Schoolteacher Rongomai Smith is in New Plymouth at the Manu Korero national speech finals, Uawa rugby strongman Harley Phillips has a partially torn left Achilles tendon, veteran Gary Harding is 50-50 to play, having strained muscles in his back, and the dynamic Rikki Kernohan has a bruised left ankle.
“We are hoping to field a competitive team,” Old School captain Reggie Namana said.
“We’re going to play a slow game; our big boys taking the ball inside to score or create fouls. City Lights do everything well, so we’ll have to do everything better.”
Namana and his crew have tried to broaden their base. They use full-court pressure defence and play up-tempo basketball. If they had wanted to, they could have backed half the teams in the league under the hoop and pounded 60-plus points inside.
Six-foot-six-inch Thomas Tindale has the broadest shoulders in club basketball and he will need to be at his best from close range tonight. His ability to score from within 10 feet of the hoop could tip the balance.
The experience and generalship of Namana will be even more important to Old School than ever.
This may be a defining moment for the great Rising Sun player in terms of grand finals. He led the Celtics to victory 77-62 against Leityn Swann’s Lytton High School in 1997, and a measure of his importance is that without him a subless Horouta, early favourites to win the 2008 grand final, lost 97-61 to Gisborne Boys’ High School.
Incidentally, either Campion or Lytton will become only the second school team to win a Gisborne Basketball Association club final tonight.
City Lights captain Scott Muncaster said Old School were similar to the Dragons but even bigger.
“We have all-round scoring options and we can shoot the ball — if we can get going from the outside, that’s going to be huge,” he said.
“Defensively, it’ll come down to being physical in the low-post and keeping them off the boards, making the most of every possession at both ends.”
City Lights qualified second for tonight’s showpiece by beating the Dragons 57-40 last Monday. Old School had dealt with East Coast 70-32 the previous week.
Although the Dragons finished in third spot and the Coast in fourth, it was fifth-placed Gisborne Boys’ High School who pushed this year’s finalists the hardest.
Boys’ High lost 54-51 to City Lights in the last game of the round robin, and gave Old School anxious moments in Week 8 before losing 54-46.
City Lights’ Ryan Walters hit four straight three-point shots in the first period of the 2 v 3 semi and Old School must get out to him on the perimeter in possession one or two.
Walters’ teammates Carl Riini and Zade Donner are as pesky to the opposition as Old School forward Hayden Pardoe is hard to stop close to the ring. Spectators should watch for a contrast in approach.
City Lights must look to push the ball; Old School must keep the score on a tight leash. Injuries mean not just less firepower, but fewer substitutes. Foul trouble early on would make it almost impossible for Old School to stay in touch, and to lose a man and be left with four on court would be catastrophic.
The match will be controlled by referees Clifton Blumfield, Dwayne Tamatea and Jason Tuapawa. Tamatea and Tuapawa will back up from the women’s final.
CITY LIGHTS: Scott Muncaster (captain), Ryan Walters, Dom Wilson, Carl Riini, David Glendenning, Luka Kablar, Zade Donner, Pila Lolohea and Francis Reid.
OLD SCHOOL: Reggie Namana (captain), Hayden Pardoe, TK Moeke, Thomas Tindale, Gary Harding, Rikki Kernohan and Jordan Patrick.
Grand finalists’ 2017 record
City Lights d Gisborne Boys’ High School 65-26, d Campion College 96-49, d SE Systems 72-35, d Auto Go Pure Sound 46-41, d Lytton High School 102-35, d Dragons 56-38, drew with Old School 53-all, d East Coast 65-42, d the 9ers 67-44, d GBHS 54-51, semifinal d Dragons 57-40.
Old School d Pure Sound 58-36, d LHS 92-34, d East Coast 40-37, d Campion 71-20, d 9ers 80-20, d SE Systems 66-30, drew 53-all with City Lights, d GBHS 54-46, d Dragons 45-38, d Pure Sound 46-15, semifinal d East Coast 70-32.
Captains’ tips: 5-3 Old School
“If Old School stop the shooters, they’ll take it.” — Keenan Ruru-Poharama, the Dragons.
“I’m betting on Old School. They dominate. I look forward to seeing City Lights try to stop their bigs.” — Brandon Paul, East Coast.
“It’s City Lights. Their best bet is to get Old School into foul trouble early, then get that outside jumper going.” — Joseph Te Maari, Gisborne Boys’ High School.
“Old School. By 10.” — Adrian Sparks, SE Systems.
“I favour City Lights, but they have to run.” — Patrick Murphy, Campion College.
“I’m picking Old School. Too much size, too much experience.” — Billy Maxwell, Auto Go Pure Sound.
“Old School. They read other teams.” — Genesis Bartlett-Tamatea, Lytton High School.
“I’m going City Lights. Wait and see.” — Marquand Samuels, the 9ers.
