Gisborne Boys’ High used to the battle

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

BASKETBALL

They have to fight for their basketball lives every year, and that’s what makes them so much fun to watch.

Dwayne Tamatea’s Gisborne Boys’ High School team were placed eighth at the Super 8 tournament yesterday for the second straight year. The school’s best placing since the round-robin began in 1999 was sixth, in 2014.

“We played better than our seven-man crew could last year and they know now that — outside of team training — they need basketball fitness to sustain four quarters at that high pace,” Boys’ High head coach Tamatea said.

“It’s hard to keep guys on court for 40 minutes. While we always played two good quarters, one was so-so and in the other we struggled to score due to fatigue, and the need to substitute and rotate players.”

Gisborne lost all five games in New Plymouth. On Monday, they played Palmerston North (92-36) and New Plymouth (74-57); on Tuesday, they played Napier (79-40) and Hamilton (88-38), and yesterday morning they had the playoff against Hastings (80-59).

Tamatea was pleased with the effort of Year 11 boys Adam Nepe and Tamati Horua, and the showing of first 15 rugby forward Khian Westrupp.

Although many of the team are young in basketball years, or tournament experience, the players’ attitudes were excellent, Tamatea said.

Guards Tyrese Tuwairua-Brown, Holden Wilson and 17-year-old captain Max Scott — as the ball-carriers charged with advancing against full-court pressure defence — were under close examination.

“We kept the opposition within single digits in the first half,” Scott said.

“These were experienced teams who knew how to stay composed and crash the boards.

“Tama asked me to help send the boys in the right direction but even though I’m captain, I’m not the only leader — Tyrese and Sam Veitch lead by example.”