Interest high for GBA Draft League

NEW LEAGUE: Green Up’s Holden Wilson (right) takes on SE Systems’ Tyler Phillips in September’s men’s club final. Wilson is one of the guards in Team Reg in Gisborne Basketball Association’s Draft League, which starts today.Picture by Paul RickardBasketball Mens Final - Green Up v SE Systems - Tyler Phillips, Holden Wilson

BASKETBALL by Ben O’Brien-Leaf

Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and a constant drive to be better: the Gisborne Basketball Association strives to achieve these goals.

And the sporting body whose administrators rarely rest are putting on a show at the YMCA from 5.30pm this evening.

The new four-team GBA Draft League will run on Tuesdays for five weeks, with the final scheduled for November 30.

Basketball purists will be delighted to see a return to 10-minute quarters — as opposed to the eight-minute quarters of the club league — and overtime in regular competition games.

GBA chair Kylie Turuwhenua-Tapsell has had a hectic year since taking over from Dwayne Tamatea.

“There’s a lot of buzz around this new format for the men,” Tapsell said.

“It’ll test their skills and shake off the playing routine for many. There’s a lot of chat across teams; we can’t wait to see how it all rolls out tonight.”

The teams are named for the four franchise coaches, with Team Reg versus Team Tom as Game 1 tonight.

The first 40 players to register were drafted.

TEAM REG, mentored by former Rising Suns swingman Reggie Namana, look to be a dynamic outfit with two quick guards in left-hander Daley Riri and sharpshooter Holden Wilson. Kahn Grayson and Rikki Noble were magnificent in the winter league with their energy and athleticism.

TEAM TOM, named for SE Systems titan Thomas Tindale, have the old firm of City Lights’ Carl Riini and Scott Muncaster together with dynamic Tyrese Tuwairua-Brown and Zade Donner.

Dom Wilson and Paora Dewes of TEAM KEENAN — as in current Gisborne Boys’ High School Senior A coach Keenan Ruru-Poharama — are two of club basketball’s best athletes. Team Keenan have youthful height in the form of 6ft 4in William Collier and their 7pm clash with Team Sparks could be one to remember.

TEAM SPARKS, under former GBA president Adrian Sparks, could be uncharted territory for the great man himself. A dedicated, capable age-group coach, he will now be running and subbing the likes of Ethan Ngarangione-Pearson, Ngaru Grayson and Seb Wilson — all 16, all very capable.

All teams have a strongman — Team Reg have Adam Harford, Team Tom have 6ft 7in Stefan Pishief, Team Keenan have Paul Graham of Massive Marauders fame and Team Sparks have Ryan Walters, the mighty Lights centre.

Namana went for “youth, speed, hustle and some age, for a still head”; Tindale looked for “bucket-getters, hustlers and size”; Ruru-Poharama opted for “unselfish players, fit players who can run the floor”.

Sparks said: “Winning games in this league will come down to defence because the teams are stacked with skilful players and great scorers. If you can rebound defensively and put pressure on shots, you can win.”

TEAM REG: Adam Harford, Clint Rarei, Daley Riri, Holden Wilson, Kahn Grayson, Jerome Tamatea, Keanu-Cleve Reedy, Rikki Noble, Tamati Horua, William Hocquard.

TEAM TOM: Carl Riini, Cody Tarei, CJ Himiona, Jayrus Rutene, Luke McManaway, Scott Muncaster, Stefan Pishief, Tyrese Tuwairua-Brown, Wiremu Grey, Zade Donner.

TEAM KEENAN: Ahi Te Hau, CJ Tarei, Dom Wilson, Felix Sparks, Paora Dewes, Weighn Wilson, Paul Graham, Raenin Pihema-Pomana, Seth Miller, William Collier.

TEAM SPARKS: Allen Arnaldo, Caleb Poole, Ethan Ngarangione-Pearson, Michael Hammond, Ngaru Grayson, Ryan Walters, Seb Wilson, Simon Wilson, Tasman Guirau, William Tawhaki-Brown.