The Gisborne Basketball Association club league semifinals and play-offs are tonight and will feature all 12 teams.
The B-Grade game for fifth placing pits Gisborne Boys’ High School Red against East Coast at 5.45pm at the YMCA. That will be followed by the A Grade 1 v 4 clash between City Lights and Uawa at 6.45pm, and the 2 v 3 fixture between GBHS Black and the Filthy Dozen at 7.45pm.
At the John McFarlane Memorial Sports Centre, Campion College will battle the Young and the Useless at 5.45pm in the first of the B-Grade semis, with Lytton High School taking on High Flyers at 6.45pm in the second. SE Systems play the Dragons for fifth overall at 7.45pm.
Uawa have done well to finish fourth in the A-Grade. Player availability and injuries have made life hard.
Strongman Harley Phillips, who broke his right arm in the East Coast club rugby final, has been at least as big a loss to Uawa basketball as he was to their rugby team’s defence of the Barry Cup.
Reggie Namana has had his moments, including a 19 point-game v SE Systems four weeks ago. At full strength, with Rikki Crawford, Rikki Kernohan and Quentin Solomon on hand to help Namana, Uawa could make the first semi very interesting.
City Lights and GBHS Black — as teams No.1 and 2 — had last Monday off and while City Lights’ focus tonight is to beat Uawa, it is only natural that future opposition might cross their minds.
CL beat GBHS Black 71-62 a fortnight ago and, as competition leaders and defending champions, go in favourites.
GBHS Black may well be without big man Ofa Tauatevalu (left ankle sprain) for the Filthy Dozen clash. Sam Veitch And Khian Westrupp will therefore have to step up in terms of defensive rebounding and shot-blocking.
GBHS head coach Dwayne Tamatea’s aim of running the Filthy Dozen “off the floor” will only be possible if his crew can — A: Make the Dozen miss on shot attempts. B: Transition quickly. And C: Finish the fast break.
The Dozen can pick apart rickety half-court defences with sharp passing from the likes of Jimmy Wilson. Last Monday teammates Chad Rose and Wi Brown showed the quick hands that have made them famous. They convert turnovers into lay-ups as few others do.
City Lights captain Scott Muncaster scored 32 points on August 20 and stopping him ought to be a priority for any of the other top-four teams.
Ryan Walters and Carl Riini are also capable jump-shooters but Muncaster is the marksman most likely to keep firing them up.
GBHS Red have played some good basketball in 2018 and they have further developed talent.
Adam Nepe is a tall, strong forward and the school undoubtedly needs that.
The development programme is on the rise. They drew 54-all in their last meeting with the Coast on August 12, and 24 hours later, Zorik Peneha scored the last field goal in Red’s 51-50 win over Ray Noble’s Young and the Useless.
Young and the Useless will go hard against Campion College in their B-Grade semi.
Expect them to box out, rebound and generally bristle.
Lytton and the Flyers is a contest too close to call while Dragons v Systems should also be a tight game.