Aiden Henderson sneaked by SE’s Will Collier on the right baseline for 12-5, but SE’s Luke Smith and Tomas Fernandez, in the second period, produced hoops to match that effort.
The gritty Smith showed tenacity on the left side of the ring to score, Fernandez produced a wrong-footed lay-up, and Collier made an excellent turnaround shot to keep their team in touch.
GBHS’ Ryland Bright came into his own, including an assist to Sam Crosby on the right wing and a putback against Smith and, in the third quarter, he slashed to the hoop up and in off a well-timed pass from Sparks.
The development of another natural scorer, Izaiah Craft-Chemis, saw him hit five three-pointers for GBHS. He and Fernandez topped the individual scoring with 19 points apiece.
Craft-Chemis hit two treys to put the younger team up 59-33, which Systems answered with muscle ... Keenan Ruru-Poharama overpowering Crosby left of the hoop and following that field goal up with a long jump shot.
Tong stepped back into the left corner to drop a trey for 64-40, then made a steal and found the hard-running Te Kani Wirepa-Hei, whose finish under pressure put Boys’ High up 66-40.
Their ball movement and Craft-Chemis’s unwavering radar from the right corner sent them to three-quarter-time 71-41 in front.
Despite a heroic effort from SE’s Kereama Huriwai – which included four straight field goals and his team’s last bucket – Craft-Chemis had the last word with a putback for Tong.
“We played well, with energy,” Felix said. “[But] Saturday night we need more mongrel than City Lights and to play to our strengths – fast and as a team – if we’re going to beat them.”
City Lights have won seven of eight games this campaign. Their only loss was 83-65 to GBHS on August 5, although they had only five players to Boys’ High’s 11 that night.
Neither skipper Scott Muncaster nor Carl Riini played in that loss, and that pair, plus Ryan Walters and Paora Dewes, are all reliable outside shooters.
“The boys are amped. We missed the grand final last year, so it’s good to be back,” said Muncaster, whose club’s last outing was an 80-39 cruise over Wairoa River Hawks a week ago, on which occasion five of Lights’ best scored in double figures.
“We can’t wait.”
The grand final referees are ex-National Basketball League official Donna Brown-Nepia and Brendan Walsh.
Scoreboard
GBA Men’s Premier Grade Club League, playoffs
6th-7th: Off Limitz beat Raiders by default.
8th-9th: Kiwi Lumber-Jacks beat Wairoa River Hawks by default.
4th-5th: Massive Marauders 54 (Sean Molloy 16, Jason Tuapawa 11, Simon Wilson 11, Ray Noble 8, Dom Wilson 5, Luke Bradley 4) Green Up 60 (Holden Wilson 33, Dominique Wilson 9, Cody Tarei 8). Q1 – Green Up 19-33; HT - 43-26; Q3 - 51-36.
Major preliminary qualifier: SE Systems 57 (Tomas Fernandez 19, Kereama Huriwai 10, Adrian Peachey 8, Keenan Ruru-Poharama 8, William Collier 6) Gisborne Boys’ High School Senior A 88 (Izaiah Craft-Chemis 19, Ollie Tong 13, Aiden Henderson 12, Felix Sparks 11, Te Kani Wirepa-Hei 11, Ryland Bright 8, Kelly Rangihuna 6). Q1 GBHS 16-10; HT - 37-25; Q3 - 71-41.
SE Systems finish third, GBHS v City Lights in grand final.
