ Rewha Rameka, who led all scorers with 24 points, and his sharp-shooting teammate Dave Rameka, who hit two three-point shots.

In Game 2, the Hustlers beat worthy opponents and won a minor upset to overcome the Cougars 49-36.

Unusually only two of the Hustlers scored in double figures - Caleb Swann with 12 and Lorenzo Rawiri with 10 - while Elijah Swann (8), Shane Luke (7) also contributed.

Game 3 was a 45-36 win to Lights over Off Limitz, Gizzy Hoops beat the Cougars 68-39 in Game 4, Off Limitz excelled in a 60-45 Game 5 victory over the Kiwi Lumber-Jacks, followed by Gizzy Hoop’s 56-25 win against the Hustlers.

On Saturday from 8.30am, the Cougars will play the Kiwi Lumber-Jacks for fifth and sixth place, the Hustlers will play Off Limitz for third and fourth and Gizzy Hoops will play City Lights in the tournament final, followed by the prizegiving.