Basketball's rise nationwide was never more evident than at Rotorua last week.
The Tūranganui-a-Kiwa Poitūkohu crews that represented Te Tairāwhiti whānui at the Māori National Tournament from January 25 to 29 in the tourney's 10th year were worthy of their inclusion among the 300-odd participating teams.
Of the rangatahi (youth)teams who trialled at the YMCA and John McFarlane Memorial Sports Centre on November 13 and 20 last year, the Maraetaha under-9 kotiro (girls') team were placed fourth, the Mangatu u9 tama (boys') A Grade team were the only rangatahi team to medal up with bronze, the Waipaoa u11 kotiro premier grade side were placed sixth, and the Taruheru u11 tama A Grade team came fifth.
The Waihirere u11 tama premier grade gteam were placed fourth, the Rakaikiteroa u13 kotiro A Grade team grabbed eighthth spot, the Titirangi u13 kotiro premier grade side missed out on a medal by one tick and Te Arai u13 tama premier grade team were placed fifth.
The Puketapu u15 kotiro A Grade team came fourth, the Rangiahua u15 tama C Grade unit placed fifth and the Matiti u15 tama premier grade team finished in eighth position.
The u17 A Grade boys under Adrian Sparks won a bronze medal, the Keenan Ruru-Poharama-coached u19 premiers placed fourth in Pool A and did not play off for seventh and eighth against Ngati Wai of Pool B. Ruru-Poharama also mentored the Tāne men's B Grade outfit that took ninth spot, with former New Zealand u20 point-guard Leityn Swann coaching the Whaikaha (athletes with disabilities) who came fifth of six teams.
