A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
Three weeks into the club season, the Gisborne Basketball Association women's teams have settled into a groove.
The tempo varies between the high-energy bustle of Team 2022 guard Courtney Stubbins and the power-game of Uawa Hard player-coach Dyani Johnson.
Johnson did not play in Game 1 at the YMCA on Monday night. Team 2022 took the honours 43-24. Stubbins was good for seven points. Her teammate Maiangi Mackey (12pts) and Uawa Hard's Kohine Aupouri (13pts) were the game's only scorers in double-figures.
Team 2022 veteran Janelle Te Rauna-Lamont said she felt blessed to still be able to play with “awesome ladies”.
“Half of us have played together for maybe 20-plus years, so that's cool. I'm sore now, but it is great to see Uawa in the league. That brings back memories of when I played with our Uawa aunties and family.”
Teams can raise the stakes, once a game has started, by doubling their effort in order to win. Thus a higher price is put on victory.
And Bronya McMenamin puts a high price on victory. The Ngati Porou captain led by example as her team headed off a strong, physical challenge from the talents of Matariki.
In a 59-38 victory, McMenamin put up 18pts as teammate Maia Rickard put up 19. Alex Campbell-Ratapu (13) and Ohomauri Hailey (9) led Matariki's scorers.
McMenamin said: “That was a fast game and particularly challenging, with a few of our players not able to make it, but I'll give a shout-out to the super six who showed up.
“I'm glad to see that the competition is getting stronger and that the girls who have left school still have a team looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Matariki skipper O'Shae Rangihaeata knew where the game was hardest fought: “Although we lost I was proud of our girls for carrying on to the last whistle. Our movement on offence worked well generally; it was just in finishing our shots that we lacked. I'm sure we'll get them next time.”
Rangihaeata made a soft-touch shot on the drive for 5-5 and found Campbell-Ratapu open on the left baseline to score on consecutive plays; in the second period, Hailey took the ball to the basket for Matariki 10, Ngati Porou 18.
League stalwart Shay Waikawa had a sparkling third quarter for Ngati Porou, stepping right-side around Rangihaeata for 31-15 and two plays later hitting a three-point shot from the right-wing for 34-17.
Both Campbell-Ratapu and Rangihaeata hit three-pointers in the fourth period but it was McMenamin who drew a foul from the opposition skipper, and completed the last three-point play of the contest for 45-33, before then sweeping downcourt, to receive the ball from Waikawa on a give-and-go left side of the basket, and 47-33.
Game 3 was well-controlled, referee Adrian Sparks seeing to that.
The late game is often either a classic or an unfortunate affair chock-full of hard fouls and turnovers. The officiating standard last night ensured that it did not become the latter.
Paris Wilson hit four treys in her 19 points for Uawa Tuakana Teina against Horouta, who won the game 53-48.
Wilson's teammate Zenda Moeke had lit a fire of sorts with the first of two long jump-shots.
Horouta's Kiara Swannell spun down the lane for 12-3 and with the score at 17-8 to The Waka, Wilson made the best defensive play of the night: Materoa Edwards drove to the hoop left side of the key, and Wilson — on her outside — latched on to the ball, forcing the offensive player to commit an infraction for progress. Lead referee Felix Sparks made the call.
The quick-thinking Jess Collier made two special plays in the fourth period, with soft touch on a short jumpshot left of the hoop for 44-37 and a backdoor lay-up for 46-39, off a brilliant assist, courtesy of Shinae Terekia.
Terekia's mum, Sonia Terekia of legendary women's champions Burger Wisconsin, was one of the few defensive players ever to consistently make the play that Wilson did against Edwards.
Terekia senior might have appreciated the passion and effort that teams are showing just three weeks in.